Hidden cameras aim to expose DEI efforts in Texas colleges despite ban

A hidden camera shows Texas college employees – including those from North Texas schools – suggesting that they’re finding “creative” ways to pursue DEI initiatives despite the state’s ban.

University staffers are shown in the seven-minute video posted to YouTube responding to questions about diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Starting Jan. 1, a new state law went into effect barring DEI efforts at public universities and colleges.

“We’re not allowed to say DEI anymore,” said one staffer identified as being from Texas A&M University at Galveston. “They just rebranded, so we’re still doing the same work. We just can’t call it that.”

The video was recorded by Accuracy in Media, a group that describes itself as using “citizen activism and investigative journalism to expose media bias, corruption, and public policy failings,” according to its website.

The employees were responding to questions from a woman recording them with a hidden camera. In some portions, she appears to support DEI initiatives as a way to get the employees to continue talking.

“It’s widely agreed and understood that DEI leads to racism and hatred and antisemitism. I view it as a leading cause of antisemitism on college campuses in this country,” said Adam Guillette, Accuracy in Media’s president. “And it’s clear that simply making it illegal means nothing to the radicals who want to push these terrible ideas.”

Guillette said the group visited 24 Texas campuses. The Dallas Morning News reached out to the seven universities the group identified as having employees discussing DEI work in the video. Three staffers are shown in the video noting that they no longer are allowed to do such efforts.

Representatives from the various universities stated that they’re working to implement the new law and will investigate the matter.

Some of the officials indicated that the remarks were captured on video through deceptive tactics. At least one noted that an employee was answering questions from a group who identified themselves as new graduates looking for jobs on campus and that the recording took place in late 2023 before the law took effect.

“The Texas A&M University System takes the implementation of [the DEI ban] seriously and has established procedures to ensure all campuses are in full compliance with state law,” said Jim Suydam, the system’s director of media relations.

Suydam added that the system is adding compliance to this law to its annual audits.

The new law prohibits state schools from having DEI offices and offering initiatives that are specific to certain races, ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientations.

Before the videos were made public, Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who authored the bill, told The News that his office is sending letters to university boards of regents and presidents to explain his expectations under the new law.

The Conroe Republican wants to ensure that they understand the enforcement provisions “should any DEI office be renamed or reauthorized or recategorized under a different label to subvert the provisions of the bill.”

For those who don’t comply, state funding for their schools is at stake.

Creighton said he’s planning spring meetings with university officials, when he’ll conduct his own analysis on how colleges are implementing the law.

Schools that appeared to have employees in the video included the University of Houston, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Tyler and others.

A woman shown giving a tour at the University of Texas at Dallas described how the school will keep some programs by calling it something else and saying “you gotta skirt the lines a little.”

She noted how the school’s former transition closet, initially designed for transgender students, is able to remain on campus as it is open to any student.

“We are confident that we are fully compliant with the law,” said Katherine Morales, associate vice president of communications at UTD. “We are aware of the video, and we will follow up with our staff to understand what transpired and take further action as needed.” (UTD is a supporter of the Education Lab.)

At Tarleton State University, a school that’s part of the Texas A&M System, the woman with the hidden camera states, “So basically y’all still do the DEI work? You have all the same DEI people. They’re just called something else?”

A man described in the video as a representative of the campus nods and says, “I’m not supposed to say that.” He goes on to say how the school is using programs for students who are the first in their family to attend college to continue initiatives. “First gen is really DEI all wrapped in one.”

A person identified as a staffer from the University of North Texas at Dallas discussed DEI work being done under the term “belonging.”

Edward Kosowski, UNT Dallas’ director of integrated communications, said in a statement that the school’s office of student belonging serves all students and is in compliance with the new law.

“UNT Dallas is a majority-minority university, serving mostly local students from southern Dallas and surrounding areas. The university does not and has never had a DEI office,” Kosowski said. “We foster the support needed for the students we serve to create pathways for socioeconomic mobility through education.”

Officials from Texas Tech said in a statement that comments made by two of its school employees were “inaccurate and inconsistent” with the actions taken by the institution.

“We have emphasized our intent to abide not only by the letter of the law but the spirit of the law, and we will not engage in activities that violate state or federal law,” the statement read.

The group behind the videos undertook similar secret recordings regarding critical race theory bans in k-12 schools, Guillette said. The theory is a framework largely used in higher education to probe the way policies and laws uphold systemic racism – such as in education, housing or criminal justice; however, some critics have conflated it with DEI efforts.

Guillette noted that in the previous videos, the group often encountered employees stating that they were not willing to comply with such CRT bans. Since Texas banned DEI from higher education, Guillette said he thought similar compliance issues would be taking place on campuses.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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