Idaho bans DEI policy and offices in public colleges and universities | News [Video]

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho State Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and policy in all public colleges and universities in the state.

The resolution forbids the University of Idaho, Boise State University, Lewis-Clark State College and Idaho State University from establishing or maintaining any central office, policy, procedure or initiative that promotes “DEI ideology.”

The policy also states that colleges and universities are prohibited from operating support centers for students that are based on “DEI ideology.”

In the resolution, “DEI ideology” is defined as any approach that prioritizes “personal identity characteristics”—such as race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or gender identity—over individual merit.

This vote follows several months of drafts and discussions regarding the implementation of “DEI ideology” policy across the board’s colleges and universities.

The board received nearly 700 comments from students out of approximately 45,000 enrolled.

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