Two higher institutions are bowing down to President Donald Trump after he recently pushed for restrictions against diversity training.

According to Inside Higher Ed, The University of Iowa and John A. Logan College in Illinois has suspended diversity events, citing fear of consequence of violating the executive order against “divisive concepts.”

As Blavity previously reported, the White House order last month moved to ban federal agencies from conducting cultural sensitivity training, claiming such anti-racist and equality programs are “divisive, anti-American propaganda.”

Liz Tovar, the University of Iowa’s interim associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, claimed the school could lose federal funding if it doesn’t follow the President’s command.

 

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“Diversity, equity and inclusion remain as core values within our institution,” Tovar said in a statement. “After consulting with multiple entities, and given the seriousness of the penalties for non-compliance with the order, which include the loss of federal funding, we are recommending that all units temporarily pause for a two-week period.”

Meanwhile, John A. Logan College suspended a Hispanic Heritage Month talk planned for next week. However, the college didn’t clarify its interpretation of the executive order.

The White House statement from last month specifically points to employees within the executive branch of the government.

“It has come to the President’s attention that agencies within the executive branch have spent millions of taxpayer dollars to date ‘training’ government workers to believe divisive, anti-American propaganda,” the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.

According to Inside Higher Ed, an unnamed senior administration official from the White House Office of Management and Budget responded on Tuesday after the order continued to create confusion.

The official said the executive order “is not limited to federal agencies and applies to federal contractors and grant recipients when allowed by law.”

Source: Two Colleges Suspend Diversity Events, Citing Fear Of Trump’s Executive Order Against ‘Divisive Concepts’