The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Marsha Blackburn on Ending DEI in Schools, Fighting Political Indoctrination, and Defending the American Dream

Summary

Summary of "The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Marsha Blackburn on Ending DEI in Schools, Fighting Political Indoctrination, and Defending the American Dream"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Episode: The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Marsha Blackburn on Ending DEI in Schools, Fighting Political Indoctrination, and Defending the American Dream
• Release Date: July 30, 2025
• Description: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics, and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

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Introduction

[00:35] Tudor Dixon:
“We are blessed today to have Senator Marsha Blackburn with us. She is the U.S. senator for Tennessee. And there's some stuff going on in Tennessee right now. So we're glad you're joining us.”

[00:47] Marsha Blackburn:
“I'm delighted to join you. Always.”

Tudor Dixon welcomes Senator Marsha Blackburn, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion on current educational policies, political indoctrination, and the American Dream.

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Ending DEI Practices in Higher Education

[00:49] Tudor Dixon:
Discusses recent hearings where universities like the University of Tennessee, Belmont, and Vanderbilt were accused of continuing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices under different names.

[01:10] Marsha Blackburn:
“We want to make certain that they're complying with federal and state law and that they have removed DEI practices. Each of the three is going through an independent audit to be certain that they have removed all the DEI practices.”
(Timestamp: 01:10)

Blackburn elaborates on her efforts to ensure these institutions adhere to legal standards by conducting audits and retraining staff to eliminate DEI practices on campus.

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Combatting Political Indoctrination in Education

[03:59] Marsha Blackburn:
“Students are being taught DEI and CRT instead of the fundamentals of education... they're not going to have that basis.”
(Timestamp: 03:59)

[04:52] Tudor Dixon:
Highlights feedback from parents desiring education over indoctrination, emphasizing a return to traditional educational values devoid of ideological influences.

[09:55] Marsha Blackburn:
“We want our children to have a firm foundation... if you're being taught DEI and CRT, then you're not going to have that basis.”
(Timestamp: 09:55)

Blackburn stresses the importance of focusing on core educational principles rather than diverting to politically charged topics, ensuring students receive a balanced and unbiased education.

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Protecting Federal Law Enforcement and Addressing Anti-ICE Protests

[06:03] Marsha Blackburn:
Introduces her legislation aimed at protecting ICE agents and federal law enforcement by making it a felony to dox these officers.
“This adds that cover as they are going about their duties in their job.”
(Timestamp: 06:03)

[08:32] Marsha Blackburn:
“Democrats are trying to obstruct every single day... telling people to fight federal law enforcement, fight ICE agents.”
(Timestamp: 08:32)

Blackburn discusses the rise of anti-ICE protests fueled by Democratic obstructionism, outlining her legislative measures to safeguard law enforcement personnel and ensure cities reimburse the federal government for expenses incurred during riots, such as those in Los Angeles.

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Legislation Against NEA and Federal Union Influence

[15:24] Tudor Dixon:
Moves the conversation to the politicization of the National Education Association (NEA) and Blackburn's efforts to strip it of its federal charter.

[16:25] Marsha Blackburn:
“If you want to remove that charter, let them do it and let the teachers have other options for benefits.”
(Timestamp: 16:25)

[19:55] Tudor Dixon:
Expresses frustration with the NEA’s political activities and their influence on public funds.
“They're a political operation and members of the DNC... how can they influence elections legally?”
(Timestamp: 19:55)

Blackburn outlines her legislative strategy to revoke the NEA's federal charter, arguing that the union has deviated from its original mission to become a political entity. She emphasizes the need to protect teachers while removing the union's undue political influence.

---

Defending the American Dream and Traditional Values

[20:51] Marsha Blackburn:
“We all want our children to have a firm foundation... living their version of the American dream.”
(Timestamp: 20:51)

Blackburn connects the issues of DEI and political indoctrination to the broader theme of preserving traditional American values and ensuring opportunities for future generations. She underscores the collective desire for safety, economic stability, and adherence to foundational American principles.

