The Neo-Marxist DEI Boogeyman: A Study in Fear and Zero Receipts

Or: How I Read Rhyen Staley's Opinion Piece So You Didn't Have To, Then Did Two Hours of Research to Prove Him Wrong

First, Staley commits what might be the most obvious logical fallacy in his piece: the lumping fallacy. He equates DEI with “antiracism,” “antifascism,” “whiteness,” and “white supremacy” as if these are all the same thing with the same motives. This is textbook apples-to-oranges nonsense. By this logic, I could argue that because Staley probably believes in “freedom” and North Korea also claims to be a “democratic people’s republic,” freedom must actually mean authoritarian state control. The term inflation he uses is designed to make readers think anything addressing racial equity is inherently radical, regardless of what the actual content is.

The research simply does not support his characterization. A comprehensive review published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science found that DEI educational approaches including cultural humility training, bias awareness programs, and improved mentoring practices are well-established, evidence-based interventions that advance educational outcomes (Corsino & Fuller, 2021). These aren’t revolutionary schemes to tear down Western civilization. They’re practical frameworks for creating learning environments where all students can succeed.

Let me address Staley’s bizarre claim that “implicit bias” training is somehow questionable. The science on implicit bias is actually quite robust. Research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine demonstrated that implicit bias among healthcare providers predicts clinical decisions, including thrombolysis decisions that differed for Black and white patients even when controlling for clinical factors (Green et al., 2007). In education specifically, research from the University of Nebraska found that teacher implicit prejudiced attitudes explained differing ethnic achievement gap sizes across classrooms (McGinnis, 2017). Teachers report being less tolerant of Black students’ disruptive behavior compared to identical behavior by white peers. This isn’t ideology. It’s measurable reality.

Now let’s talk about what happens when students actually see people who look like them in educational settings. The research on this is substantial and meaningful. A study published in Economics of Education Review using data from three million Florida public school students found statistically significant positive effects when black and white students were assigned to race-congruent teachers, with effects ranging from .004 to .041 standard deviations in math and reading achievement (Egalite et al., 2015). Lower-performing black and white students appeared to particularly benefit from this matching. This isn’t about “teaching children their lot in life is directly related to immutable characteristics,” as Staley falsely claims. It’s about the documented benefits of representation and the role-model effects that have been studied for decades.

The diversity benefits extend beyond representation to actual cognitive and academic outcomes. Research consistently demonstrates that diverse classrooms improve critical thinking skills and higher overall achievement (American Psychological Association, 2022). A study analyzing data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education found that exposure to classroom diversity positively influences critical thinking skills (Bowman, 2010). Students in diverse environments have higher graduation rates, greater civic involvement, and stronger leadership skills (Talkspace Business Solutions, 2025). When schools implement strong diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices, research shows all students benefit (Watervliet City Schools, 2024).

Here’s the thing Staley either doesn’t understand or is deliberately misrepresenting: diversity isn’t about making white children feel bad about themselves. It’s about recognizing that when decision-making groups lack diverse perspectives, they produce worse outcomes. This is basic cognitive diversity research. Studies have found that cognitive diversity significantly influences decision-making processes and outcomes (Olson et al., 2007). Diverse teams make better decisions because they approach problems from multiple angles and catch errors that homogeneous groups miss. The Cloverpop research found that inclusive decision-making leads to measurably better business outcomes.

When Staley writes that DEI programs “condition” students to believe they are “racists and privileged simply because of their skin color,” he’s either never read actual DEI curriculum or he’s deliberately misrepresenting it. The actual DEI frameworks in K-12 education focus on understanding how systems create unequal outcomes, developing cultural competence, and creating inclusive classroom environments. These are age-appropriate, developmental approaches that help children understand the world they live in. Teaching children to recognize that people experience the world differently based on race is not the same as teaching them they are oppressors.

The research on DEI effectiveness actually shows positive outcomes. A 2024 study found that DEI-informed practices relate to increased representation of marginalized students and higher student achievement (Long, 2024). In EdSource reporting on California schools, several indicators of student success from attendance rates to engagement rose when DEI programs were implemented (EdSource, 2025). A study of students and educators across North America found that 72.5% of DEI initiatives were rated as moderately to very effective (ResearchGate, 2025).

