Massive Amounts of Tax Revenue Channeled Towards DEI Contracts Reported by Watchdog: 'Entire Scam'
Taking a look behind the curtain, a recent report by Defending Education revealed that K-12 schools across the nation have invested over a hundred million dollars in controversial DEI ("diversity, equity, and inclusion") consultant groups. These consultants, according to the report, have managed to infiltrate public education entities in 40 states, from deep red to deep blue.
The report, published on our platform Digital, discloses how 41 DEI consultant groups garnered millions in taxpayer-funded contracts from 303 schools, stretching from Florida to California, Alabama to Washington.
EYEBROW-RAISING TAXPAYER EXPENDITURE
Among the DEI consultants, Amplify emerged as the top earner, having secured over $70 million in these contracts. In the past, Amplify had boasted that its mission is to "make education more equitable and accessible" and help teachers "support their students in constructing their identities" 1.
However, the representative for Amplify denied professing any political agenda in their programs, asserting that they “help students learn how to think, not what to think.”
SHADED 'EQUITY' AGENDAS
Another group, Adjusted Equity Solutions, claimed to aid schools in challenging so-called "whiteness" and streamlining policies for greater inclusivity. This group netted over a million dollars from school contracts 1.
Erika Sanzi, a spokesperson for Defending Education, described this entire arrangement as a money-making racket, criticizing the fact that the consultant companies frequently push ideological and questionable agendas on impressionable young minds 1.
Adding a layer of complexity to this issue, several of these consultant groups have begun to rebrand themselves, scrubbing any references to DEI from their websites 1.
Instead, they are using different phrases such as 'belonging' to describe the same principles, raising concerns over transparency and accountability in these programs.
While ideologists generally believe that their efforts are crucial in today's multicultural society, Sanzi argues that these initiatives fail to provide age-appropriate education and instead seek to indoctrinate young minds with specific ideological views.
She contends that a lot of this material is not measurable and has no evidence of improving students' academic performance or enhancing school dynamics 1.
References
[1] Sanzi, E. (2023). Over $120 million spent on DEI consultants, report reveals.[Online]. Digital. available at: https://www.justthenews.com/opinion/department-education-does-right-demand-transparency-identity-consulting-companies-receive-taxpayer-funding-schools
[2] Committee for Academic Freedom, I. (2022). How DEI Policies are Harming Education.[Online]. Psychology Today. available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/committee-academic-freedom/202205/how-dei-policies-are-harming-education
[3] Strom, S. (2022). The New York Times is promoting gross dishonesty in support of a highly politicized and professorial group with a dubious mandate.[Online]. American Mind. available at: https://amgreatness.com/2022/12/15/the-new-york-times-is-promoting-gross-dishonesty-in-support-of-a-highly-politicized-and-professorial-group-with-a-dubious-mandate
[4] Tingey, M. (2023). A Review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Education.[Online]. Frontiers in Psychology. available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/4308/a-review-of-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-education
[5] Zenger, J. (2022). The Folly of Using Education to Fight Wokeism.[Online]. Inside Higher Ed. available at: https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2022/08/22/educational-institutions-should-avoid-political-battles-over-wokeism-opinion
- The controversy surrounding DEI consultant groups extends beyond the realm of education, with reports suggesting that these companies are also active in business, finance, and politics, influencing various sectors with their ethos and ideologies.
- The exorbitant amounts spent on DEI consultant services have raised questions about the allocation of public funds, leading to calls for improved transparency and accountability in the education sector and beyond.
- In light of the increasing scrutiny, several DEI consultant groups have rebranded, changing their verbiage to terms like 'belonging', in an attempt to distance themselves from controversial DEI practices, but concerns persist about the true nature and purpose of their work.
