TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A federal judge temporarily blocked major portions of President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at dismantling government support for diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Earlier this month, the University of Arizona removed references to DEI from its website. Since then, more than 1,500 students, faculty, and staff have signed a petition questioning the decision by the University of Arizona's administration to eliminate diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) language from its website.
Noah Demoro is one U of A student so says he wants to see DEIA language put back on the university's websites.
"It's very disappointing to hear that that just got removed basically overnight," Demoro said. "They've made this a political issue, where I personally don't think it should be. I don't think the representation of groups of color should be a political issue."
Student Francisco Smith views DEIA programs and policies differently and says he's happy with the administration's response.
"What I'd be happy with is if they basically stopped existing quite thoroughly, entirely," Smith said.
Vanessa Perry, an associate professor of practice at the U of A's College of Education, and others at the university say they need to defend DEIA policies.
"Following President Trump's executive order on anti-DEIA And then some of what we've seen at the state level, and then the Department of Education's 'Dear colleague…' letter—I definitely saw this coming," said Perry.
That's why they say they started the petition.
"I'm really scared about DEIA initiatives going away at the U of A," Perry said. "Mostly for the students, and the lack of community they will have."
Both supporters and detractors of the petition have told me that they do agree on one thing: That discrimination shouldn't be enshrined in any sort of law or code.
——
Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
