Defending DEI
Rowlett Municipal Building (© 2018 Larry D. Moore. Licensed under CC BY 4.0) Battle erupts in Rowlett over renaming city’s DEI Commission CAROLINE SAVOIE | Contributing Writer CaroSavoWrites@gmail.com Rowlett City Council Members are trying to rename the Rowlett Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission, with one member calling the name toxic and divisive.
But at least one Rowlett resident believes the renaming is just the first step to destroy the commission. Kellie McKee said she thinks the council also intends to defund any DEI events and eventually dismantle the commission altogether.
McKee said while the council is trying to maintain the guise of this being a routine update of the Rowlett Boards and Commissions handbook, the “timing comes conspicuously close to the last election where they gained the last vote they needed to begin imposing their far right wing agenda with backing of groups like Christians Engaged and Restoration America.” On Feb.
19, at a Rowlett City Council work session, a council subcommittee proposed standardization of boards and commissions. The council did a complete review of the boards and commissions handbook, reviewed the handbooks from Garland and Mesquite, discussed recommended changes and proposed new rules and processes.