Staley invokes the “neo-Marxist” label because it’s become a catch-all insult for anything addressing systemic inequality, but this claim doesn’t withstand any scrutiny. Actual neo-Marxist theory focuses on class struggle and economic determinism. DEI frameworks in education are rooted in social psychology, organizational behavior, and educational equity research. They don’t advocate for the overthrow of capitalism or the abolition of private property. They advocate for fair treatment and equal access to educational opportunities. If Staley wants to argue that equal access to education is somehow Marxist, he’s using the word in a way that has no relationship to its actual meaning.

The “revolutionary-industrial complex” rhetoric Staley deploys is designed to create fear where none is warranted. Students walking out to protest immigration enforcement actions or defend DEI programs isn’t evidence of a “revolutionary-industrial complex.” It’s evidence of young people engaging with civic issues, which is exactly what education should encourage in a democracy. The notion that children engaging with social issues somehow prevents them from learning to read or do math is not supported by any evidence Staley cites, because he doesn’t cite any evidence. He just asserts it.

What Staley’s piece actually reveals is a fundamental misunderstanding or deliberate distortion of what DEI programs do in practice. The documented benefits of diverse classrooms, the reality of implicit bias in educational settings, and the positive outcomes associated with DEI initiatives all contradict his claims. His argument relies on fear, guilt by association through term inflation, and assertions masquerading as facts.

When someone tells you that diversity and inclusion are actually dangerous, that understanding different perspectives is actually psychological manipulation, and that addressing systemic inequity is actually a revolutionary plot, you should ask them for evidence. Staley doesn’t provide any. The research does.

I you have a high tolerance for low intellect you can read yet another very low quality opinion piece on The Hill here: https://thehill.com/opinion/education/5673073-radical-activism-dei-antiracism/

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Works Cited

American Psychological Association. (2022). The benefits of diversity education. APA Education. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/benefits-of-diversity

Corsino, L., & Fuller, A. T. (2021). Educating for diversity, equity, and inclusion: A review of commonly used educational approaches. *Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 5*(1), e169. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2021.834

EdSource. (2025, February 19). How federal threats to DEI are impacting California schools. EdSource. https://edsource.org/2025/a-step-backwards-how-federal-threats-to-dei-are-impacting-california-schools/727083

Egalite, A. J., Kisida, B., & Winters, M. A. (2015). Representation in the classroom: The effect of own-race teachers on student achievement. *Economics of Education Review, 45*, 44-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2015.01.007

Green, A. R., Carney, D. R., Pallin, D. J., Ngo, L. H., Raymond, K. L., Iezzoni, L. I., & Banaji, M. R. (2007). Implicit bias among physicians and its prediction of thrombolysis decisions for black and white patients. *Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22*(9), 1231-1238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0258-5

Long, K. B. (2024). Approaches to building diversity, equity, and inclusion in student learning outcomes assessment. *ETMU Academic Publications*. https://www.etamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Approaches-to-Building-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-in-Student-Learning-Outcomes-Assessment-.pdf

McGinnis, C. M. (2017). *Effects of implicit bias on teachers’ expectations of student relationships* (Doctoral dissertation). University of Nebraska. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cehsdiss/294/

Olson, B. J., Parayitam, S., & Bao, Y. (2007). Strategic decision making within Chinese firms: The effects of cognitive diversity and trust on decision outcomes. *Journal of World Business, 42*(1), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2006.11.007

ResearchGate. (2025). Many DEI initiatives are viewed as generally effective by students and educators. *ResearchGate Publication*. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396662143_Many_DEI_Initiatives_are_Viewed_as_Generally_Effective_by_Students_and_Educators

Talkspace Business Solutions. (2025, April 28). The benefits of prioritizing DEI in schools. https://business.talkspace.com/articles/benefits-of-prioritizing-dei-in-schools

Watervliet City Schools. (2024). Diversity, equity and inclusivity in education. https://www.watervlietcityschools.org/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusivity-in-education/