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Christopher Rufo: Joe Biden's Department of Education opens probe into Ron DeSantis appointee

Ron DeSantis appointee Christopher Rufo allegedly 'mocked and misgendered' Florida college's former DEI director

SARASOTA, FLORIDA: Christopher Rufo is one of the conservative education activists appointed to the board of trustees of New College of Florida by the state Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2023.

Rufo recently took to his social media profile X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the news that he was at the center of a probe conducted by Biden's Department of Education for allegedly misgendering the former DEI director, who uses "ze/zir" pronouns.

In a series of tweets, Rufo revealed the federal government probe on him for his apparent refusal to acknowledge and use neo-pronouns like “ze/zir."

Why is there a probe against Christopher Ruso?

The Department of Education opened a probe into the New College of Florida after a complaint was launched on behalf of unnamed “students, faculty, and staff” who accused the college’s trustees of creating a “hostile” environment for transgender and disabled students and staff, per New York Post.

As per the complaint, Rufo subjected some nonbinary and disabled students and staff to “sexist and transphobic ridicule” along with violating civil rights law and blocking funding for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Gender Studies programs.

In the complaint, it is alleged that Rufo “mocked and misgendered” Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez, who served as the director of the Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence (OOIE) of New College, per Daily Mail.

After the college fired Rosario-Hernandez (who goes by ze/zir pronouns - nonbinary set of pronouns when people do not identify either with the he/him/she/her and they/them system), Rufo took to his social media to address the former director as “she” and “her."

The Manhattan Institute alumnus wrote, “New College of Florida has fired its former DEI director, Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez ("ze/zir"), after abolishing her department.”

But in the next sentence, he continued, “Rosario-Hernandez lashed out at me in the Washington Post, but I wish her well and hope she uses the opportunity to develop useful skills.”

In the complaint, Rufo is also accused of pressing criminal charges against a student Catherine 'Libby' Harrity “for allegedly spitting at him.” 

They continue, “In two tweets about the case (charges were eventually dropped), he asserted that Harrity uses they/them pronouns and then pointedly referred to Harrity as 'she' in the next sentence.”

It continues, “Harrity also uses she/her pronouns, so the intended insult reads as particularly belabored.”

Christopher Rufo deems the complaint to be a 'madness'

Taking to his Twitter, Rufo wrote, "BREAKING: President Biden's Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into New Collge of Florida, following a complaint that, in part, alleged that I "misgendered" the college's former DEI director, who uses "ze/zir" pseudo-pronouns. This is madness."

Calling it "the petty tyranny of DEI ideology," he said "The initial civil rights complaint included as evidence screenshots of my tweets with @elonmusk (Exhibit 3) and a photograph alleging that the administration had removed "gender neutral" graffiti from a bathroom wall (Exhibit 8). This is the petty tyranny of DEI ideology."

In the third thread, he wrote, "The complainants also alleged that defunding the DEI department and the Gender Studies Program constitutes a violation of civil rights law."

He added, "This is an outrageous attempt to subvert democratic governance and entrench left-wing ideological power under the guise of civil rights."