Legal Insurrection Foundation
The Legal Insurrection Foundation, sometimes abbreviated LIF,{{cite news |author1=Renu Mukherjee |title=Without a "Diversity" Leg to Stand On |url=https://www.city-journal.org/article/without-a-diversity-leg-to-stand-on |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=City Journal |date=12 October 2022 |quote=the Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF) says “no.” |archive-date=29 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529090437/https://www.city-journal.org/article/without-a-diversity-leg-to-stand-on |url-status=live }} is an American not-for-profit organization founded in 2008 and based in Rhode Island.{{cite news |author1=Liz Navratil |title=University of Minnesota revises criteria for summer research program amid discrimination concerns |url=https://www.startribune.com/university-of-minnesota-revises-criteria-for-summer-research-program-amid-discrimination-concerns/600278873/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=Star Tribune |date=30 May 2023 |language=en |quote=a Rhode Island-based nonprofit called the Legal Insurrection Foundation |archive-date=6 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606091646/https://www.startribune.com/university-of-minnesota-revises-criteria-for-summer-research-program-amid-discrimination-concerns/600278873/ |url-status=live }} The foundation is a conservative advocacy organization which focuses on free-speech and academic freedom issues.{{cite news |author1=Jonathan Friedman |author2=James Tager |title=Educational Gag Orders |url=https://pen.org/report/educational-gag-orders/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=PEN America |quote=the conservative Legal Insurrection Foundation, has created CriticalRace.org, which attempts to document colleges and universities that teach CRT in trainings and programming |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109185512/https://pen.org/report/educational-gag-orders/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author1=Jan Resseger |title=Janresseger: National Education Policy Center’s New Brief on Critical Race Theory Is a Must-Read for All Americans |url=https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/national-education-crt |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=National Education Policy Center |date=18 November 2021 |quote=advocacy organizations such as Parents Defending Education and the Legal Insurrection Foundation |archive-date=21 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421040849/https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/national-education-crt |url-status=live }} It has been tax-exempt since March 2018,{{Cite web |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/822279600 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2023-06-07 |archive-date=2023-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422145402/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/822279600 |url-status=live }} and as of 2023 its president is William A. Jacobson.{{cite news |author1=Gus Chan |title=Legal education could take a hit from critical race theory controversy |url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/legal/legal-education-could-take-hit-controversy-surrounding-critical-race-theory |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=Crain Communications |date=7 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609114240/https://www.crainscleveland.com/legal/legal-education-could-take-hit-controversy-surrounding-critical-race-theory |archive-date=9 June 2022 |quote=William Jacobson, a clinical professor of law at Cornell Law School and president of the Legal Insurrection Foundation}} The foundation has participated in 2020s controversies around critical race theory and has criticized diversity initiatives which it alleges have discriminated against white people.
Initiatives
The foundation maintains the website Critical Race Training in Education at the domain CriticalRace.org. The website compiles a list of U.S. universities that teach critical race theory and their diversity and inclusion initiatives.{{cite news |author1=Ana Radelat |title=U of M summer internship program was targeted by outside conservative activists |url=https://www.minnpost.com/education/2023/06/u-of-m-summer-internship-program-was-targeted-by-outside-conservative-activists/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=MinnPost |date=5 June 2023 |quote=Another project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, called CriticalRace.org, has compiled a database of universities that it says teach critical race theory, but also details all efforts at diversity and inclusion at a school |archive-date=6 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606094438/https://www.minnpost.com/education/2023/06/u-of-m-summer-internship-program-was-targeted-by-outside-conservative-activists/ |url-status=live }} The project, which has been featured on Tucker Carlson Tonight,{{cite news |author1=Daniel Golden |title=‘IT’S MAKING US MORE IGNORANT’ |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/ron-desantis-florida-critical-race-theory-professors/672507/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=The Atlantic |date=3 January 2023 |quote=the Critical Race Training in Education website, which has been featured on Tucker Carlson Tonight [...] the website was a project of something called the Legal Insurrection Foundation |archive-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624135830/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/ron-desantis-florida-critical-race-theory-professors/672507/ |url-status=live }} included as of 2021 over 300 colleges and universities in the United States.{{cite news |author1=DAVID THEO GOLDBERG |title=Meet Christopher Rufo — leader of the incoherent right-wing attack on "critical race theory" |url=https://www.salon.com/2021/08/01/meet-christopher-rufo--leader-of-the-incoherent-right-wing-attack-on-critical-race-theory/ |access-date=10 June 2023 |work=Salon.com |date=1 August 2021 |language=en |quote=Critical Race Training in Education is a watchdog-style website [...] report on "more than 300 colleges and universities" nationwide |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602131602/https://www.salon.com/2021/08/01/meet-christopher-rufo--leader-of-the-incoherent-right-wing-attack-on-critical-race-theory/ |url-status=live }}
