“It’s Just to Keep White Men in Power”: Kent State Staffer Says DEI Remains Active
February 17, 2026
An undercover investigation has caught a Kent State University staff member appearing to acknowledge ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activity at the university, despite state and federal bans prohibiting such programs.
Jennifer Walton-Fisette, Director of Educator Preparation in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at Kent State University, was recorded speaking with an Accuracy in Media journalist posing as a prospective student’s parent. During the conversation, Walton-Fisette described DEI as central to the university’s teacher education program.
“One thing I can say about Kent State University and our Teacher Ed program — they are all about diversity, equity, and inclusion,” she said.
Walton-Fisette suggested the efforts extend beyond the campus itself, claiming coordination at the state level.
“We are very connected at the state level, so I know all of the things going on at the state level. They are all about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” she stated.
She also appeared to indicate that programs are being reframed to avoid scrutiny under new restrictions.
“It’s not being forced through a Trumpian lens — it’s taking away the buzzwords and having to be more careful of how you’re talking about equity and inclusion,” she said.
Walton-Fisette further offered a pointed personal take on the policy debate surrounding education reforms.
“I mean, ultimately it’s just to keep white men in power. This is what it’s all about. If we dumb down education then we can continue that. So that’s what the ultimate goal is,” she said, adding that opponents “want to overtake public education.”
In the same video, Walton-Fisette and another staff member also indicated that the university created an entire class centered on DEI-related topics.
She additionally described remaining at the university as part of a broader effort to advocate for her views, saying, “If we all leave, who is going to be doing the fight?”
When Accuracy in Media President Adam Guillette later approached her with questions about these comments, Walton-Fisette denied being the individual in the recording and retreated to a back office.
The incident is part of a growing pattern of administrators working in concert to evade DEI restrictions and bypass state and federal law.
No taxpayer should be forced to fund DEI programs in education, especially when radical administrators knowingly operate outside the law.
Act now — visit DEIinOhio.com and tell the Kent State trustees in one click that accountability can’t wait while lawless administrators defy state and federal law.