Austin kids' museum staff: give us DEI training!

UPDATE: The Thinkery responded with a statement, not mentioning the DEI demand specifically.

Parents, children, and other visitors were taken aback today when encountering a picket line in front of a popular kids' venue in Austin due to a strike at least partially fueled by DEI.

Formerly the Austin Children's Museum, The Thinkery is funded through a combination of philanthropic gifts, ticket sales ($18/head), and local government funds, such as the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.

According to a note being distributed by a group of Thinkery employees and "floor staff," there were numerous safety concerns with the building and a lack of emergency training. A Reddit thread indicated that at least five employees were recently terminated, which may have sparked the dissent. The letter named a lead staff member, demanding her termination.

Among the other items was a rather politically charged demand:

"By 2/28/2025, require all executives and people managers to attend National DEI Training Week annually, starting with, at minimum, Day 3 on 3/13/2025, to address ongoing racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and fat-phobia."

"DEI," or Diversity, equity and inclusion programs have been in the crosshairs in corporate boardrooms, state legislatures, and college campuses – and is now the target of the new presidential administration. President Donald Trump hours after swearing in began making good on campaign promises to wage a war against such policies, inking an executive order banning efforts such as “environmental justice programs,” “equity initiatives” and DEI considerations in federal hiring, even CNN reported.

A Texas legislative bill, SB 17, became law in 2024, banning DEI considerations at public universities -- banning it in coursework, research, and creative endeavors. This led to numerous DEI positions being cut from state-funded universities. Similar legislation is being considered this legislative session.

Numerous business, governmental and quasi-governmental bodies now have a DEI officer, whose full-time job it is to point out alleged instances where persons are being discriminated against based on racial, gender, or sexual orientation. Critics have pointed out this practice amounts to a taxpayer subsidized "witch hunt" that has nothing to do with good governance. 

Local Republicans came out against The Thinkery's DEI strike today:

While we respect @ThinkeryATX’s employees’ First Amendment freedoms and taking a stand for safe and efficient working conditions, the Travis GOP is firmly against DEI tactics — especially in a children’s museum where it should have no place!

We'll have more on this as it develops.