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Staffer says school keeps DEI ‘hidden’ through ‘maneuvering’
Southern Methodist University denies it operates diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, though a recent undercover video suggests the opposite.
A recent video from Accuracy In Media shows staffer Danielle Palomo explaining how the Dallas, Texas school uses “maneuvering” to keep its diversity program hidden. Palomo is a “Coordinator for Community Engagement, Social Change and Intercultural Engagement,” according to her bio.
An undercover journalist with AIM recorded Palomo saying the Office of Diversity and Inclusion was replaced by the Office of Cultural Intelligence but continues under a different name.
“As you can probably imagine, we’ve had to do a lot of maneuvering in order to remain kind of hidden under a lot of things,” she said. “But as long as we can keep doing what we’re doing even to a smaller capacity, that is what we’re gonna do. We’re going to do our best.”
However, the private university’s media director told The College Fix, “SMU does not operate a hidden DEI program.”
“The University does offer activities under the Cultural Intelligence framework that was originally adopted in 2017,” Megan Jacob wrote in a recent email when asked about the video. “Cultural Intelligence focuses on the ability to learn from and understand different perspectives, strengthen relationships, and foster mutual respect and community.”
She said the university “regularly reviews its practices to ensure they align with applicable legal requirements and our institutional mission.”
Palomo did not respond to two emails seeking comment on what she said in the video.
Meanwhile, an Accuracy In Media leader called on the school to “hire an independent investigator to root out any DEI from the school’s programs and curriculum.”
“No taxpayer, donor, or student should be forced to fund this divisive, hateful activism,” Adam Guillette, the organization’s president, told The Fix in a media statement.
SMU is a private university, but does receive federal funding. Texas law prohibits DEI at public universities.
Guillette said there are systemic problems of DEI at universities.
“These radical administrators are essentially on an evangelical mission. They’re devoted to the racist, Marxist principles of DEI and will not be deterred until they are held accountable for their actions,” he stated.
This is not the first time AIM has exposed a university for continuing covert DEI practices.
A few weeks ago, the University of Missouri suspended a staffer after being caught on video saying DEI is still practiced under a different name, The Fix reported.
In yet another undercover video, an AIM journalist recorded a Western Carolina University administrator affirming that diversity, equity, and inclusion are still actively practiced despite a system-wide ban on the ideology.
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