In 2022 LIF criticized a 2022 American Bar Association mandate that requires "education to law students on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism" from its accredited schools,{{cite news |author1=Ilana Kowarski |title=How U.S. Law Schools Are Preparing Students For Racial Justice Work |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/articles/how-u-s-law-schools-are-preparing-students-for-racial-justice-work |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=21 October 2022 |language=en |quote=representatives of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on academic freedom and free speech issues, published an op-ed describing the policy as an "instance of woke ideology being forced on the nation." |archive-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227190530/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/articles/how-u-s-law-schools-are-preparing-students-for-racial-justice-work |url-status=live }} In 2023 it sent a cease-and-desist letter to Albany Public Library for its two-month privately-funded internship program offered to black-only library school graduates. The library also had several unfilled positions open to any applicant.{{cite news |author1=Kathleen Moore |title=Albany library criticized for saying only Black librarians could apply to internship |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/albany-library-criticized-only-black-librarians-17878081.php |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=5 April 2023 |language=en |quote=the library received a cease and desist letter from the Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation |archive-date=22 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522233832/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/albany-library-criticized-only-black-librarians-17878081.php |url-status=live }}
=Equal Protection Project=
In February 2023 the Foundation started the "Equal Protection Project" (EPP),{{cite news |author1=Brian Flood |author2=David Rutz |title=Central Florida professor fired for disputing systemic racism and White privilege fights back, files lawsuit |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/central-florida-professor-fired-disputing-systemic-racism-white-privilege-fights-back-files-lawsuit |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=Fox News |date=20 March 2023 |quote="Legal Insurrection Foundation president William A. Jacobson [...] Jacobson started the Equal Protection Project (EPP)" |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607104558/https://www.foxnews.com/media/central-florida-professor-fired-disputing-systemic-racism-white-privilege-fights-back-files-lawsuit |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author1=Claudette Riley |title=Civil rights complaint filed against MSU alleges discrimination against 'white males' |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2023/06/08/civil-rights-complaint-filed-against-missouri-state-university/70299845007/ |access-date=25 July 2023 |work=Springfield News-Leader |date=8 June 2023 |quote=Formed in February, the nonprofit Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation |archive-date=25 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725002647/https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2023/06/08/civil-rights-complaint-filed-against-missouri-state-university/70299845007/ |url-status=live }} which the Washington Post later described as "a legal organization that opposes race-based affirmative action."{{cite news |author1=Julian Mark |title=Can this firm invest in only Black women? This case will decide |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/04/29/fearless-fund-edward-blum/ |access-date=7 June 2024 |work=Washington Post |date=29 April 2024 |language=en |quote=the Equal Protection Project, a legal organization that opposes race-based affirmative action}} The Project accused Missouri State University of discriminating against white males for hosting a privately-funded a boot camp program for minority or women small business owners. The University responded that it would implement changes to the program in the future in response to the allegation.{{cite news |author1=Cory Matteson |title=MSU president says lessons learned after small-biz boot camp accused of excluding white men from applying |url=https://sgfcitizen.org/schools/springfield-colleges-universities/msu-president-says-lessons-learned-after-small-biz-boot-camp-accused-of-excluding-white-men-from-applying/ |access-date=25 July 2023 |work=Springfield Daily Citizen |date=1 May 2023 |quote=our plan would be to not to duplicate this again,” Smart said |archive-date=25 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725004515/https://sgfcitizen.org/schools/springfield-colleges-universities/msu-president-says-lessons-learned-after-small-biz-boot-camp-accused-of-excluding-white-men-from-applying/ |url-status=live }} In July 2023, the EPP filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education regarding a whites-only anti-racism seminary offered by New York University.{{cite news |author1=Sarah Rumpf-Whitten |title=NYU opens anti-racist class only to White public school parents: report |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nyu-opens-anti-racist-class-only-to-white-public-school-parents-report/ar-AA1e2QAl |access-date=26 July 2023 |work=Fox News |via=MSN |agency=Fox News |date=18 July 2023 |language=en |quote=The Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation (EPP) is calling for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to investigate NYU's ongoing summer program |archive-date=29 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029033116/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nyu-opens-anti-racist-class-only-to-white-public-school-parents-report/ar-AA1e2QAl |url-status=live }} Over a dozen of these complaints were filed in 2023.{{cite news |author1=Joseph Ax |title=Anti-affirmative action group, emboldened by US Supreme Court, targets scholarships |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/anti-affirmative-action-group-emboldened-by-us-supreme-court-targets-2023-09-22/ |access-date=1 July 2024 |work=Reuters |date=22 September 2023 |language=en |quote=A non-profit group opposing race-based education policies has filed more than a dozen U.S. civil rights complaints this year}} In 2024, MIT responded to a federal discrimination complaint filed by EPP regarding a program run by MIT's “Office of Minority Education” exclusively for women of color by altering its website the following day.{{cite news |author1=Matt Lamb |title=MIT makes slight edits to ‘women of color’ program after federal complaint |url=https://www.thecollegefix.com/mit-makes-slight-edits-to-women-of-color-program-after-federal-complaint/ |access-date=7 June 2024 |work=The College Fix |date=22 May 2024 |language=en |quote=A federal civil rights complaint has been filed against a Massachusetts Institute of Technology program that excludes white students}}https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/05/20/metro/civil-rights-complaint-against-mit/https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-accused-racial-gender-discrimination-federal-complaint/60847744 The following month, following an EPP complaint, the Ithaca City School District apologized for organizing a "students of color"-only event.https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ny-school-district-apologizes-for-exclusionary-language-to-promote-event-for-non-white-students/ar-BB1nEZhv
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://equalprotect.org/ Equal Protection Project]
{{improve categories|date=June 2023}}
Category:Legal advocacy organizations in the United States
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Rhode Island
Category:Organizations established in 2008
Category:2008 establishments in Rhode Island
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