Politicians skewer USC over ‘woke propaganda.’ Here’s what was said.
Conservative politicians are criticizing the University of South Carolina for teaching concepts related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Some have threatened to pull state funding.
The university — a public, flagship institution — does not appear to be violating any policy or law. The university declined to comment on the online criticism.
Libs of TikTok, a well-known conservative X account, posted a photo of that claims to be of a “University 101” course, a class that is not required for all students, though about 85% of USC freshman enroll in it. In the photo, it shows students watching a minute-long video on YouTube titled “The Value of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace - Course Trailer - TalentLibrary.”
The social media posts accused USC of violating federal executive orders signed by President Donald Trump.
“YOUR taxpayer dollars are being used to indoctrinate students with DEI propaganda,” the account wrote.
“You don’t have to be an accountant to find the abundance of wasteful spending in SC,” U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, a Republican representing South Carolina’s 5th congressional, wrote on X. “Case in point, taxpayers are still funding DEI efforts.”
Norman is a 2026 gubernatorial candidate.
Members of the South Carolina House Freedom Caucus, a far-right faction of the Republican Party, chimed in. State Rep. Jordan Pace, R-Berkeley, called it “bigoted nonsense,” and state Rep. Jay Kilmartin, R-Lexington called it “woke DEI crap.”
Libs of TikTok also posted a second picture that is reportedly from an “Understanding Disability” course, which displays a chart illustrating power dynamics between those of different races, gender, religion or disability. The account called it “woke propaganda.”
“Fix this if you value your state funding,” Rep. Thomas Beach, R-Anderson, threatened.
“We’ve been over this,” U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace wrote on X. “This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE, and we will be demanding answers. Public universities have no business forcing DEI propaganda on students.”
Mace is also a 2026 gubernatorial candidate.
Within the first day of his second term, Trump signed two executive orders aimed at scrapping diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in January. The orders banned government programs and policies promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, which the president purported as “discriminatory” and “radical.”
The executive orders said nothing of teaching or classroom materials.
USC’s board of trustees passed a resolution in 2023 to adopt and adhere to the Chicago Principles, a common framework among institutions of higher education that sets guidelines for freedom of inquiry and expression. It is committed to academic freedom, according to policy documents, and the First Amendment.
“Of course, the ideas of different members of the Carolina community will often and quite naturally conflict,” one policy read. “But it is not the proper role of the University to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even offensive.”
DEI ire in South Carolina
DEI first came under fire in South Carolina in 2023 when the House Freedom Caucus sought how much money the state’s public colleges and universities funneled into such programs.
Bills that propose banning diversity, equity and inclusion have not yet been passed, though one made it through the House in 2025. Despite the absence of any official state law, schools have removed references to DEI on their own. Both USC and Clemson University renamed their offices of diversity, equity and inclusion.
In September, Clemson dissolved groups that were created to support its Black, LGBTQ+ and veteran communities. That same month, it also removed a reference to DEI in a chemical engineering class after Republican politicians brought it to the school’s attention.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
