The head of the Defense Department’s controversial diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program within its educational services has left her role following Congressional attention launched by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Stefanik, a leading Republican in the House, launched an inquiry into the Pentagon’s hiring of Kelisa Wing as the head of DEI for the Department of Defense Education Activity, which educates the children of active members of the armed forces both domestically and overseas.
The hiring of Wing came under considerable criticism from conservatives.
Wing had written on Twitter in June 2020 that she was tired of the “white folx” in her professional development events. She added that “this lady actually had the CAUdacity to say that black people can be racist too.”
Books co-authored by Wing also saw a sharp increase in sales to Defense Department educational facilities following her appointment. Wing’s books, including What is White Privilege? increased from 45 to 600 during this period.
The New York Republican’s efforts came after the Pentagon announced that it would utilize Wing as its educational DEI czar.
She should be fired. Full stop. https://t.co/GMSeMDh2la
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) March 24, 2023
Wing has been assigned to a new position. The Defense Department said that Wing’s departure from the job was “part of a headquarters restructuring.” She had been under investigation by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
Stefanik celebrated Wing leaving the position but said that the circumstances highlighted a bigger issue at the Pentagon, such as a lack of transparency.
Stefanik said that Wing leaving was likely due to the fact that Republicans in the House “shined a light on this.”
However, she said that the Pentagon did not respond to her original September 2022 letter regarding Wing.
Stefanik said that she finally received a response to a second letter, stating that the Pentagon was investigating the representative’s concerns.
Now, according to Stefanik, the Defense Department responded to her letter “three hours prior” to the recent House hearing, which she argued showed “a trend for Biden administration officials at the last minute scrambling before these hearings.”
