UAB students react to bill that would limit diversity and inclusion programs at public Alabama universities
Several students who are members of groups and programs that could be directly affected were shocked when they read the bill and learned it had passed a senate committee, and quickly got to work trying to raise awareness to hopefully stop the bill in its tracks.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - More groups are reacting to Alabama senate bill 129, which if passed would limit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the state’s publicly funded schools and universities.
Many UAB students who are members of groups and programs that could be directly affected tell WBRC that the bill is extremely problematic.
The students say they were shocked when they read the bill and learned it had passed a senate committee, and quickly got to work trying to raise awareness to hopefully stop the bill in its tracks.
“We were absolutely shocked, bamboozled was the word that we used, because we were completely unprepared,” said Raimi Liebel, a senior at UAB.
“I’m the son of two Mexican immigrants so I know firsthand the importance of diversity and inclusion, especially in a place where my community isn’t that well represented,” said UAB student Miguel Luna.
These students are members of, and some have even started, a wide range of programs and organizations on campus that they worry will cease to exist if this bill passes.
“It hurts to see that so much of that progress could be undone and that point of contact and aid could be unraveled,” Luna said.
These students have started a petition to gather opposition to the bill, collecting more than 2,000 signatures.
“It explains what happens in the bill and also links you to resources to be able to contact your representatives. This has now passed in the senate, and we need to contact our house of representatives to stop slow or amend this bill,” Liebel said of the petition. The students say that they’re not stopping there.
“We’ve created letters to send out to people. This morning (Friday), I was on the phone with the mayors office to get other cities involved,” said UAB student Sydney Testman. “We’re not going to be quiet.”
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Will Barfoot, says the bill won’t erase history or stop schools from discussing Alabama’s past, but opponents worry the bill’s language is vague and open to interpretation.
You can read SB 129 in its entirety here. You can find the petition started by UAB students here.
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