North Carolina Senate passes anti-DEI bill to limit 'discriminatory practices' in higher ed

The North Carolina Senate has passed a bill prohibiting public universities from promoting “divisive concepts” and “discriminatory practices.” 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) “programs promote a worldview that demands people, especially young students, to judge others based on their race, sex, or other factors and attack true diversity of thought, stifle opportunity, and stoke division,” the bill’s text says. 

The legislation was passed by the state Senate on April 9 by a vote of 28-18.

[RELATED: DoD continues DEI crackdown with Naval Academy ending race-based admissions]

Senate Bill 558 defines twelve “divisive concepts,” most of which relate to determining a person’s worth based on race or sex. The “discriminatory practices” refer to treating a person differently because of group identity.

The concepts include asserting that, “One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex,” “An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive,” and “An individual’s moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex.”

Other banned concepts include claiming the United States is fundamentally oppressive. The bill would prohibit teaching that “A meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist” or that “The United States was created by members of a particular race or sex for the purpose of oppressing members of another race or sex.”

The bill references President Trump’s January 29 anti-DEI executive order against efforts to “indoctrinate … children in radical, anti-American ideologies.”

During the Senate’s discussion, some Democrats argued that the bill doesn’t accomplish anything.

“[N]o one believes that we should teach that one race or gender is better than another,” Sen. Lisa Grafstein said, according to The News & Observer. Grafstein proposed an amendment to rename the bill “An Act to Do Absolutely Nothing.”

[RELATED: Caltech removes DEI language from administrator title while preserving DEI office]

Sens. Phil Berger, Brad Overcash, and Kevin Corbin are sponsoring the bill, which has 20 additional co-sponsors, all Republicans. The bill would effectively codify what the University of North Carolina system has done over the past year.

As Campus Reform reported in September, the University of North Carolina system, which comprises 17 public universities, eliminated all DEI offices and 60 DEI positions. Following the Trump administration’s anti-DEI executive orders, the system removed requirements for students to take DEI-related courses.

“DEI requirements of the same substance, but identified by a different name, could further jeopardize federal funding,” UNC General Counsel Andrew Tripp said at the time.

Campus Reform contacted the bill’s primary sponsors for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.