BYU leader rejected "the world's" diversity training

Not long before a BYU fan shouted racist slurs at Duke volleyball players who are Black, the Church's education commissioner said it should not "[mimic] the world" with its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Catch up quick: BYU has faced a firestorm of criticism since Rachael Richardson said she and her Black teammates were targeted with slurs and threats at a Friday game in Provo.

• Richardson said the heckling lasted "the entirety of the match," but neither BYU nor the referees took action during the game.
• BYU later banned the fan from its sports venues.

The big picture: BIPOC students encountered "inadequate accountability and coordination" in BYU's attempts to address racism, according to a far-reaching 2021 report.

• The report stressed the need for "extensive diversity and inclusion training programs" for students and employees.
• BYU last fall launched its "Office of Belonging" to help root out racism and prejudice at the school.

Yes, but: Clark Gilbert, the commissioner of education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said this month during BYU Education Week: "The DEI programs in the world are not the way BYU should do it."

• He argued that BYU should "find a gospel-centered approach" to "be a light to the world but not replicating the world."

Between the lines: Gilbert's remarks suggest BYU has not finalized or implemented its diversity training plans.

• Neither BYU nor the Church has responded to Axios' request for details about DEI training introduced since the 2021 report.

Of note: Richardson credited her team's own DEI training program for helping her to endure Friday's game.

• "This helped to equip us to deal with the situation in a mature manner rather than to react in a retaliatory manner," she wrote.