Metro Nashville is rolling back some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to comply with recently enacted state laws.
Earlier this year, Tennessee state lawmakers passed the Dismantling DEI Departments Act and the Dismantle DEI in Employment Act, legislation that went into effect in May.
The laws prohibit state and local governments and other state institutions from maintaining offices or departments that promote or require "discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity or inclusion." They also bar local governments from using hiring practices based on an applicant’s race, ethnicity, sex, age or other demographic.
Since the law’s passage, Metro has eliminated its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which was housed in the finance department. The staff has moved to the newly established Office of Impact, also located in the finance division.
Bill would ban race-based policies, quotas on state boards
According to its website, the Office of Impact’s mission is to “provide leadership, guidance and oversight of the city’s initiatives that promote opportunity and access” and “promote fair procurement, contracting and entrepreneurship outcomes.”
When Scene sister publication the Nashville Post reached out to the mayor’s office on July 1, a webpage for the former DEI office remained active on Metro's finance website. That page has since been taken down.
A diversity and inclusion section of the mayor’s office webpage remains online and states:
“Metro Government strives to reflect the diversity of the Nashville community in its hiring practices, contracting and economic development opportunities. ... Metro Government is an inclusive organization that leverages diversity and fosters equity and inclusion in all aspects of how it functions, engages the community, and delivers services to residents.”
Mayor’s office spokesperson Julie Smith says the office does not expect any legal challenges to arise.
“We are, and intend to remain, fully compliant,” Smith says in an email. She adds that Metro is currently reviewing its operations to ensure compliance with federal and state orders.
As the anti-DEI legislation moved through the state House and Senate earlier this year, state Democrats largely opposed the measures, calling them racist and inaccurately conflated with affirmative action practices.
House Republicans largely limited debate on the matter and argued that DEI programs would give certain applicants what they think are unfair advantages during the hiring process.
As lawmakers pose with literal whips, budget and ‘DEI dismantling’ dominate the week’s discussions at the Capitol
“If DEI stood for ‘diversity, excellence and inclusion,’ it’d be perfectly fine,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) said at a press conference in April. “But it stands for ‘diversity, equity and inclusion,’ which is communist, socialist principle that is racist at its very core. ... The equity part is what is racist, and we're not going to put up with that.”
Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) offered an amendment that would have also barred hiring practices based on familial relationships and political activity, but the Republican supermajority rejected the proposal.
The governor also signed legislation in April that eliminates race-based policies from being used when making state board appointments.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
