The staff for Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University will be smaller this school year after recent layoffs.
Boston University confirmed to FOX News Digital on Thursday that the center laid off approximately 15 to 20 staff members in what it called an "evolving" process.
"The Center is evolving to a fellowship model. Dr. Kendi remains the Director. We can confirm that there were layoffs at the Center. The University and Center are committed to working with and supporting affected employees as they look for their next opportunities," Boston University PR Associate Vice President Rachel Lapal Cavallario said in a statement.
The "teams" page for the center on Boston University’s website is currently down and has been down since Tuesday according to the Internet Archive. A snapshot of the page from July showed that the center had employed approximately 45 staffers.
Kendi was hired by Boston University as a history professor in June 2020, during the height of protests and riots after George Floyd’s death. Shortly afterward, Kendi announced the movement of his antiracist research center from American University, where he previously taught, to Boston University, where he currently sits as the center’s director.
Kendi rose to prominence over the last few years for his defense of critical race theory as well as teaching racial concepts to children. He has published several books on the subject of racism including "How to Be an Anti-Racist" and the children’s book "Antiracist Baby."
The latter has faced the most protest for teaching kids CRT, with several schools recommending or assigning the book.
"It’s children’s book about a little baby who goes to a BLM protest and really falls in love with the movement and it’s basically a propaganda and indoctrination book to get kids more aligned with the CRT lens," conservative Seattle radio host Jason Rantz said to FOX News Digital in March 2022.
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Kendi defended his books in June 2022 as a way to teach people, including children, to "see racism."
"Well, actually, teaching people to see racism," Kendi said on "CBS Mornings." "There's a difference. Race is a mirage. Racism is real. And it’s – you know who’s the most likely to be harmed by racism? Our children. You know who are least likely to engage about it? Our children. That's what's really prevailing me to do this work."
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He added, "I want my child to be a child as well. And the unfortunate thing is racism prevents our children from being children."
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