CodeAI reviews

We are a non-profit that cares about and seeks to address and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science and our team. Our mission and our culture attract passionate people. But "diversity, equity, and inclusion" do not mean the same thing to everyone. We have had instances where we have hired people obsessed with specific interpretations and biases around these noble-sounding ideals. They have used them as both shield and hammer to excuse their personal biases and to try and intimidate co-workers and leadership into submitting to their demands. They put a lot of effort into questioning every decision, critiquing every initiative, and ultimately attempting to shift the mission and work of Code.org to serve their specific concerns- or go out of business. These people have had no hesitation in dividing the world, and our team, into what they deem as saints and sinners. And they are more than happy to take it upon themselves to gang up if necessary and punish non-believers. Examples must be made. It is intimidating and effective. It is also remarkably distracting. Their unrealistic expectations and endless pessimism disrupt the flow of our work. Their obsession with identity politics divides our team into smaller and smaller groups. Their intense moral certainty and lack of accountability or self-awareness make people unwilling and even afraid to speak out against them. Code.org has bent over backward to please this small fraction of our current and former team, but at some point, enough is enough. Code.org has finally reached that point. It is not a pleasurable experience to work with people who have an expectation that this org should change just for them and a desire to see it burn if it doesn't.

- The CEO is manipulative, harmful, and unwilling to be challenged. He regularly demonstrates deeply problematic behaviors and has yet to face any real accountability. In Spring 2022, he went on a wildly inappropriate tirade that caused significant harm to a number of marginalized employees. There was no accountability for this behavior, nor acknowledgment of the harm caused by the org. Many folks (who had the ability/privilege to do so) left as a result. - The recent "unifying" approach is your typical "no politics" culture that has been plaguing the tech industry in recent years. Despite an org that claims to prioritize equity, this CEO (and other senior leadership) is more interested in prioritizing the comfort of certain political identities over the safety of students, teachers, and employees who are part of marginalized groups. - Managers and employees often get burnt out quickly as they try to challenge leadership and push things in the right direction. The CEO refuses to be challenged and it is impossible to navigate or effect change. - This org is a classic example of "when someone shows you who they are; believe them" -- it is clear they are unwilling to listen to feedback, despite the values they claim. Mission is not enough - it matters *how* you get there and this org does not "walk the walk".