A group of House Republicans has urged the resignation of school leadership officials over concerns about the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideologies.

The lawmakers fear that these teachings undermine military values and negatively impact service members' children, making significant resignations necessary, as the Washington Examiner reports.

On Monday evening, 18 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The letter outlined their demands for changes at DoDEA following a report by OpenTheBooks.

According to this report, DoDEA has been actively promoting DEI, social justice activism, and even some sexually explicit materials in its schools.

Republican Leaders Criticize DEI Initiatives

The letter, spearheaded by Rep. Elise Stefanik, highlights the majority opinion within the Republican faction.

Rep. Jim Banks, chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, expressed his concerns about DEI teachings. He believes that these teachings are harmful and contradict the core values upheld by military families.

OpenTheBooks' investigation revealed that DoDEA employs “transformative SEL,” an approach that includes discussions of privilege and identity.

Alarmingly, techniques purportedly used in classrooms include making children emotionally distressed and collecting personal data on their emotional states via tech platforms.

Lawmakers Claim Children Are Being Divided

The letter sent to Secretary Austin accuses DoDEA of attempting to indoctrinate children with divisive ideologies. “It is shameful and unsustainable that while our servicemen and women are risking their lives to defend our nation, their children are being taught that America is a racist country not worth fighting for,” Rep. Banks stated.

There is also concern that these ideologies could exacerbate the military’s recruitment and retention crisis. Rep. Stefanik calls for an end to the DEI propaganda within military schools, emphasizing the negative impact it has on service members' trust in the institution.

Dissolution of DEI Division Under Scrutiny

Although DoDEA’s DEI division was dissolved, and its chief, Kelisa Wing, was removed after an earlier controversy, a DEI steering committee continues to be active. The lawmakers argue that the dissolution of the DEI office and Wing's removal were merely superficial changes. They believe these actions disguised the deeper integration of DEI principles into DoDEA’s operations.

Stefanik criticized the current administration, demanding a complete cessation of what she described as “Far Left DEI propaganda.” The lawmakers' letter further requests a detailed justification for the use of social-emotional learning (SEL) approaches within DoDEA.

Concerns Over Data and Parental Rights

Lawmakers are also seeking clarifications on what measures are being taken to protect children’s data and uphold parental rights. A defense official stated that the Department of Defense responds directly to Congress on matters of this nature.

Despite this, the Defense Department failed to produce a required report on parental rights in January. The lawmakers gave the Defense Department a deadline of Aug. 16 to respond to their letter. They hope this would prompt transparency and address the pressing issues associated with DEI teachings in military education institutions.

Conclusion

A group of 18 House Republicans has demanded the resignation of military school leadership over the Department of Defense Education Activity's promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion ideologies.

The lawmakers, led by Rep. Elise Stefanik and Rep. Jim Banks, expressed their concerns through a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. They highlighted a report from OpenTheBooks that revealed DEI teachings, social justice activism, and the use of emotionally distressing techniques in DoDEA schools.

The dissolution of the DEI division and subsequent actions were seen as superficial, raising further concerns about data privacy and parental rights.

The Defense Department has until August 16 to respond to these criticisms and provide justifications for their current practices.