Critical race theory defender Ibram X. Kendi opened up about the decision to lay off several workers from the Center for Antiracist Research spearheaded by him at Boston University.
The Center for Antiracist Research fired at least 15 members of the center’s staff to evolve into a "fellowship model."
"The Center is evolving to a fellowship model. Dr. Kendi remains the Director. We can confirm that there were layoffs at the Center. The University and Center are committed to working with and supporting affected employees as they look for their next opportunities," Boston University PR Associate Vice President Rachel Lapal Cavallario said in a statement.
As scrutiny grew around the decision, Kendi himself referenced the layoffs on his X account Friday, insisting they were his own decision.
"A week ago, I had to make the hardest decision of my career and lay off a number of talented and committed staff from the BU Center for Antiracist Research (CAR) to ensure our long-term sustainability and impact. We are doing our best to support out affected colleagues during this difficult time of transition, and we welcome Boston University’s inquiry into the center’s operations," Kendi’s statement read.
As time went on, multiple current and former staff members of the center spoke publicly against Kendi, suggesting the problem came from mismanagement and wasting money.
"It’s pretty hard for me to imagine they blew through $30 million in two years," associate professor Spender Piston told the student newspaper The Daily Free Press. "There’s been a lack of transparency about how much money comes in and how it’s spent from the beginning, which comports with a larger culture of secrecy."
Professor Phillipe Copeland also criticized the idea that the layoffs were a result of a "redesign rather than an institutional failure, for which people need to be accountable." Other comments suggested more "mismatch" between money received and money produced.
"There’s a mismatch between the amount of money that CAR has received from these grants and what they’ve actually produced," an anonymous source told the Daily Free Press. "You can juxtapose that with other research centers either at BU or other universities that have received a tiny fraction of what CAR has received and has produced a lot more."
Kendi, however, denied these accusations.
"I made this decision not out of financial distress—as suggested by some—but to put in place a new structure that would support the mission of CAR for the long term. There will always be people who critique the job someone else is doing—but I stand by my decision to take the long view for CAR, especially when racial and social justice organizations are under attack," the statement read.
Boston University announced the launch of an inquiry into the center following on Thursday following these employees’ claims.
Despite the controversy, Kendi celebrated the "many accomplishments of CAR’s talented and committed staff" and the ongoing efforts to building more antiracist organizations.
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"Leaders of color and women leaders are often held to different standards and routinely their authority undermined or questioned. But I want to live in a world where all leaders of new organizations are given the time to have growing pains and develop. I want to live in a world where we are all building and sustaining antiracist organizations. Until we build that world, the crucial work of CAR will continue," his statement concluded.
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