On March 20, 2024, Governor Kay Ivey signed into law Senate Bill 129. This new state law prohibits Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices in the state’s universities. It will become effective on October 1, 2024.

As Christians in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), serving in Central Alabama, we humbly and prayerfully submit that this law is a regrettable overreaction to genuinely difficult questions about history, race, and equality. Whatever the real complications involved, those issues can be addressed without the overreach of outlawing and defunding DEI offices. Indeed, we cannot escape the conclusion that this law is political scapegoating instead of providing political leadership for tackling the deep, historic challenges of economic, racial, and gender equality in our state. These challenges continue to be exacerbated by our state’s unwillingness to invest in underserved, under-resourced communities.

As believers in Christ committed to obey our Lord’s command for care of the least of these (Matthew 25:31-46), we call on our elected officials in Alabama to reject pandering, partisan politics. Instead, we pray for careful consideration of policies that will withstand the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).