{"id":22500,"date":"2024-05-30T09:31:43","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T13:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=22500"},"modified":"2024-05-30T09:31:43","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T13:31:43","slug":"emmitt-smith-slams-florida-his-alma-mater-for-eliminating-dei-roles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2024\/05\/emmitt-smith-slams-florida-his-alma-mater-for-eliminating-dei-roles","title":{"rendered":"Emmitt Smith Slams Florida, His Alma Mater, For Eliminating DEI Roles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Debby Wong\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith recently made waves with his cutting remarks to his alma mater, the University of Florida after they eliminated all DEI \u2013 diversity, equity, and inclusion \u2013 roles at the school based on a controversial state law passed in 2023. Smith doubled down on the statement he made via social media during an interview with USA TODAY Sports<\/em>, where he explained why he spoke up when he did.<\/p>\n

Smith explained, “When I see them destroying DEI for the sake of politics, it’s even common sense. This is just sheer out of spite and sheer power. At the end of the day, this country was built on people fighting for what is right for everybody, not just a select few. And with that fight, and with the University of Florida being as visible as it is, it irked me. To the fullest.” The controversial state law in question was a ban on\u00a0Florida’s public universities\u00a0and colleges from any spending on DEI.<\/p>\n

Smith said that he remembered the school’s president saying, “‘ Nah, we’re the University of Florida. We’re going to be here a lot longer than you (Gov.) Ron DeSantis, a lot longer than you, Jeb Bush; we’re going to be here a lot longer than any other governor that tries to push something of this magnitude down the throats of so many Americans and so many Florida citizens.'” Unfortunately for Smith, that isn\u2019t the case now, and he had to let his voice be known as an alumnus.<\/p>\n

“I was extremely disappointed,” Smith said, prefacing that statement by explaining that he still feels a part of the university after getting his degree there. “Because when I was in college, and everywhere I\u2019ve been, they always talked about leadership\u2026and how we needed to become leaders \u2014 especially athletes.” But college athletics certainly isn\u2019t the same now compared to when Smith was lighting it up for the Gators on the gridiron. Name, image, and likeness (NIL) brand deals are allowing student-athletes to cash in on their fame.\u00a0To that point, Smith wants Florida to pay up now.<\/p>\n