This week, Arizona State University (ASU) found itself among a list of institutions under federal investigation for violating Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — a provision designed to prevent discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in federally funded programs. That should be non-controversial. And yet, what we are seeing in universities across the country is systemic discrimination disguised as social justice, perpetrated under the umbrella of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
How do universities get away with this? Simple: they lean on the Marxist dialectic of “oppressor vs. oppressed” — or, in contemporary academic jargon, “privileged vs. marginalized.” This framework allows them to justify racial discrimination by claiming that “marginalized” groups need extra resources to correct past injustices. And here’s where it gets absurd: how do they determine who is an oppressor? By skin color, sex, and — if they can figure it out — religion.
ASU, for instance, requires employee training in DEI that explicitly teaches about the dangers of “whiteness” and “heteronormativity” — casting these as inherent oppressor categories. This training asserts as fact — not as one perspective among others — that America has always been a white supremacist nation. The administration presents this as unassailable truth, not open for debate. And they expect faculty and staff to accept it uncritically. I am currently suing ASU to stop this required DEI training, and instead of acknowledging its discriminatory nature, the university is defending it in court.
ASU explains its practices by referring to its charter which emphasizes “inclusion.” A state university should be inclusive. Yet, when we see what ASU programs mean by “inclusion,” it is the opposite of inclusion. It means including some, the oppressed and marginalized, more than others, the oppressors. And how do you determine who is who? Skin color, sex, and religion. ASU’s inclusive charter has become the Marxist dialectic that teaches students to hate the United States and Christianity.
This is not education; it is indoctrination. Yet, you will find such professors saying, “you cannot discriminate or be racist against white people because they are the oppressors.” One event told me that it is time for white men to be taken down a notch. And they want to teach this to your children and have you pay for their salaries.
The Ph.D. Project And ASU’s Title VI Violation
The specific program triggering the Title VI investigation at ASU and 39 other universities is The Ph.D. Project — an organization that offers networking and career opportunities for doctoral students, but excludes participants based on race. This is open racial discrimination, yet the project defends itself with the same Marxist reasoning: historic injustices require present-day racial preferences. As Ibram X. Kendi (who was paid and given an award to speak at ASU) said, fixing discrimination requires more discrimination.
But that defense is legally and morally bankrupt. The Department of Education’s statement on the matter is clear: “The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination.”
Universities, which have long positioned themselves as guardians of civil rights, are now being called out for violating those very principles. The irony would be amusing if it weren’t so destructive.
ASU And The Title VI Anti-Semitism Investigation
But ASU isn’t just under investigation for racial discrimination — it is also one of 60 universities under federal investigation for anti-Semitism. This is particularly rich coming from the same academics who spent the last decade yelling that “Trump is Hitler.” And yet, the Department of Education itself now says:
“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better.”
Professors support Hamas, leave their Jewish students open to harassment, and yet get on social media to denounce Elon Musk as the Nazi. They need to look in the mirror. Maybe the Department of Education will help them do so.
University administrators who implemented these discriminatory DEI programs should issue a public apology — not just to Jewish students but to all students who have suffered under their racially charged policies and to the public who pays for it all. If they fail to do so, it tells us one thing: they have not changed their minds. The most likely response will be bureaucratic rebranding — repackaging the same DEI policies under a new name and continuing as usual.
The Solution: Exposing The Intellectual Fraud Of DEI And The Oppressor/Oppressed Dialectic
The only way to stop this cycle is to intellectually dismantle the oppressor/oppressed dialectic in all its forms. The Marxist framework that underpins DEI must be shown for what it is: a pseudoscientific ideology that justifies discrimination while masquerading as justice. It sides with the enemies of the United States. Parents, students, and faculty must demand transparency and refuse compliance with discriminatory programs.
The Department of Education’s investigations are a step in the right direction, but they are not enough. It is time for universities like ASU to be held accountable — not just legally, but intellectually. Let’s require transparency in what professors teach in the classroom, especially from public universities. These are government employees and should be held responsible for their conduct like any other government employee. Perhaps a letter from DOGE: “reply to this email with five ways you countered DEI propaganda in your classroom this week.”
The woke university system has long relied on the veneer of moral authority. That illusion is collapsing. Under its “moral” watch, the grossest forms of discrimination have occurred. The ones who have cried the loudest are the most guilty. The question is: will we seize this moment to ensure real change, or will we allow these institutions to continue their cynical games under a new name?
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Dr. Owen Anderson is a professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Arizona State University. He is an internationally known scholar, theologian, and a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instructor. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy, he has authored numerous books, including “The Twelve Arguments” and “The Declaration of Independence and God.”
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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