EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: OU 'mandatory diversity training' discourages saying 'All Lives Matter'

In August, The University of Oklahoma announced that “all students, faculty, and staff’ would be required to enroll in diversity, equity and inclusion training. 

University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz also informed the OU community of the mandatory training in an email on August 27, stating that “this training is just one component of our deliberate, multi-year plan to emerge as an institution where all members feel equally respected, valued, and welcomed.” He wrote that OU has seen “threats” of racism “just as we’ve seen across the country.” 

The training includes various surveys and quizzes that are used to teach students about diversity, inclusion, oppression, privilege, and more. 

A series of videos included in the curriculum titled, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Students” elaborates on the concept of equality, claiming that sometimes, “equality isn’t actually fair,” then stating that “Equity means fairness.”

The videos also feature several students who share their identities, including one student who said that that the deaf community might view him as “more privileged” as a “hard-of-hearing” person. The student also said that he is “constantly in fear for my life” as a “Black man” due to the “current political and social climate that exists.” 

Another video contains a scripted scene in which one individual named Jose, meets a White individual name Jeff, who immediately tells him “I was expecting you to be more ‘south of the border.’” Jeff then attacks Jose for supporting Black Lives Matter by saying, “It seems like ‘All Lives Matter’ would be a better way to bring people together.” 

A woman in the video responds with “saying, ‘All Lives Matter’ is like the fire department showing up at your house when it’s burning down and spraying down the house across the street instead of yours because ‘All houses matter.’”

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Campus Reform spoke with OU junior Kiara Kincaid, who also serves as secretary of the school’s Turning Point USA chapter.

Kincaid, who took the course, said that “the contents of this training enforce the narrative that White people are inherently racist and encourage students to check their privilege.” 

Kincaid raised several more specific concerns with the required training.

”This course highlights equity instead of equality saying ‘it means sameness, so treating people equally means treating everyone the same, whether or not that is fair,”’ Kincaid told Campus Reform in an email. She also expressed concern over the school’s position on free speech, in which the university proclaims that “words can be just as harmful as actions.”

Kincaid also claimed that the course uses racial guilt tactics that she insists is strengthening the divide” on campus.

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“White people are depicted as condescending and insensitive and are said to have ‘re[f]erent power’ because of the color of their skin,” Kincaid said. “I believe this guilt tactic is only strengthening the divide between students on campus by portraying White students as racist and privileged compared to their peers. I do believe this is on purpose in an attempt to emphasize an issue that doesn’t apply to the majority of students at the University of Oklahoma and to appease those who called for this training to be established.”

OU Director of Media Relations Kesha Keith denied the merit of Kincaid’s claims in a comment to Campus Reform, insisting that “none of the modules promote race or sex stereotyping,” saying it is “similar to other required trainings such as HIPAA, Title IX, and fire safety trainings.” 

The language Keith used - “race or sex stereotyping” - is the same language used in President Donald Trump’s executive order banning critical race theory training, which the administration called “un-American propaganda.”

“The University of Oklahoma provides diversity, equity, and inclusion training program for all students, faculty, and staff. The training aims to engage participants in a meaningful learning experience with the ultimate goal of fostering a more inclusive campus community centered on creating a sense of belonging and emotional support for all,” Keith said. 

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