Many of the various higher education accreditations have been captured by the left. Rather than focusing on the quality of the educational experience offered (which they were never much good at), accreditation officials have taken to using their power to push their ideological manias.
Sometimes that puts them into conflict with state laws that were enacted to stop the slide into leftism.
In today’s Martin Center article, Jovan Tripkovic looks at this problem, focusing on North Carolina. He writes, “It is clear that accreditor overreach undermines state authority. What remains unclear is whether state lawmakers will reassert their lawful authority.”
For example, the state has clearly said “no” to DEI mandates, but still some schools want “waivers” so the leftist indoctrination can continue.
Tripkovic elaborates:
More recently, program-specific accreditors have been teaming with UNC-Chapel Hill departments to make use of the “waiver” option built into the UNC System’s anti-DEI policy. The Council on Social Work Education, for instance, requires students to “integrate anti-racist, equity-driven, and inclusive approaches” into practice; to “promote social, racial, and economic justice”; and to integrate “anti-racist, equity-driven, and inclusive approaches” across professional practice. Because these requirements conflict directly with UNC System policy, the social work program must request — and has requested — special permission to proceed.
State officials must assert themselves to put an end to this.