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Michael Bird's avatar

All these posts, attacking DEI, seem to be inferring that there is some vast conspiracy to dumb down our academic institutions and research organizations by forcing "woke" ideologies on educators and grant recipients. Rather than pointing out that there is a large pool of talent that remains largely untapped because of systemic racism and sexism, we are told that efforts designed to address the limited number of minority and women STEM faculty members are akin to Soviet-style indoctrination. Seriously?

How can it be that so many prestigious institutions are all making the same mistakes in developing policies regarding DEI? It seems far more likely that the attacks on DEI are due to a simple resistance to change.

Bottom line - I trust scientists to tell me about the nature of the universe and I trust professional education administrators and policy makers to run our institutions. I do not trust administrators to perform scientific research and I do not trust scientists to run a university. Oh... and anyone comparing DEI initiatives to Soviet brainwashing is out of touch with reality.

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Maria Comninou's avatar

When you read the right-leaning media all you hear is the authoritarianism of the left and assaults on free speech because of DEI and "wokeness". When you read the left-leaning media all you hear is authoritarianism from the right and assault on free speech (book bans), assault on individual rights (abortion bans and restrictions, restriction of gay and LGBT rights, US Supreme Court poised to curtail other freedoms, such as gay marriage, possibly restrictions on contraception; states banning courses; canceling left wing professors, etc). Take your pick!

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