A diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) trainer expressed concerns about the American flag, suggesting it might be becoming a symbol of “hate” and “extremism.”
This statement has ignited considerable debate among educators and the broader community about the symbolism of national icons in contemporary society.
DEI Is in Decline
Throughout the US, schools, colleges, and universities have been abandoning their DEI initiatives due to a new policy where they are no longer being funded.
One such group is the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors, who voted to remove all DEI initiatives from all universities in the state, which has sparked debate as to whether this was a good or bad decision.
Taxpayers Are Paying Millions for DEI Consultants
These DEI consultants come at a cost, and that is often to the taxpayer. As one example, taxpayers in Canada have been paying $30 million since 2019 for DEI consultants.
When these figures were revealed, many people were shocked. While some were happy that their tax money was going towards these initiatives, others weren’t so impressed and have demanded their money be used elsewhere.
Critical Race Theory and Employment
Dr. Nancy Dome, a prominent DEI trainer, has been vocal about her stance on Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the education system.
She believes that employees who resist CRT do not fit within the educational culture, stating in her published work that these employees are a “poison to culture and climate.”
Resistant Employees Should Be Fired
Dr Dome has said that employees who don’t agree with these initiatives should be fired and that “they do not belong” in that line of work.
She has also said there is no point in showing compassion towards someone who refuses to see your point of view and that it is a waste of time to even engage in conversation with them.
Taking Inspiration From Divorce
When two people are married and continuously stop being able to see eye to eye, they tend to get divorced and move on from one another.
According to Dr. Dome, the same should be applied to a working relationship. If you cannot agree with someone you work with, especially if that person isn’t willing to adjust, then they need to be removed, either from the team or organization.
Implementing the Color Line Exercise
The color line exercise introduced by Dr. Dome in DEI training sessions assigns scores to employees based on their perceived level of oppression.
This exercise is designed to make participants aware of societal privileges and inequalities visually.
Teacher’s Reaction to DEI Training
Isaac Newman, a teacher who participated in DEI training, described the experience as “insane.”
He expressed his frustration with the compulsory nature of the training and the lack of clarity about the consequences of non-participation.
Shifting from Equality to Equity
Dr. Dome advocates for equity over equality, arguing that individuals should receive varying levels of support based on their specific needs.
This approach, she believes, is more effective in addressing disparities within the educational system.
Equality vs Equity
In a LinkedIn post, Dr. Dome addressed the differences between equality and equity, as well as why and how people can easily confuse the two.
In the post, she claims that without equity, equality can never be achieved and that if we didn’t have equity, people would end up resorting to a life of crime.
People Worried Equity Will Take Something Away From Them
People’s main concern about equity and why they prefer to focus on equality is that they are worried that using equity will result in something being taken away from them.
This is because equity involves being able to get what one needs, even if it’s different from what someone else can get. To them, it can feel that a privilege is being denied to them, whereas one person is able to receive it. However, what it really means is that everyone is getting their needs met in ways that best suit them.
Companies Are Abandoning DEI Initiatives
It’s not just education facilities that are abandoning DEI initiatives, as companies in other areas are doing the same thing. This comes four years after most big businesses had developed these initiatives to show they were committed to diversity.
With businesses struggling with rising costs, they have to cut costs somewhere, and have chosen to let go of those holding DEI positions. However, DEI experts say they are making a huge mistake and that the long-term consequences will be catastrophic.
Epoch Education’s Influence
Epoch Education, led by Dr. Dome, serves as a DEI consultant for several large school districts.
The organization promotes an equity agenda, impacting tens of thousands of students and educators across these districts.
Epoch Education and the US Department of Education
Epoch Education has listed the US Department of Education as one of its clients, who will likely source all of these materials for schools throughout the US.
However, how involved the company is with the Department of Education isn’t entirely known, but it likely means that more school districts than the ones listed are subject to its principles.
Promoting CRT Principles
Epoch Education actively promotes the principles of CRT through its media channels, including YouTube.
These materials emphasize the importance of recognizing systemic inequalities and the insufficiency of color blindness and meritocracy as solutions.
Details of the DEI Scoring System
During DEI sessions, participants are asked to score themselves based on a series of prompts about race, with scores reflecting their level of societal privilege.
White women and men often score higher, indicating systemic advantages.
The Color Line Makes Employees Line Up
Once employees have taken part in the color line test, they are then asked to line up in order from who scored the most to who scored the least.
This is done so that people can see a visual representation of what the color line actually looks like, with white people often being at the top and black people often being towards the bottom.
The American Flag Is a Reminder of Pain
According to Dr. Dome, the American flag is a symbol of the oppression of blacks, racism, and prejudice.
She then went on to say that the American flag’s existence in schools and in the workplace is a constant reminder to those people of the hurt they have been through, serving as a painful reminder of past experiences. Therefore, it should be removed.
The Left Have Taken Things Too Far
With Dr. Dome suggesting that the American flag needs to be removed, some say that the left has been taking things too far and needs to be stopped.
This is especially true for those who are fed up with the anti-American agenda and who firmly believe that the flag and everything else Epoch Education and other DEI companies stand against should still be allowed in society.
Unconstitutional To Prohibit Flying the Flag
Those who were present when these comments were made weren’t happy at the suggestion of removing the American flag, claiming it as being unconstitutional.
While she was there to promote the opposite, these comments displayed some bias and discriminatory language as it goes against the freedom and democracy that the flag stands for.
Critiquing Liberal Ideologies
Epoch Education’s materials critique common liberal ideologies such as incremental change and color blindness.
They describe them as inadequate in addressing the profound effects of racism in society.
Addressing Racism in Educational Videos
A September 2020 video by Epoch Education clearly states that racism influences all domains of society, including education.
This video is part of their effort to educate on the pervasive impact of racial inequalities.
Mandatory DEI Training Concerns
Newman’s concerns about mandatory DEI training highlight a significant tension in educational policies.
His experience reflects a broader discomfort among some educators with the directions of such training.
The Community Model of Equity
Dr. Dome argues for a community-based approach to equity, suggesting that ensuring the well-being of every community member leads to a safer and more prosperous society for all.
She emphasizes the interconnectedness of individual success and community health in her writing.
