Biden’s Department of Education opens probe into conservative activist DeSantis asked to purge Florida college of wokeness after he ‘misgendered’ ex-DEI boss who uses ‘ZE/ZIR’ pronouns
A famed conservative activist hired by Ron DeSantis to purge a public university in Florida of woke is being investigated by Biden’s Department of Education after he accused the university’s ex-DEI boss, who called “ze/zir/ has used ‘-pronouns incorrectly.
Christopher Rufo revealed he is facing a federal government investigation into how he helped take over New College in Sarasota — with investigators taking a dim view of his refusal to use the so-called “neo-pronouns” of a former diversity boss.
The investigation stems from a complaint by unnamed “students, faculty and staff” who allege, in part, that the university’s trustees and administrators violated civil rights law.
They allegedly did this by removing “gender neutral” signs from bathrooms, along with defunding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Gender Studies programs.
The complaint, portions of which Rufo posted to dismissed.’ Rufo referred to the former employee with feminine pronouns.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into DeSantis appointee Chris Rufo and the University of Florida where he is a trustee
The complaint, portions of which Rufo posted to
The activist and academic recounted how he was the subject of a civil rights investigation following a complaint that he “mishandled” the college’s former DEI director, who uses “ze/zir” pseudo-pronouns.
The complaint further reveals how Rufo also filed criminal charges against a student Catherine “Libby” Harrity for allegedly spitting at him.
In two tweets about the case that was ultimately dismissed, he then alleged Harrity’s pronoun use and then continued to refer to Harrity as “she.”
“Harrity also uses she/her pronouns, so the intended insult comes across as particularly insulted,” the complaint said.
In subsequent tweets, Rufo detailed how the initial civil rights complaint included as evidence screenshots of social media posts, along with photos alleging how the college administration had removed the words “gender neutral” from a sign on the bathroom wall.
“This is the petty tyranny of DEI ideology,” Rufo declared.
Rufu posted parts of the complaint describing it as “madness” and the “petty tyranny of DEI ideology”
Photos claimed the college administration had removed the words “gender neutral” from a graffiti-covered bathroom wall sign
Rufo also explained how the complainants alleged that defunding the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the Gender Studies Program violated civil rights law.
Rufo explained how the initial civil rights complaint included as evidence screenshots of social media posts, including one to which Elon Musk responded
Rufo also explained how the complainants alleged that defunding the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the Gender Studies Program violated civil rights law.
“This is an outrageous attempt to undermine democratic government and entrench left-wing ideological power under the guise of civil rights,” Rufo tweeted Friday evening.
Supporters of DEI plans say they address long-standing racist and sexist discrimination in schools and workplaces, but critics say they ultimately fuel divisions between groups.
They value “equity” – equal outcomes, rather than sameness, which critics say lowers standards. DEI offices can also support so-called affinity groups, where people are segregated by racial or sexual orientation.
DeSantis, a Republican running for the Republican nomination in 2024, late last year told Florida’s public universities to disclose all state funds spent on programs, classes and other initiatives related to DEI and teaching critical race theory.
In January, DeSantis appointed Rufo and others to the university as part of his war against “wokeness” at public colleges, a key theme of his 2024 presidential bid.
In May, DeSantis signed a law banning state and federal funding for DEI programs in public higher education, saying the move would “prevent woke ideologies from continuing to co-opt our state universities and state colleges.”
“This bill says that the entire experiment with DEI in the state of Florida is coming to an end,” the governor said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis ultimately eliminated all federally funded DEI spending at Florida’s public colleges and universities
Rufo’s attack on diversity programs as a trustee of New College sparked student protests on the Florida campus – pictured here in May 2023
Activist and scholar Christopher Rufo released a book in July titled America’s Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything
In an online bloggingRufo continued: ‘Although the complaint is completely unfounded, this does not mean that it will automatically fail.
The Biden administration has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to weaponize federal law enforcement against school board parents and other conservative reformers.
‘We are ready for battle. When Governor DeSantis appointed the new board of trustees, he told us, “If the media isn’t attacking you, you’re not doing your job.”
For some, DEI schemes are important and necessary because they can help overcome historical racism and sexism and make it easier for people of all backgrounds to advance in education and employment.
Many conservatives say DEI is a form of reverse discrimination that unfairly targets white men.
Others say DEI programs may be well-intentioned but rarely achieve the desired goals and often make matters worse by creating divisions in offices and classrooms.
According to national research from The Heritage Foundation, DEI associates now account for more than 3.4 positions for every 100 professors, fueling fears of a booming industry that some say is little more than a woke box-check exercise.