[teux]

How do they legally ban DEI offices? Aren’t universities basically businesses in the US? (Not an American.) Even if not, aren’t they allowed to do as they see fit?

Really surprised the government has the ability to do this, but I’m not super well educated here.

[dgrin91]

The ban only applied to public universities, which are an extension of the state government. They are not "basically business" in this case.

[toolz]

IANAL, but US states tend to have broad powers while the federal government is specifically limited by the constitution on what they can do. The supreme court could later find that these states banning DEI is illegal per the constitution, but for now the states typically have the authority to do as they please as long as it's not something already found to be going against the constitutional clauses that grant citizens rights.

That reads a bit confusing, but basically the constitution exists to give citizens rights and specifically limit the federal government. States can do more than the federal government but can't trample on the rights of citizens.

[ethbr0]

Also, "public universities" (the ones this affects) in the US are state-funded. If parent was from the UK, believe there's some public/private terminology difference.