Kevin Stitt ordered the state’s public colleges and universities to review all DEI-related programs and jobs, suggesting to some that the programs will be reduced or eliminated. Supreme Court ended an affirmative-action precedent that had been on the books for four decades and allowed schools to consider race in the admissions process. One month after DeSantis signed into law the state’s controversial DEI bill, the U.S. The pushback against creating equal opportunities can be seen in and out of sport. Greg Sankey on zero Black SEC football coaches: That speaks to campus decisions Previous attempts for comment from SEC commissioner Greg Sankey were not returned, but prior to last season he told reporters that increased diversity remains an area of focus for him and the conference, which has had only five Black head football coaches in its 91-year history and last season had just five persons of color among its 42 coordinator positions, which is problematic because coordinator experience is typically a prerequisite for advancement. Now it’s up to those who can affect change to do so.” We are at a critical crossroad where change is needed. “It’s really time to recognize that these athletes can be led by men that look like them. “The SEC is fertile ground for progress as one of the top football conferences due to its heavy black student-athlete population,” the organization said in a statement to The Athletic. Consider the Southeastern Conference.ĭespite being widely viewed as the nation’s most powerful and influential football conference, the SEC does not have a single minority head coach and has not had a Black head coach since 2020, putting it directly in the crosshairs of the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches. Decision-makers are allowed to continue with business as usual and profit from the labor of a predominantly Black workforce without ceding any of their power. But when the call to action is simply to complain, there is no real pressure to change. Imagine if Black parents refused to send their kids to universities or conferences that routinely pass over minority candidates and fail to foster an atmosphere of racial and cultural diversity or if Black players banded together and withheld their services for at least one game or if Black coaches boycotted one or more weeks of work or if Black business leaders pulled their financial support from programs and universities until a real commitment to meritocracy was made. Beyond speaking out, minority athletes, parents, coaches and business leaders should take action against universities, conferences and states that do not respect racial and cultural diversity. Smith’s call to action should be applauded as a good first step, but there was room to go further. “To MANY minority athletes at UF, please be aware and vocal about this decision by the University who is now closing doors on other minorities without any oversight.” “Instead of showing courage and leadership, we continue to fail based on systemic issues and with this decision, UF has conformed to the political pressures of today’s time,” Smith wrote. Regardless, the end result is viewed by Smith and others as another attack on minorities. Ron DeSantis, who last May signed into law a ban on state funding for DEI programs at public universities.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |