Elon Musk donates $100M to fund new educational institutions in Austin, Texas

12/19/2023 / By Laura Harris

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is set to donate $100 million to his charitable organization to kick-start the establishment of primary and secondary schools and a university in Austin, Texas.

According to 2022 tax filings submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Musk’s The Foundation will be donating the $100 million to fund educational institutions focused on science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and physics in Austin. The charity also plans to seek accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges before opening the institutions.

The primary and secondary schools will provide formal instruction and curriculum in the aforementioned subjects using both traditional and distance education technologies. Meanwhile, the envisioned university will hire experienced faculty members offering a standard curriculum. This curriculum will be complemented by hands-on learning experiences such as simulations, case studies, fabrication and design projects, and laboratories.

Initially, the school aims to enroll 50 students, chosen based on merit, extending to foundation trustees, officers, employees, or their family members. The school also plans to offer financial support to students to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder deserving students.

“The school does not want the inability to pay tuition or fees to be a barrier for students. Thus, if a student is admitted to the school, tuition and financial support will be provided to the extent of available resources,” the tax filing stated.

Once the primary and secondary schools are fully operational, the remaining funds will be allocated to the establishment of a university.

Musk: DEI must die

Before the announcement of funding new schools and universities in Austin, Musk took to X to express his disdain for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. He stated his opposition to the program in three words: “DEI must die.”

Musk argued that such initiatives, intended to combat discrimination, are, in his view, counterproductive, leading to different forms of discrimination. “The point was to end discrimination, not replace it with different discrimination,” he wrote.

His comments join a growing chorus of criticism against DEI policies, which have faced heightened scrutiny in recent months. Critics contend that these programs may inadvertently foster hostility towards certain groups while favoring others. This criticism gained traction, especially in the wake of a surge in antisemitic incidents on college campuses following a terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel in October.

Musk is not alone in his critique, as other high-profile figures have also voiced their concerns. Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has been an outspoken critic of DEI programs, also echoed these sentiments. (Related: Texas governor signs bill ordering the CLOSURE of DEI offices across state-funded universities.)

“I think the DEI agenda has been abused in the name of diversity. We have, at many of our universities, totally sacrificed diversity of thought,” he said.

“I think if we restore true meritocracy in this country and embrace true diversity of thought, chances are we’re actually going to have a bunch of different shades of element and a range of genders and different positions. But let it be not a goal, let it just be a byproduct of actually selecting for people who are the best person for the job – and especially in a university setting – diverse viewpoints, as well.”

ElonMuskWatch.com has more stories about Elon Musk.

Watch this video discussing a similar move by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to block DEI programs on state colleges and universities in the Sunshine State.

This video is from THE HEALTHY AMERICAN channel on Brighteon.com.