Officials in an Oregon county are dismantling their nearly $830,000 a year diversity, equity and inclusion office, despite outcry from those who oppose rolling back social justice initiatives.
“[We] believed that it was really important to focus on merit, fairness and equality, not to racialize the workplace and the county,” Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West told Fox News. “We didn’t want that in our county any longer.”
The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners began discussions about dissolving their equity office last spring. On Feb. 5, the office will officially be dismantled, with two of its three employee positions being assigned to other departments. (iStock)
The DEI field saw a surge in popularity during the political unrest following George Floyd’s killing in 2020. Numerous universities, companies and government offices have rolled back their diversity initiatives in recent months.
To hear more from West, click here.
Hannah Ray Lambert is an associate producer/writer with Fox News Digital Originals.
