Republican state lawmakers are questioning whether Kansas universities should review classroom content and materials as part of their efforts to remove diversity, equity and inclusion policies and programs.
State universities have closed offices and ended programs to comply with a state law that requires state agencies to eliminate any policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion, also known as DEI.
Examples included the University of Kansas closing its Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity and Kansas State University removing references to diversity in employment requirements and its mission statement.
Leaders of those universities told lawmakers on a government oversight committee that classroom curriculum was not part of those efforts. University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod said Tuesday that university leaders believe academic content and materials were not targeted by the law change.
“We have not gone into classroom curriculum,” he said. “We didn't believe that was part of the directive.”
Lawmakers acknowledged the law did not specifically require changing curriculum at universities.
Yet, they questioned a KU English program that requires students to examine diverse communities and identities. They also pointed to a textbook written by K-State faculty that asks readers to “re-consider some commonly held assumptions about topics concerning human identity and diversity.”
Republican Rep. Kristey Williams of Augusta said she was concerned the KU English program forces students to take courses focused on diversity issues regardless of their personal beliefs.
“In order for them to have an English degree,” Williams said, “they're going to have to face all types of DEI indoctrination.”
Republican Rep. Bob Lewis of Garden City suggested lawmakers may consider changing the law to include curriculum.
He said universities should have diverse opinions and viewpoints, but he’s uncomfortable with a required class like English composition using a textbook focused on what he called “political ideology.”
“That’s what I think is problematic,” he said.
Blake Flanders, president of the Kansas Board of Regents, told the lawmakers that the universities are following state and federal law, but they would be open to adjusting their efforts if lawmakers update the statute to include curriculum.
“If there is interest in changing that, we would stand ready to comply with any state laws,” Flanders said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton of Overland Park said the time and money universities are spending to comply with the law is a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“I would be curious to see what the cost is to our hardworking taxpayers in order to change all of these policies,” she said. “The taxpayers in my district, by and large, don't care about this.”
Dylan Lysen reports on social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. You can email him at dlysen (at) kcur (dot) org.
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