The House, on a 213-201 vote September 19, passed the End Woke Higher Education Act (H.R.3724) – which "recognizes that free expression, open inquiry, and the honest exchange of ideas are fundamental to higher education." The legislation also condemns and discourages the use of a "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) statement in hiring and admissions.
David Randall of the National Association of Scholars explains the House passed H.R.3724 to reform accreditation standards and ensure free speech on campuses. But the NAS research director says it is only a first step toward informing others of the importance of the issue.
"And [urging them to] pay more attention to it and, ultimately, to tell people to work on this at different levels – above all, the states – but also in boards of trustees and whatnot, and to tell the colleges we're serious about this, you really need to change," he offers.
NAS says the need for such legislation is a "sad commentary" on academia, which has allowed college campuses to become "home to cancel culture." According to Randall, the NAS has been fighting that problem since it was founded in 1987. Now, he says, reformers are needed on campuses.
"That's why working through the states in particular is terribly important," he continues. "Because at the state public universities, lawmakers and governors can use their powers of appointment and powers of the purse to make sure that reformers are appointed into key administrative positions like university presidents and deans."
The legislation currently sits with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Randall isn't optimistic it will advance much further with Democrats in control of the Senate and the White House.
