DEI programs that were meant to make institutions more open and welcoming to racial, gender, sexual, and other minorities have become a flashpoint in the culture wars. Florida has banned them from public colleges, while Federal courts have restricted Florida’s efforts to eliminate DEI aspects of workplace training on First Amendment grounds. This class examines both the immediate political tensions that placed DEI programs on trial and the deeper issues of political philosophy that underlie the controversy. Can race-conscious (or other identity-conscious) policies be squared with the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment that guarantees all persons equal treatment under the law? Given the increasingly aggressive stance of the Supreme Court on equal protection, are there other strategies to achieve DEI goals that could survive legal challenge? What makes these goals worthy to begin with? The class aims to give a fair hearing to both the prosecution and the defense. This program is being presented as a seminar with limited enrollment to foster discussion.

"Excellent and thought-provoking presentation which invited participation."- OLLI Patron