Jonathan Haidt (NYU professor) has resigned as a member of an academic group that requires diversity equity and inclusion statements. This statement states: “As scholars I believe we have a fiduciary duty to the truth. ”Jonathan Haidt is NYU’s Social Psychology Professor. He announced that he would be resigning from his main professional association, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, because it asked him to submit a DEI declaration.
Haidt recently wrote in a blog that he was shocked to find a new rule about his attendance to a conference where he wanted to share some research with colleagues on a revised version the Moral Foundations Questionnaire.
Haidt pointed out that “most academic work has nothing to do with diversity,” and mandatory statements force academics to lie to their quasi-fiduciary duty to tell the truth. They spin or twist any connection to diversity.
Professor also said that every psychologist who wants to present at the most important convention must now explain how their work contributes to antiracism. ”
Haidt stated that he had read Ibram Kendi’s Critical Race Theory book, How to Be an Antiracist. He was aware he could not keep silent, so he wrote Laura King, president of SPSP, about the mandate that “forced us all to do more ideologically explicitly.”
Haidt wrote King explaining to King why Kendi was doing “problematic” work. He also shared this excerpt from Critical Race Theory Pusher’s book.
Haidt said that this is “morally wrong” as it requires us not to treat individuals but groups of people. This will allow us to treat people with respect based on their group membership.
Haidt stated that SPSP mandate “forces social psychologists, particularly young ones, betray truth and pretend outward respect towards an ideology that some their private opinions don’t endorse.
