diversity

The concept of diversity, equity and inclusion has been thrust into the political spotlight as President Donald Trump targets programs on college campuses that try to support historically underrepresented groups. But Kansas experts say that DEI is being misrepresented.

For about 30 years, the Ph.D. Project has supported students from underrepresented groups who are earning doctoral degrees in business — including at the University of Kansas. Now, it's attracted the attention of Trump's Education Department.

The colleges under scrutiny include dozens of state schools such as the University of Kansas. The U.S. Department of Education claims the schools violated civil rights laws because of programs aimed at fixing longstanding racial disparities in their graduate programs.

The Missouri House also passed legislation barring state funds from going to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and a bill shielding companies from having to place specific cancer warnings on pesticides.

Gov. Mike Kehoe's executive order directs all state agencies to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, mirroring an order by President Trump. It also bars state funds from going towards such programs.

Andrew Bailey was questioned about his lawsuit against Starbucks that claims diversity hiring initiatives have caused higher prices and longer waits. “I’m just curious if white-served coffee tastes a little bit better,” one Ferguson Democrat asked.

The lawsuit from Republican Andrew Bailey alleges that Starbucks setting goals for the representation of people of color and women in its workforce and leadership amounts to illegal discrimination.

The Giving Grove, a nonprofit that works with residents of under-resourced communities to grow orchards, will translate their educational gardening materials into 12 different languages. Non-English speaking communities face barriers to accessing the free fruit and nuts because information has been printed only in English.

Shawnee Mission North High School teacher Jennifer Caedran Sullivan alleged that the district violated her freedom of speech and religion after she spoke in opposition to required diversity and inclusion trainings.

In the last few decades, urban schools in Kansas City have not kept up with other schools in their ability to offer high-level courses in computer science and coding. The nonprofit WeCode/KC has been providing primarily minority students access to education in a variety of tech areas for five years, in an effort to address this aspect of the digital divide.

UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal said the school would move to a "decentralized campus inclusion model" starting Nov. 1. The decision follows several attacks on DEI by Missouri GOP leaders, and policy changes within the University of Missouri system, such as the ending of race-conscious scholarships.

November’s election will decide half the seats on the Kansas Board of Education, which oversees public schools across the state. Those races could dramatically shift the board's political and ideological balance. Plus: University of Missouri students are worried about the future of diversity programs on campus.