Canadian professor David Haskell delivers damning report on DEI training: 'Divisive, counterproductive, and unnecessary'

The Aristotle Foundation released a damning new report authored by Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario associate professor David Haskell that examines existing research to determine whether diversity, equity, and inclusion training actually leads to better outcomes and less bigotry.

After an exhaustive review of DEI-related studies published by the world's top social scientific journals, Haskell concluded that far from bringing benefit to those who partake, such instruction was actually "divisive, counter-productive, and unnecessary."

Haskell began by recalling the sad tale of Toronto principal Richard Bilkszto, who killed himself following backlash he received at a DEI training session for questioning the instructor's claims, saying his case "draws our attention to the potentially negative nature of this instruction that is now ubiquitously conducted— usually as a mandatory exercise—in most corporations, educational systems, and government agencies."
 

He went on to cite from a meta-analysis conducted by Princeton's Elizabeth Paluck that concluded there was "little evidence that instruction in diversity, equity, and inclusion works to decrease prejudice," findings corroborated by other meta-analyses.

"DEI instruction," Haskell added, "has been shown to increase prejudice and activate bigotry among participants by bringing existing stereotypes to the top of their minds or by implanting new biases they had not previously held."

He also highlighted research that showed DEI training can "lead participants to perceive the majority population less sympathetically," noting that as a result, some Caucasian job applicants perceive companies that "heavily promote messages of diversity and inclusion" as "potentially discriminatory work environments."

"'Organic' diversity—where individuals of all colours, creed and ancestry are free to flourish within a Canadian mosaic that values everyone equally—is a good thing," Haskell emphasized. "What my review of the literature shows is that DEI instruction does not promote that kind of society. Under the influence of DEI, the world can become a more divisive, hostile place."