DEI Defeated in North Carolina and Kansas
June 26, 2026
After releasing a dozen hidden camera investigations from universities in both the Tar Heel State and the Jayhawk State, and after hundreds of Accuracy in Media activists emailed university trustees, North Carolina and Kansas have now enacted meaningful bans on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in higher education.
For months, Accuracy in Media has called for every state to enact a Florida-style DEI ban which prohibits educators from promoting identity politics. Teachers and professors should feel comfortable discussing controversial political topics in the appropriate courses, but they don’t need to be in math class, for example. Similarly, they should never be promoting these anti-American ideologies such as communism, socialism, or DEI.
On Wednesday, North Carolina’s legislature overrode a veto from the governor and passed SB227, along with two accompanying pieces of legislation. These bills will prohibit any educator, at the K-12 or university level, from promoting identity politics. In addition, the state is planning on extending the bill to local government officials. This comes on the heels of multiple Accuracy in Media investigations showing officials in Raleigh and Winston-Salem promoting divisive DEI on the local level. AIM’s investigations prompted the legislature to call those local officials to testify before lawmakers at the Capitol. In addition, multiple North Carolina university administrators were fired after appearing in Accuracy in Media videos, including the Dean of Students of UNC-Asheville.
The Kansas Board of Regents updated its DEI ban to prohibit instruction that “intentionally establishes and promotes the preferential treatment of groups based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, or national origin.” Previously, their administrators bragged to our hidden-camera investigators that the DEI ban did not affect curriculum. One even told us, “We changed nothing.” That will no longer be tolerated. Enforcement may be tricky, given that one administrator stated he wouldn’t remove DEI, “unless forced.” Another administrator told us, “You can’t take DEI out.” She will now need to reassess that view.
In addition, Iowa will now be conducting biannual reviews of curriculum to uncover “courses with substantial DEI or critical race theory content.” This is crucial after one administrator told us DEI continues at their universities, and another told us she was committed to DEI.
In the first half of 2026 alone, Accuracy in Media’s undercover journalism has helped change laws, triggered Department of Justice investigations, prompted action from the Texas Attorney General, and forced multiple states to take meaningful steps toward removing DEI from education.