Staff Reports
The U.S. Navy recently approved a whopping $750,000 for a project that claims to increase interest in their STEM fields among students. Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast. As it turns out, the project actually prioritizes recruiting underrepresented minority students. Talk about selective inclusivity!
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) proposed a plan to encourage students to pursue degrees in science, technology, economics, and math (STEM). But here’s the kicker: the Navy granted a budget extension specifically for 75 scholarships for underrepresented minority students. They even gave these students first dibs on the on-campus paid research internships. So much for equal opportunity.
?EXCLUSIVE?: US Navy’s STEM ‘Equity’ Program Prioritized Candidates, Internships Based On Race, Docs Show https://t.co/vjhccHUUwa
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 16, 2024
Of course, the proposal tried to frame the project as providing opportunities for all students based on their qualifications. But let’s call a spade a spade. This is just another example of the left’s obsession with identity politics. Instead of treating all students equally, the Navy is playing favorites based on race.
And get this: the proposal estimated that between 44% and 75% of the participants would be minority students. That’s not diversity, that’s preference. The whole purpose of the project was supposedly to increase the number of STEM students from diverse backgrounds, but it seems like they’re more focused on meeting some arbitrary quota.
The lead project manager, Daniel McIntosh, even received permission to exceed the funding ceiling in order to provide tuition scholarships specifically for underrepresented minority students. How convenient. It’s clear that the university’s goal is to eliminate any financial barriers for these students, while others are left to foot the bill.
Look, the Navy should be focused on creating a highly skilled and capable STEM workforce. But instead, they’re more interested in checking off boxes and appeasing the woke mob. It’s disappointing to see our military prioritizing affirmative action over meritocracy.
In the end, this project is titled “Equity Forward Workforce Development Pipeline for Naval STEM Superiority”. What a fancy name for a program that’s anything but fair. It’s time for our institutions to prioritize qualifications and abilities over identity. Let’s stop pandering to the left’s divisive agenda and start treating everyone truly equally.
