Global Courant 2023-05-10 11:14:12
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said the concept of diversity, equity and inclusion was admirable a decade ago but has since “goes off the rails” and has “taken on a new mission.”
Speaking to reporters Monday at a ceremonial signing of a bill outside the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Youngkin was asked about recent comments from his chief diversity officer Martin Brown stating that “DEI is dead,” prompting calls of the Democrats to fire the governor.
“The concept of DEI, and let’s put (environmental, social and governance) in there too, these ideas five, 10 years ago were commendable,” Youngkin said, according to WRIC. “How do we embrace diversity? How do we ensure that everyone has opportunities? How do we foster an inclusive environment where people feel part of rather than excluded?”
“And ESG and DEI have been candidly derailed, and I think they’ve adopted a new mission statement that’s really inconsistent with those core principles. And so we have work to do,” he continued.
GOV OF VARGINIA. GLENN YOUNGKIN HOSTS EVENT TO CEREMONY SIGN BILL TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said the concept of diversity, equity and inclusion was admirable a decade ago but has since “goes off the rails” and has “taken on a new mission.” (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Youngkin said DEI has advocated for the idea of ”equal outcomes” that sacrifices equal opportunity.
“We need to get back to the basics that we know are right and away from the bombastic language that DEI has become where people suddenly claim we want equal results for all at all costs and where all sudden excellence has been subordinated to equity ‘ he said. ‘Let’s write down words and start working on the things we know are good.’
Brown’s comment that “DEI is dead” came in late April when speaking to Virginia Military Institute faculty and staff.
Youngkin was asked about his chief diversity officer Martin Brown’s recent comments stating that “DEI is dead.” (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“We’re not going to raise that cow anymore. He’s dead,” Brown said of DEI. “It was mandated by the General Assembly, but this governor has a different philosophy of civic discourse, courtesy, treatment — keeping the golden rule, right?”
Last week, Virginia House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr. and Senator Scott A. Surovell, both Democrats, wrote a letter to Attorney General Jason Miyares asking for an informal advisory on Youngkin’s changes to DEI.
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Youngkin said DEI has advocated for the idea of ”equal outcomes” at the expense of equal opportunity. (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Lawmakers cited the governor’s decision to replace the word “equity” with “opportunity” for the position Brown currently holds and noted that the state’s website lists him as Virginia’s Chief Diversity, Opportunity and Inclusion Officer.
“The title required by the Code does not appear anywhere on the official state website,” the Democrats wrote to Miyares. They said the 2020 law establishing the position requires it to be for the “Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”
