ABC 17 Reports Mizzou Investigating Professor Following AIM Undercover Video
September 17, 2026
University of Missouri investigating professor after video alleges DEI sympathies
By Marie Moyer | September 15, 2026 7:10 PM
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The University of Missouri is investigating allegations of staff violating federal and state laws against diversity, equity and inclusion practices after a video reportedly showing a professor expressing support for DEI surfaced Monday.
The video, filmed by Accuracy in Media with what appears to be a hidden camera, shows University of Missouri professor and chair of the Department of Sociology Wayne Brekhus speaking with an AIM investigator about DEI on campus. The interview was also allegedly filmed in December of 2025, according to a timestamp in the video. AIM later clarified with ABC 17 News that the date on the video was inaccurate and the interview was conducted in January 2026.
“I think we have a lot of awesome courses. And lots of us do, you know, DEI type of research,” Brekhus says in the video. “Lots of us do DEI types of research and things like that. I do things with identities and inequalities and used to do a lot of LGBTQ research and things like that.”
The conversation then moved to DEI centers on college campuses.
“Usually what places did is, like, they changed the name, or they put them under a different umbrella to make it less visible that it was DEI or things like that,” Brekhus says.
It is unclear when Brekhus was talking about institutions if the University of Missouri was included in making DEI programs less visible.
AIM said the video shows a public employee breaking the law.
“What we see consistently is that these administrators are breaking laws, deceiving laws, ignoring executive orders to push their radically divisive politics no matter what they’re told to do otherwise, and every taxpayer should be outraged,” AIM President Adam Guillette said.
University student group, Mizzou College Democrats said the interaction was overblown.
“Sociology is the study of social behavior and inequality,” Mizzou College Democrats President Thomas Bruns said. “It misunderstands what the point of the sociology department is. Their job is to research those things. So I didn’t see a problem with it.”
Several X users saw the video and pressured MU to take action. In response, the University of Missouri thanked several users for informing them of the video and reported that an investigation was to take place.
“Professor Brekhus’ conduct will be investigated and appropriate actions will be taken. Mizzou voluntarily eliminated all DEI programs and DEI requirements in the curriculum. Mizzou has complied with all federal directives to end DEI research projects,” a post on MU’s X account stated.
The university later shared a statement from Brekhus: “I apologize for my mistake. The video was taken last year as Mizzou was eliminating its DEI programs. I am fully aware that Mizzou no longer has DEI programs and does not conduct DEI research.”
MU posted that “appropriate actions will be taken” after an investigation.
“Mizzou voluntarily eliminated all DEI programs and DEI requirements in the curriculum. Mizzou has complied with all federal directives to end DEI research projects,” MU posted.