Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday (March 20) signed into law a bill that effectively bans Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across public schools, universities, and state agencies, in the latest move of Republican-led laws aimed at restricting diversity efforts across the United States.
What is Law SB129 and its focus on ‘divisive concepts’?
The law, officially named SB129, imposes strict limitations on what it deems as eight “divisive concepts,” including “fault, blame, or bias” to any race, religion, gender, or colour.
It also prohibits discussions questioning whether “slavery and racism are aligned with the founding principles of the United States.”
The law also grants authority to state agencies to discipline or terminate employees or contractors who violate its provisions.
Furthermore, SB129 mandates higher education institutions to designate bathrooms based on “biological sex”, effectively preventing transgender individuals from using public facilities aligning with their gender identity.
In a statement, Governor Ivey said her administration “will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity”, but added that she is duty-bound to stop “bad actors on college campuses … to push their liberal political movement counter to what the majority of Alabamians believe”.
Critics call Law SB129 divisive
The bill faced strong opposition from Democrats, civil rights advocates, and student groups who argued that it constituted an infringement on free speech and diversity efforts.
Organizations like Pen America drew parallels between SB129 to Florida’s Stop Woke Act.
They warned that the law could create a campus environment devoid of intellectual freedom.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has already said that he would advise Black athletes to consider attending institutions outside of Alabama.
“Why would you make it illegal for institutions of higher learning to promote diversity and inclusion among its faculty and staff? Why would you block fair representation and opportunities for all people?” he wrote in a Facebook post last month.
The ACLU of Alabama labeled the SB129 as a measure intended to stifle discourse on race, class, sexuality, and national origin.
They argued that the law not only amounts to classroom censorship but also undermines education on systemic inequities and historic struggles for civil rights.
(With inputs from agencies)
