Executive order prohibits pronoun mandates, demands schools dismantle DEI programs within 90 days
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed an executive order Tuesday banning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at all public institutions, including universities across the state.
“Theories of DEI are contrary to equal protection guarantees of the West Virginia and United States Constitution,” the executive order states.
“It is in the interest of the citizens of West Virginia that the State government treat them as equals under the law instead of preferentially or discriminatorily based on race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin,” it states.
The order defines DEI as “any effort to promote differential treatment of or provide special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin.”
It bans public institutions from using state resources to “grant or support DEI staff positions, procedures or programs” or mandate any person to participate in DEI training, agree to DEI statements, or “disclose preferred pronouns.”
Further, institutions are required to “propose a plan to the Office of the Governor within ninety (90) days…to address and eliminate” any DEI programs.
“(The U.S. Supreme Court was) very clear that having these types of preferences by groups…was inappropriate,” Morrisey said, according to The Intelligencer.
“I want to be clear, because there’s no current law and no current executive order in place, that that mindset doesn’t take hold in West Virginia,” he said.
West Virginia has joined a growing number of states and institutions that have banned these initiatives.
The Idaho State Board of Education approved sweeping new policies last month that ban “DEI ideology” in higher education and require institutional neutrality, among other measures, The College Fix previously reported.
Similarly, Iowa universities, the University of Utah, the University of Kentucky, the University of North Carolina system, and others have shuttered their DEI offices.
Alabama last year also passed a law banning DEI programs at the state’s public universities.
However, on Tuesday, a coalition of Alabama professors and students filed a federal lawsuit challenging the law, claiming it has prompted the censorship of discussing certain topics.
MORE: Mirroring trend, West Virginia University slashes language programs
IMAGE: WCHS Eyewitness News/Youtube
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