DEI Laws Fall Short In Ohio And Kentucky
Just over a year ago statehouses in Ohio and Kentucky moved to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs on paper, and many cheered a victory for common sense and free inquiry. The celebration was short lived because recent undercover videos show the ideas and practices tied to DEI remain active inside classrooms and campus offices. That persistence reveals a deeper problem: the laws targeted symptoms and not the ideology fueling the sickness.
Universities are clever at rebranding. Trainings get new labels, course modules are folded into neutral-sounding syllabi, and administrative offices shift language while keeping the same outcomes. That is not mere semantics; it is a strategy to keep an agenda intact while avoiding legal scrutiny.
From a biblical view DEI is troubling because it elevates group identity above the image of God in every person. Scripture tells us every human is created in God’s image and accountable to Him, not to a political theory of victimhood and power. When an institution prizes identity categories over repentance, redemption and truth, it moves away from the worldview that sustains liberty and moral seriousness.
On campus this ideology breeds division, not unity. It encourages students to see themselves primarily as members of groups in competition instead of as brothers and sisters responsible to Christ and one another. That division corrodes trust, discourages open debate, and trains a generation to look to power politics instead of conscience guided by Scripture.
Why Laws Missed The Mark
Lawmakers did what they could within constitutional limits, but vague language and weak enforcement left wide gaps for administrators to exploit. When statutes ban labels rather than behaviors, clever officials simply change labels and keep the behaviors that matter. Without teeth for enforcement these laws become symbolic gestures that calm voters while systems continue quietly.
Higher education is a market for ideas, but the marketplace must be honest and open. Too many campuses turned that market into a monopoly where dissenting views are discouraged and hiring favors ideological loyalty over expertise. The result is not stronger scholarship but narrowed debate and intellectual groupthink that harms students and the nation.
Practical fixes are straightforward if we have the will to act. Laws should define prohibited actions clearly, require transparency about curriculum and training materials, and create independent audits with public reporting. Institutions that accept public funds should face real consequences when they mask coercive programs behind sanitized language.
Christians should not treat this as a mere policy debate. We must pray for wisdom, engage as parents and alumni, and insist that trustees and lawmakers prioritize truth and religious liberty over fashionable ideologies. The church has a long history of shaping character and culture by pushing back against false gods and empty promises, and this moment is no different.
Alongside civic action, we must equip young believers for the rigorous defense of the faith and for clear thinking about justice and mercy. Teach your children that dignity comes from being made in God’s image and that biblical justice seeks restoration not ranking. Encourage students to study well, argue kindly, and refuse to be boxed into the simple categories the campus culture offers.
Complacency will hand colleges to cultural elites who have little regard for free speech, religious conscience or academic excellence. The remedy is persistent pressure from parents, donors and faithful citizens who demand accountability. If we want campuses to form citizens who love God and neighbor, we cannot ignore how quickly subtle indoctrination can replace genuine education.
The goal is not to purge disagreement but to restore a culture where ideas contend openly and truth is sought humbly. That requires courage, persistent oversight, and moral clarity grounded in Scripture. If Christians take those steps, we can reclaim institutions as places of honest learning and formation for the next generation.