Youngkin eliminates cabinet-level DEI post and bans 'critical race theory' from public schools


Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) last November in a race that attracted national attention, used his first days in office to take aggressive action on the culture war issue that propelled him into office.
Some Twitter users observed Saturday that Youngkin had almost immediately removed the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" section from the Virginia governor's website. One user described the change, which indicates a larger shift in the structure of the commonwealth's executive branch, as "[s]ickening."
After photos surfaced that may have shown him wearing racist garb while in medical school, former Gov. Ralph Northam (D) created the cabinet-level position of chief diversity officer in 2019. It appears that Youngkin has eliminated that cabinet post entirely.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Archived versions of the Virginia governor's website from the Northam administration include a page for then-Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Janice Underwood. The current version of the site lists no such position.
Youngkin also issued executive orders affecting education policy, which voters ranked as their top issue in the November election according to NPR. One of Youngkin's first orders banned "the use of divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory, in public education," while another empowered parents to decide whether their kids would have to wear masks in school.
During the campaign, McAuliffe suffered greatly in the polls for saying during a debate with Youngkin that parents shouldn't "be telling schools what they should teach." That gaffe, along with a wave of contentious school board meetings in Virginia's Loudoun County, further inflamed a fierce national debate over the use of critical race theory and teaching around sex and gender in American schools.
Youngkin was sworn in as Virginia's 74th governor around noon Saturday. "To parents, I say we respect you, and we will empower you in the education of your children," he said in his inaugural address.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Crossword: July 5, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami