Indiana Governor Mike Braun has sparked controversy by signing an executive order that eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in state government. The order replaces DEI with 'merit, excellence, and intelligence (MEI)' initiatives and closes the state's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity, leaving its head and four staff members jobless. While Governor Braun argues that his order promotes 'merit' over 'equity,' the former chief equity officer, Karrah Herring, believes the decision misrepresents DEI's core values.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed nine executive order s on Wednesday that he said will streamline state government and boost efficiency, but one is getting the most attention. The order eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI ) initiatives in state government. Braun said his order would replace DEI with merit, excellence, and intelligence (MEI) initiatives.
The governor's order also closes the state's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity, leaving Karrah Herring, the state's first chief equity, inclusion, and opportunity officer out of a job, along with four co-workers. 'To say that they're replacing DEI with merit, but assume that merit was never a part of the conversation, and I think that's one of the misunderstandings that people have around diversity, equity, and inclusion â that it doesn't include excellence, that it doesn't include standards of excellence,' Herring said. 'There's always got to be merit at play, but with DEI, the focus really should be are we creating access for everyone? Not are we eliminating people from the conversation, are we excluding people, but are we creating access, and unfortunately people have a misunderstanding of what DEI really stands for.'Herring said she was not surprised by the closing of her office, because the governor campaigned on the issue, but she is saddened that she never got a chance to sit down with Braun to make the case for her DEI team.
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