ATLANTA — Georgia Tech is being peppered with questions after someone leaked a staff email that directed everyone to remove the words “diversity, equity, inclusion” and even “justice” from the school’s website.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes has been looking into this story for a couple of days now and says each day the college is saying something different.
Now, the NAACP is demanding clarification. Gerald Griggs, president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP said he was shocked when read the leaked email.
“All options are on the table. Sometimes we don’t just talk, we litigate,” Griggs told Fernandes.
The email directs Georgia Tech staff to delete all content from the school’s website that has the words diversity, equity, inclusion, DEI, inclusive excellence and even justice.
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Georgia Tech declined to answer any questions about the email but sent a statement saying, in part, “In 2023, Georgia Tech made the decision to begin discontinuing DEI programs, which included eliminating positions and realigning funding.”
A day later, Tech told our news partner The Atlanta Journal-Constitution something different, saying the email had some inaccuracies.
Fernandes reached back out to Georgia Tech, which is now saying the email was never approved and has some inaccuracies.
When Fernandes asked what they were and the Tech spokesperson never answered that question.
“If you’re rolling this back because of an administration of, because of a change in the political ideology, what does that say about your institution? We’re supposed to be in a place where diversity is a strength no matter who is the president, no matter who’s the governor, no matter who’s the mayor. What does this say to your students? What does that say to your alumni?” Griggs said.
Georgia Tech’s website has stats on how diverse its student body is. Some 33% of its students are white, and everyone else is a student of color.
Tech has an NACCP chapter of its own. They told Fernandes that they’re waiting on clarification from the school as well.
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