Hunter
02/10/26
Iowa House higher education subcommittees continue to advance legislation targeting diversity, equity and inclusion in general education requirements and at private universities.
Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the subcommittee meeting on a bill that would prohibit courses and content relating to diversity, equity, inclusion and critical race theory in general education requirements and core curricula and regent institutions got heated after a public commenter opposed to the bill, Abigail Escatel, appeared to hit the table close to subcommittee chair Rep. Steven Holt of Denison, before being removed from the room.
Escatel is a rhetoric doctoral candidate at the University of Iowa. She said she came to the meeting to, quote, “address the white male fragility that sits in this room that feels so threatened by the idea that there are Black and Brown intellectuals that know more about the United States in this world, and its legacies of colonialism.”
The bill also directs the Iowa Board of Regents to review undergraduate education requirements and eliminate those that violate the proposed legislation. The Regents officially are undecided on the bill.
Democratic subcommittee member Ross Wilburn of Ames was the only one who voted no on the bill; and addressed Escatel’s outburst. He said, that the fact the legislation states it will be known as the “Stop Woke Act” doesn’t help in a situation like this one, where people have passionate concern and feel rights are being removed.
Links to the full Iowa Capital Dispatch article and the proposed legislation are available below.