A recent investigation into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been completed.
Wisconsin’s 2nd District Representative Shae Sortwell of Gibson and the Wisconsin Government Operations, Accountability, and Transparency, or GOAT Committee, released a report on DEI after an investigation of all counties, cities, and school districts for their DEI practices and hires.
The City of Manitowoc and Manitowoc County are mentioned with one of Rep. Sortwell’s “highlights,” including Mayor Justin Nickels participating in “24 DEI trainings between 2021 and 2023 that amount to $4,000, along with time spent.”
Manitowoc is also mentioned for “implicit bias” and DEI training, along with other DEI-influenced programs at the Manitowoc Public Library.
The report also mentioned staff positions, including the art instructor at the Rahr-West Art Museum and the mayor’s assistant acting as the liaison to a DEI committee.
Manitowoc County is accused of advancing “health equity,” which the report calls a nuanced term from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization that “is cited simultaneously with racial components such as racial equity, racial justice, or systemic racism or discrimination.”
The GOAT Committee says Manitowoc County received $28,750 in grant funding from the state’s Maternal Child Health Program while also providing DEI training for the ADRC, Health Department, and Department of Human Services.
Some training programs listed were Understanding DEI to Leverage Cultural Humility, Belonging and Inclusion, and the Ethical Use of Power.
Lastly, it was noted that Manitowoc County’s Health Strategist promoted health equity.
The committee says it cost the county more than $32,000. Other cities mentioned in the report around northeastern Wisconsin included Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Kaukauna.
Calumet, Kewaunee, and Sheboygan Counties were also mentioned for state grants and for training employees that included DEI.
Rep. Sortwell and the state GOAT Committee also said that 36 school districts spent a total of $34,000 of local taxes to attend a Wisconsin DPI racial disproportionality conference in Green Bay, including Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac.
To end the report, the GOAT Committee recommended creating legislation to remove DEI strings and language from state grants, remove the term “health equity” from state law, and prohibit DEI staff and the use of DEI terminology in job responsibilities across all levels of government.
The full report can be found on Rep. Sortwell’s website.
