By Trendsetter Tribune 
KENT, OH — A top Kent State University administrator has sparked a firestorm of controversy after being caught on camera claiming that opponents of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are primarily motivated by a desire to “keep the white men in power.”
The undercover video, released on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, by the conservative investigative group Accuracy in Media (AIM), features Jennifer Walton-Fisette, the Director of Educator Preparation at Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services.
The “Keep White Men in Power” Video
In the edited five-minute clip, Walton-Fisette is seen speaking with an undercover investigator posing as a sympathetic figure. During the exchange, she discusses how the university navigates Ohio’s nearly year-old ban on DEI programs and training in public institutions.
- The Core Allegation: When asked why critics oppose DEI initiatives, Walton-Fisette stated: “Ultimately it’s just to keep white men in power. This is what it’s all about. And if we dumb down education, then we can continue to do that.”
- Circumventing State Law: She suggested that the university’s teacher education programs remain “all about” DEI, despite the state ban, by simply changing the language used. “It’s taking away the buzzwords, having to be more careful of how you’re talking about equity and inclusion,” she noted.
- The “Trumpian Lens”: Walton-Fisette further claimed that current efforts to curb DEI are an attempt to “overtake public education” and are being viewed through a “Trumpian lens.”
Accuracy in Media Response
AIM President Adam Guillette called for Walton-Fisette to be held accountable, labeling her a “taxpayer-funded political activist.”
“This woman is clearly a political activist and extremist. I cannot understand why any Ohioan should be forced to pay the salary for a political activist.” — Adam Guillette, Feb 19, 2026
A Pattern of Faculty Scandals at Kent State
The video of Walton-Fisette is the latest in a string of recent controversies involving Kent State faculty members that have gone viral:
| Date | Faculty Member | Incident |
| May 2024 / Jan 2026 | Dr. Ellen Glickman | Video of the Health Sciences Director’s 2024 arrest for “disorderly conduct by intoxication” resurfaced in Jan 2026, gaining millions of views. Charges were previously dismissed due to a medical issue. |
| Sept 2025 | G.R. Patterson | A federal court upheld the university’s decision to discipline the assistant professor following a profanity-laden “Twitter tirade” against colleagues. |
| Jan 2025 | Unnamed Lecturer | The university condemned a lecturer’s remarks as “antisemitic” after they were shared in a viral video on Jan 2, 2025. |
University Stance on Ohio’s DEI Ban
Ohio’s law bans mandatory DEI training but does not explicitly forbid the inclusion of these concepts in academic curricula. This has created a significant “gray area” that AIM claims university staffers are using to “bend, break, or circumvent” state laws.
As of February 20, 2026, Kent State University has not issued a formal statement regarding Walton-Fisette’s comments, and she has not responded to requests for comment from media outlets.