In 2024, the Alabama Legislature passed SB129 to stop public colleges from using tax dollars to fund diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices and to prohibit the teaching of divisive concepts. The law was clear: state-funded schools cannot promote the idea that one race is inherently superior or that individuals are “oppressors” or “victims” because of their skin color.
Today, many taxpayers assume the issue is settled. But have some universities simply changed the signs on the doors while keeping the same ideological machinery running behind the scenes?
The "Marxist" Roots of DEI
To understand why this “rebranding" is a problem, we must look at the intellectual DNA of DEI.
DEI is a modern version of Marxist thought. Classical Marxism divides the world into two groups: the bosses or oppressors (the "bourgeoisie") and the workers or victims (the "proletariat"). It teaches that life is a constant power struggle where one group must be brought down for the other to rise.
DEI programs do the same thing, but they use race instead of money. They teach students that society is a system of "power and privilege" where some groups are born "victims" and others are born "oppressors." Instead of encouraging students to see themselves as unique individuals with God-given dignity, DEI programs force them to identify primarily as members of a racial group.
This isn’t higher education – it is state-funded DEI indoctrination designed to foster resentment rather than achievement.
Most Alabamians want their colleges to focus on merit. They don't want their children to be taught that they are victims or villains based on their heritage.
The "Rebranding" Shell Game
Even though SB129 is the law, some colleges are playing a "shell game" to keep their programs alive. The pattern looks like this: shut down the DEI office, move the staff, rename the department, adjust the wording in trainings, and then carry on with the same basic approach. On paper, DEI is gone. In practice, much of the same ideology is operating under a new label.
A Better Solution to DEI
Cutting funding for schools that try to hide old DEI programs under new names is a good step. But removal alone is not enough. Removing programs without replacing them leaves a gap.
The life and liberty message of Frederick Douglass provides a better solution.
DEI frames society around group identity and racial conflict. Douglass offers a path rooted in equal rights – not managed outcomes – equal justice, not group-based sorting – and a fair chance to compete, not permanent dependency.
Douglass showed how to achieve fairness and equal opportunity without dividing people. In his 1865 speech, “What the Black Man Wants,” Douglass gave a message every educator should memorize:“If you will only untie his hands, and give him a chance, I think he will live. He will work as readily for himself as the white man.”
That is not a call for permanent grievance. It is a call for liberty. Douglass did not demand special advantages. He demanded equal rights and fair play. When he said, “Untie his hands, and give him a chance,” he meant remove the barriers and let ability, effort and character decide the outcome.
When he added, “He will work as readily for himself as the white man,” Douglass was making a clear statement about equality and self-reliance, rejecting the idea that black Americans need constant supervision, dependency, or special preferences to succeed. He believed they were fully capable of taking care of themselves, just like anyone else.
This challenges a key idea often found in DEI programs – that unequal outcomes must mean certain groups cannot succeed without ongoing government help. Douglass argued the opposite: remove unfair barriers, apply equal laws, and people will rise based on their own effort and merit. His vision was not group dependency, but individual liberty built on dignity, work, and personal responsibility.
A.I.M.: Agency, Individual Rights, and Merit
To provide a principled and constructive alternative to DEI frameworks – one that replaces group-based ideology with a focus on God-given rights, equal justice, and civic responsibility – the A.I.M. curriculum is being developed for secondary students, with expanded editions designed for high schools and universities.
This course presents Douglass not merely as a historical figure, but as a serious philosopher whose ideas speak directly to questions of race, justice, liberty, citizenship and character.
Students engage deeply with Douglass’ speeches and writings, examining his arguments for natural rights, private property ownership, the role of government, religious liberty, equal justice, and the connection between freedom and personal responsibility, while also studying his interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
The goal is not indoctrination, but intellectual formation – teaching students to think clearly about liberty and see themselves as capable individuals with dignity and agency.
Douglass confronted slavery and injustice head-on but anchored his message in inherent rights and individual liberty. He refused to define himself – or his people – by victimhood. When students study Douglass, they encounter both the story of black history and the enduring principles of God-given rights.
That is the kind of education America needs.
KCarl Smith is the author of Frederick Douglass Republicans, Telling Conservatives the Truth, Douglass vs. Marx, and its companion guide, Unchained Ascent. A leading authority on the modern application of Frederick Douglass’ philosophy, KCarl equips audiences to turn God-given liberty into personal achievement. To book KCarl or find resources, visit the Frederick Douglass Republican Store.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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