Garry Bredefeld, former member of the Fresno City Council, is now a member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. 2023 File Photo by Frank Lopez

A Fresno County supervisor is working toward the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from county government hiring practices.

Supervisor Garry Bredefeld held a press conference at the Fresno County Hall of Records Friday morning, saying he is committed to ensure the county adheres to a “fair and merit based” system, and that government hiring should be based on skills and experience, “not divisive political narratives.”

“When DEI is implemented, people are not selected for hire based on merit, experience or their qualifications, but whether they are a certain race or gender,” Bredefeld said.

He’s directed the county’s human resources team to remove such language from job applications, and some job descriptions have already been modified, reported Fresnoland.

The topic of DEI has become part of the national conversation with President Trump calling for the dismantling of federal DEI initiatives, backed by Tesla owner Elon Musk calling DEI “another word for racism.”

Bredefeld noted that federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

He said that instead of fostering unity, DEI policies frame individuals as perpetual victims instead of providing them fair treatment.

Bredefeld highlighted a county job posting for an unlicensed mental health technician with language that is to be removed.

“It is imperative for us to protect and improve the lives of Fresno County residents served by the Department and our partners in our system of care by acknowledging the long-standing historic and ongoing inequities that black, indigenous and people of color, those living in poverty, LGBTQ+ members and other marginalized and underserved communities have experienced with the behavioral health system,” the application read.