Race-Based Discrimination is Wrong

Well, According to Chris Rock, a GED is bullshit. “You're telling me you can make up 4 years in 6 hours?!?”

In reality, GED stands for Good Enough Diploma

To be fair, a regular diploma is bullshit too. There are literally no standards in public education.

I know qualified candidates of color had to exist.
The only one we're given specifics on (here) is the Harvard graduate replace by a black man with a GED.
I do notice that all three appear to be female (or at least identify as such). Women tend to be more willing to accept being underpaid in positions they see as serving society.
My guess is that most candidates with similar qualifications refused the position.
Also, when did affirmative action get rebranded as dei? And back in my day, you still had to have base level qualifications for affirmative action to help you. A GED, or even a high school diploma, replacing a Masters degree (the college is irrelevant) is ludicrous.

Pure speculation here, bored, but I'll guess that they didn't try to find a qualified candidate. Doing that would pretty much destroy their entire concept of reality, don't you think?