Black Studies Programs Should Be Eliminated Due to Poor Employment Outcomes and DEI Activism
Source: https://www.facebook.com/americanspectator/. "Historically Black College Ends Black Studies Major | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics." March 3, 2026. spectator.org
The Gist
The author argues that black studies programs should be shut down because they don't help students get good jobs and mainly teach divisive political ideas. They point to low salaries for graduates and declining enrollment as proof these programs aren't worth keeping.
Conclusion
Black studies programs at universities should be eliminated or consolidated because they fail to provide graduates with well-paying jobs and serve primarily as centers for DEI activism rather than practical education
Premises
- Black studies programs have historically shared the philosophical grounding of DEI ideology and focused on issues such as intersectionality, implicit bias, and structural racism
- Graduates of ethnic, cultural minority, gender, and group studies programs earn significantly less than the overall average ($47,502 vs $60,028 starting salary)
- Many black studies programs fail to meet basic viability metrics, such as Florida A&M's program graduating only 16 students over three years when 30 is the recommended minimum
- Multiple universities are already eliminating black studies programs following backlash against DEI initiatives
- Florida A&M University, a historically black institution, made the decision to consolidate its black studies program specifically to ensure students graduate with well-paying jobs
Assumptions
- The primary purpose of university education should be to prepare students for well-paying careers
- DEI activism is inherently problematic and should not be a focus of academic programs
- Low enrollment and graduation numbers indicate a program lacks value
- Starting salary is an appropriate measure of educational program success
- Universities should eliminate programs that don't meet certain productivity metrics