New College of Florida trustee challenges Biden to imprison them over DEI probe.
Prominent Conservative Activist Challenges Biden Administration’s Civil Rights Investigation
Prominent conservative activist and trustee of the New College of Florida, Chris Rufo, has taken a bold stance against the Biden administration’s civil rights investigation into the school. During a roundtable discussion with Rep. Jim Banks and members of the House Anti-Woke Caucus, Rufo fearlessly declared his willingness to face imprisonment rather than comply with the administration’s demands.
“I’m under a federal civil rights investigation right now because I refused to call the former DEI director of New College of Florida a ze/zir,” Rufo stated defiantly. “I’m not going to do it. If the Biden administration says that’s a civil rights violation, OK, fine, put me in prison. I don’t care.”
The investigation was launched after a complaint alleged that the conservative administration at the Florida college had violated federal civil rights law by removing gender-neutral signage from bathrooms. Additionally, Rufo’s refusal to use “ze/zir” pronouns when referring to the college’s former dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion further fueled the investigation.
Rufo and a group of trustees, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, have been tasked with transforming the public college into a classical liberal arts school, inspired by the conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan. Their reforms have resulted in faculty departures but have also attracted record enrollment. However, the increased student population has posed challenges for on-campus housing.
Rep. Banks, along with Reps. Harriet Hageman and Marjorie Taylor Greene, penned a letter demanding transparency from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon regarding the investigation. The lawmakers expressed their support for the New College employees’ and trustees’ free speech rights and their efforts to eliminate partisan administrative positions and divisive components of the curriculum.
The Department of Education has been given until September 20th to provide details on the allegations being investigated at the New College of Florida. The letter also seeks information on the number of complaints and investigations against colleges and universities, as well as the Office for Civil Rights’ stance on the use of “Ze/Zer” pronouns as evidence of discrimination.
In response, a Department of Education spokesperson stated, ”As a policy, the Office for Civil Rights does not comment on pending investigations.”
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