[23:05] Tudor Dixon:
“The American Dream fits whatever you want it to be... it's a bipartisan message.”
(Timestamp: 23:05)

Dixon echoes Blackburn's sentiments, highlighting the universal appeal of the American Dream and its bipartisan nature, contrasting it with the divisiveness seen in current political climates.

---

Conclusion

[23:05] Tudor Dixon:
“It is always such a pleasure to hear the things that you have to say...”
(Timestamp: 23:05)

[23:26] Marsha Blackburn:
“Delighted to join you. Thank you.”
(Timestamp: 23:26)

The episode concludes with mutual appreciation between host and guest, reinforcing the importance of the discussed topics and the ongoing efforts to safeguard American values in education and governance.

---

Notable Exclusions:

The transcript contained segments unrelated to the main discussion, including advertisements and promotional content from other podcasts (e.g., Christina Quinn, Lisa Booth, Rodney Williams, Travis Holloway). These sections were omitted to maintain focus on the core conversation between Tudor Dixon and Senator Marsha Blackburn.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Efforts to Eliminate DEI in Education:
   Senator Blackburn is actively working to ensure that higher education institutions comply with federal and state laws by removing DEI practices, conducting audits, and retraining staff.

2. Combatting Political Indoctrination:
   The focus is on returning education to its fundamental principles, free from ideological influences like DEI and CRT, to provide students with a balanced and objective learning environment.

3. Protecting Federal Law Enforcement:
   Legislation is being proposed to protect ICE agents and federal law enforcement officers from doxing and to ensure cities reimburse the federal government for costs incurred during civil unrest.

4. Reducing NEA's Political Influence:
   Blackburn aims to strip the NEA of its federal charter due to its perceived shift from supporting teachers to becoming a politically motivated entity, advocating for teachers' welfare through alternative means.

5. Preserving the American Dream:
   Emphasis on traditional American values, safety, economic stability, and providing future generations with opportunities to achieve their personal versions of the American Dream.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of Senator Marsha Blackburn's initiatives to reform educational practices, protect law enforcement, and uphold traditional American values against the backdrop of increasing political polarization.

Transcript

[Christina Quinn]

This is an I Heart podcast. If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this. Dig in with me on practical advice for life's common challenges. Follow. Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it.

[Tudor Dixon]

Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. We are blessed today to have Senator Marsha Blackburn with us. She is the U.S. senator for Tennessee. And there's some stuff going on in Tennessee right now. So we're glad you're joining us.

[Marsha Blackburn]

I'm delighted to join you. Always.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, I saw last week there was a hearing and you started talking about some of these videos that were coming out from universities that were saying they were still including diversity, equity and inclusion in their programs, but they were changing the name of it. So you've heard from some of these universities. So I wanted to let you talk about it a little.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Yes, indeed. And we were having a hearing on DEI on college campuses and in the workplace. And that day we get these videos coming out from the University of Tennessee and Belmont and Vanderbilt. Even though those colleges have removed DEI practices, you had individuals who were on faculty and staff who were saying, oh, you know, we're still doing that. We're just doing it under different names and we're going about it a different way. So what we have done is to reach out to each of the universities. And I've contacted each of the three universities and, you know, Tudor, we want to make certain that they're complying with federal and state law and that they have removed DEI practices. Each of these universities, each of the three, is going through an audit, an independent audit to be certain that they have removed all the DEI practices. And then they're also doing some retraining of their staff and making certain that every staff member knows that they are not to be pushing DEI property principals on school property and that it is imperative that they comply with the law.

[Tudor Dixon]

Do you think that they'll follow up with you on this? I mean, obviously you are going to be. So they have committed to that.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Yes. You know, our universities, they do great work. They do great research work. And we are just so honored to have them doing much of that research work and opening opportunities for young people there in our state. And this is an issue of concern. They know that with Federal funds involved with state funds involved, that they have to comply with both the state and the federal laws.

[Tudor Dixon]

You know, I went to the University of Kentucky, so don't be mad at me. And. But my sister went to Vanderbilt and we loved them, loved going there. Both of us want to send our kids to our alma maters. We actually, I will be going on a school trip to visit the University of Kentucky this week with my oldest. And. And that's been something that kind of, I think we took for granted for so many years that we had these amazing educations and we went there and. And there was nothing like this push. There was no ideology. And I think that's just what people want to get back to.

[Marsha Blackburn]

You are so right about that. I hear it all the time from parents. They want to say in their child's education and they want their children educated, not indoctrinated. And so many parents will say, When I was 13 or 15 or 18, I had already studied this, this, this, and this. And my child has had no exposure to that. So that teaching, the BAS dropped out as things like CRT and DEI and revisionist history crept in. And it has moved many educational institutions away from their core mission of educating and equipping the next generation of our citizens.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, we've heard from some professors that, we've had professors on here from some of the Ivy Leagues who have said, you know, we saw this starting to happen 15 years ago. And that's something that, I think it was shocking to me. I think it was shocking to my audience because we were like, you know, we didn't see this. We felt like it crept up overnight, but it has been kind of the slow burn inside with some folks, not all people. And I just want to make sure that we make that clear. This is not how everybody in education feels, but we have sort of seen this starting to happen. And I think that the effects of these protesters that we're seeing that have come out of some of these great Ivy League universities who we, you know, you find out, you unmask some of these people that are out rioting and gosh, they're like Princeton grads. You know, you're like, what are you. What are you doing? You're out there fighting ice in the streets. And that's something else that you're working on is these anti ice riots, because we've got some of these progressive governors like Governor Newsom, who says he doesn't want to stop these riots. And then you have the president that has to use federal resources. So tell us about your bill that is targeting these lawless states.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Yes. We've got a couple of things. First of all, to protect our ICE agents in federal law enforcement, I have legislation that would make it a felony offense to dox a federal law enforcement agency as they are implementing the rule of law. And what we found out was that our ICE agents and federal law enforcement agents were not covered under the covered persons on doxing and revealing identities unless they were working undercover. So this adds that cover as they are going about their duties in their job.

[Tudor Dixon]

And then this is just ice.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Well, it is for our federal law enforcement.

[Tudor Dixon]

Okay, okay. All federal, yeah.

[Marsha Blackburn]

And then you also have the legislation we've done as. As you have the military have to be called into certain areas to restore law and order. We became aware that there is nothing in federal statute that requires these cities like LA to reimburse the federal government for having to call out the National Guard to restore the peace, protect people, and protect federal property. So we have legislation that will require these states and cities to reimburse the federal government. When you look at those LA riots that carried out Tudor, it was a $130 million that DoD spent restoring the peace in Los Angeles, California during these recent riots. And people in Tennessee or Texas or Michigan don't want to be paying for having to send troops to a sanctuary city to restore law and order. So this requires them to foot that bill and to cut that check and pay back dod.

[Tudor Dixon]

What are you hearing from your Democrat colleagues on this? Because they've been pretty vocal about saying that ICE agents can't wear masks. They don't want them to be protected. And really, if we think about this, this is a new thing because they have, some of them have called for people to go out, take videos, get. Get injured, go try to get attacked by the. The ICE agents. I mean, this is really sick.

[Marsha Blackburn]

It is indeed. But we have to bear in mind the Democrats, they, they have lost at the ballot box across the country. They have been losing on votes in the House and the Senate. They are losing in the courts. So they feel like the only thing left for them now is to resist and obstruct. And they are trying to obstruct every single day. And one of the ways that they're carrying out this resist and obstruct is to tell people to get out here and fight federal law enforcement, fight ICE agents, fight immigration. You've got one member of the House who even has. They're running resistance labs to train people how to resist. And so this is we just keep saying, look, if you want to reach a resolution, why don't you come talk and work on different things, make your case. But resistance, obstruction, trying to block President Trump's nominees from getting a vote going, and trying to block the doors to immigration Service offices. This is not the way that we should be handling the the business of our great nation.

[Tudor Dixon]

Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on the Tudor Dixon Podcast.

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[Christina Quinn]

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[Tudor Dixon]

It'S been interesting because as we've watched since the election, the Democrat party, their favorability rating keeps going down. And it does seem like they have a struggle. I mean, I, what you just said about the resistance labs, it sort of blows my mind. And yet I know that this is the division in that party right now. I have to ask, is there anybody that you've been, I mean, we know that you, you guys are friends for years with people who are across the aisle. That's just the reality of being in D.C. and I think some people think that it's always fighting all the time. But these are your colleagues. Does anybody ever say to you, and I'm not asking who, but does anybody ever say, we don't know what's going on, this is getting out of hand?

[Marsha Blackburn]

We have some. And I have also heard from Democrats in Tennessee who have said, oh, my goodness. I, when I look at what is happening with some of that far left flank, they feel like they have, they no longer identify with the Democratic Party. You know, Tudor, one of the things that I have realized is that Tennesseans, and indeed many Americans, they want to see our country prosper. They want their kids to be able to live the American dream. They want to make certain that we have a proper standing in the world, that our nation is safe, that crime, that we get crime under control and that our communities are safe. They wanted to see the border secure. They want life to be affordable and the cost of living to come down. And this is one of the reasons that they have supported President Trump in the steps that he is taking. And when you look at his polling numbers and the way you have people, whether they're a Democrat, an Independent or a Republican, they support what he's doing with tariffs and trade. They support provisions in the big beautiful bill. They want to see the federal government cut what they're spending. And those are all things that people say this is good for the country. And if it's good for the country, it's probably going to be good for our family and it's probably going to end up being good for our kids in the next, next generation.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, I, I think that we are, we are definitely seeing people who are going back to traditional American values, but that progressive wing is still out there. You are still fighting that. So I want to talk, I want to go back to education, but I want to talk a little bit about your bill for the nea, the National Education Association's federal charter. And I want to say first that if you haven't been paying attention, most recently the Teacher of the Year, the, the teacher who was awarded Teacher of the Year came out and said that her job is highly political. She now knows that her job is highly political. Well, it shouldn't be. That's, that's not what it's supposed to be. You have Randy Weingarten who said that she believes that the AFT should be very political. And, and the NEA is radical in its mission now does nothing. Nothing. What it was, its original mission was nothing near what its original mission was. So you have a bill that is, is to strip the NEA of their federal charter. Explain that to us.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Y were looking at this. This is after the NEA had their convention and Tudor, it's like they lost their ever loving mind.

[Tudor Dixon]

I know.

[Marsha Blackburn]

You know, and they were ranting and raving and they were against Trump and they were against Congress and they were against all these things. And when you listen to some of that video, where did they talk about the children?

[Tudor Dixon]

Right.

[Marsha Blackburn]

You know, they kind of forgot to get there. So real realizing they had a federal charter that comes from Congress, I said we need to remove that. Now, if they want to go off on their own dime and do a 501C3 or a C4, they can do it. But a lot of the teachers I talk to in Tennessee, they say, look, we joined the NEA because we wanted health insurance and we wanted benefits, things of that nature. So let's let the NEA go off and be a group and let's not have a federal charter and then let's make certain that teachers have other options where they can get the benefits that they need. And the other thing that I'm doing is this because, you know, in the Senate, we have to get 60 votes to move anything forward. I have legislation that would say if you are a federally chartered union and there's only one the nea, then you are not allowed to lobby Congress. And we think that's appropriate. We have Secretary Linda McMahon who is doing a masterful job of devolving the responsibilities of the U.S. department of Education back to the states and the local school systems. And she is in the process of closing down that US Department of Education. That's a good thing. That's a good thing.

[Tudor Dixon]

One of our frustrations here in the state of Michigan is that you are. These are public unions, which means they are really taking public funds because these teachers essentially have their. Their paycheck skimmed off. And that goes to the union. And the union has historically been there to champion for teachers and strengthen the schools. That was their mission, was to support the teachers and strengthen the schools. But they've openly come out and said they are a political operation.

[Marsha Blackburn]

That's right.

[Tudor Dixon]

And they're members of the de dnc. I mean, we're finding out that Randy Weingarten was a member of the D, but she had a position with the dnc. We're like, wait a minute. What. Why is it that they can legally. Public charters can legally influence elections by putting money into campaigns? Because, I mean, it just seems like they shouldn't be able to.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Well, and 98%, 98% of all the political donations from the NEA Democrats. And when we were during COVID it was the NEA that came out against reopening schools 20, 21. Who is it that led the way on CRT? It was the NEA. And then you look at this, the stuff that they have done and that they have pushed over the last few years, and you say, first of all, if you exist, you can't come lobby us. And secondly, we need to pull this charter.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, I think that we can all agree to that because we see this trend. I mean, everything we've talked about, you're talking about K through 12. It's this political indoctrination. And there was a lot of control over Covid. I mean, you talk about that. We even found out that they were making decisions with the cdc. It's like you're experts in everything. Now. You can go and talk about diseases with the cdc, but then that goes to the universities, which is why you've been rooting out the dei. And that, to me is so critical. And that is the difference with this administration than any past administration. And I would say even Donald Trump's first administration, this administration is so on top of saying no, we made a promise to the American people and we're going to keep that no matter how, how challenging and how difficult it is. Because the next step of that, after they come out of college indoctrinated, is going out in the streets and punching ICE agents in the face and thinking that's okay. I mean, I think these things are.

[Marsha Blackburn]

All connected and we all want our children to have a firm foundation. We want them to come out of that K12 education knowing how to learn and desiring education and loving this country and wanting to be good citizens and give back to this country and be able to live their version of the American dream, to dream those big dreams and find ways to make them come true in a country that is built on opportunities and is built on what I call the big five faith, family, freedom, hope and opportunity. And tutor. If you are going to class and you're being taught dei, and as I said earlier, the fundamentals of education and learning are secondary to CRT and dei, then you're not going to have that basis. You're not going to come out learning how you best learn, which is something that we should do for children. So, you know, we're giving a good hard look. We've gotten a lot of support on this. People don't realize that the NEA is federally chartered. And so we are, we're getting a good bit of support on this because regardless of what someone's political affiliation is, they have been aggravated with the NEA and some of these school boards that were so given to and have pushed forward some policies that parents do not agree with. Some of these policies, men in women's sports, boys playing in girls sports. And people want to see their children protected and provided for and educated. And they, every parent wants the best for their child and we should do our best and give our best effort to make, make certain that opportunity is open for every child in this country.

[Tudor Dixon]

It is always such a pleasure to hear the things that you have to say because they are the things that everybody should be talking about. When you talk about the American Dream, I just get chills because it is the American Dream that fits whatever you want the American Dream to be. And it's a message that used to be bipartisan, but it's a pleasure getting to hear it from you. Senator Marsha Blackburn, thank you so much for being on today.

[Marsha Blackburn]

Delighted to join you. Thank you.

[Tudor Dixon]

Absolutely. And thank you for joining us on the Tudor Dixon podcast. Go to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts or you can watch this one on Rumble or YouTube uterdixon and join us next time. Have a blessed day.

[Christina Quinn]

If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this. Dig in with me on practical advice for life's common challenges. Follow Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it.

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[Christina Quinn]

This is an iHeart podcast.