The front of the war on DEI has made its way to Tennessee.
Last month, Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed both the Dismantle DEI Act — which aims to end hiring practices in state and local governments that consider race, gender and other characteristics — and the Dismantling DEI Departments Act — which prohibits governments and public universities from using so-called discriminatory preferences to advance DEI.
These bills — now laws — passed each chamber of the state legislature, both governed under a GOP supermajority, with flying colors. Every Republican state lawmaker within the Hamilton County delegation stood behind these efforts to dismantle DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion.
“This is about restoring fairness and equal opportunity in our public institutions,” GOP Sen. Bo Watson of North Chattanooga told the Chattanooga Times Free Press in a statement. “Every Tennessean should have confidence that they are being treated equally and evaluated solely on their abilities.”
Yes, Bo, every Tennessean should be confident they are being fairly treated, that only merit is considered in hiring decisions, but that is not what these laws promote. In fact, they do the opposite.