Republican Utah Governor Criticized For Celebrating Black History Month After Signing Bill to Kill Diversity Programs
The Republican governor of Utah has come under fire for acknowledging Black History Month after signing a bill to end diversity programs in his state, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Gov. Spencer Cox who once described DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives as “awful, bordering on evil” took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate Black History Month on Thursday (Feb. 1).
“We honor the resilience, courage, and contributions African Americans have made to our state and nation,” Cox wrote. “We celebrate Black communities and remain committed to improving access to opportunity.”
Immediately, Cox received backlash from his post with several hundred users expressing their outrage.
“Whoa whoa whoa. Are you celebrating the DIVERSITY of your state, committing to make things more EQUITABLE, and trying to be INCLUSIVE,” one user sarcastically wrote.
“This kind of DEI thought-crime will not stand! Just wait until the governor finds out,” the post continued.
“How can you say this with a straight face when you just signed some of the most regressive anti-inclusion, anti-equity legislation in the country?” another person wrote.
Some even called Cox a “liar” and a “hypocrite” for his post as the number of those who despised his post outnumbered those who were in favor of it.
Democratic State Sen. Nate Blouin also chimed in writing, “Once again, actions speak louder than words.”
On Tuesday (Jan.30), Cox signed HB261 into law making Utah the latest state to ban diversity training, hiring, and other programs of inclusion at universities and in state government, local CBS affiliate WIAT reported.
Beginning in July, public schools will be required “to remove references to diversity from their offices and open programs to all individuals, rather than support a specific underserved race.”
“We’ve been concerned about some DEI programs and policies, particularly with hiring practices, and this bill offers a balanced solution,” Cox said in a statement Tuesday (Jan.30).
In 2022, Cox also vetoed a proposed ban on transgender students playing in girls' sports
Cox is following the lead of Republican-led states such as Florida and Texas which enacted legislation that prohibits DEI efforts in higher education last year.
