Live and Let DEI
What to know: UCLA declined to hire a professor of psychology because he once pointed out that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statements are “compelled speech” and “virtue signaling.”
The TPPF take: Texas passed the strongest anti-DEI legislation in the nation, but the battle to get rid of these woke polices in higher education is just beginning.
“It would be hard to imagine anything that has been more harmful to minority and marginalized students than DEI,” says TPPF’s Sherry Sylvester. “The University of Michigan has the largest DEI program in the country. After a decade of DEI at Michigan, the largest university in the state, Michigan still has a student population that is less than 4% black even though African Americans make up 14% of the population.”
For more on DEI, click here.
But Our Water Park!
What to know: La Joya ISD is asking the courts to block the Texas Education Agency from taking over its failing schools; the district is known for building a $20 million water park with tax dollars.
The TPPF take: Several of the district’s board members and administrators pled guilty last year to federal charges including theft, bribery, money laundering, extortion, and wire fraud.
“La Joya ISD isn’t the only school district wasting money hand-over-fist on things that don’t improve student achievement—but it is certainly one of the most visible,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “This is a remarkable example of school district waste and serves to punctuate the point that ISDs don’t have a revenue problem, they have a priority problem. And until that problem is solved, no amount of money will fix what ails public education.”
For more on La Joya ISD, click here.
Energy Independence- for China
What to know: China is making a bid for energy independence—and it’s not about climate change.
The TPPF take: China is preparing for war, not saving the planet.
“In military operations, a deception plan works best when an opponent shows the enemy something that enemy wants to believe is true,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “In China’s case, they know that American elites fear climate change, claiming it is an existential threat. But what if China’s green energy push has nothing to do with the environment? You must hand it to the Chinese Communist Party—it has managed to convince American elites that it cares about the environment while it’s really gearing up for war.”
For more on China, click here.