In a recent Interim Joint Committee on Education held by the Kentucky House, State Senator Lindsey Tichenor of District 6 voiced her objections to the implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in the state's educational system.
Her stance was met with resistance from several of her colleagues, including Rep. Sarah Stalker, who appeared to misunderstand the crux of Tichenor's argument.
Tichenor's primary contention was that no child should be made to feel guilty or inferior due to their racial background. She further argued that educational programs that fail to enhance academic achievement and instead propagate divisive ideologies are not worth the financial investment.
According to The Post Millennial, Stalker responded to Tichenor's arguments by saying, "I think we're missing an incredible opportunity right now. I'm going to be honest, I don't 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."
Stalker continued, "If I was a white man, I would be functioning from a point of even greater privilege. I think we're missing an opportunity when kids, 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."
In response to Stalker's comments, Tichenor stated, "While presenting on my upcoming bill to end DEI in K12, I honestly did not expect to hear this. Her comment is a prime example of how the ideology of DEI warps a persons brain."
Stalker further argued, "It's not about making people feel bad about being white. I think it's about acknowledging the historical privilege that white people have always had in this country, which I don't know that anybody in this room, in good conscience could argue, exist and still exist."
The US Education Office for Civil Rights has informed Jefferson County, KY, that they are in violation of Title VI for "unlawfully considering race, engaging in racial balancing and by utilizing a funding formula that explicitly discriminates based on the racial makeup of its schools, this is their racial equity funding model."
Tichenor's bill aims "to eliminate the wasteful, ineffective and divisive DEI initiatives that have become interwoven in K-12 institutions." She noted, "In recent years, we have seen a strong push to incorporate DEI throughout K-12 education with the stated goal of closing long held achievement gaps among minority students and students who are economically disadvantaged."
Tichenor criticized the Biden administration for allocating over $1 billion towards DEI initiatives in schools nationwide, arguing that this has led to an unnecessary increase in administrative positions and the indoctrination of students, with potentially long-lasting negative societal impacts.
She also highlighted the financial mismanagement associated with DEI programs, citing credit card statements and receipts that reveal "a gross misuse of funds for lavish travel to DEI conferences, hotels, airfare and travel expenses, most notably, recently, was the approved travel to Australia, with the known expenses reaching near $30,000." This spending, she argued, does not benefit Kentucky students in any way.
Tichenor further stated that DEI initiatives have not improved test scores or educational outcomes, with proficiency in math and reading declining statewide. She also criticized restorative justice and social and emotional learning (SEL) practices.
She read out the definition of diversity used in DEI legislation and education programming, which states, "Diverse will be defined as pertaining to any and all cultures that are not heterosexual, male centered, white, Western or Christian."
Anti-racist education, as defined in education programming, "is an action based response to racist policies, practices, systems and beliefs that exist in education... it focuses intently on instruction, curriculum and pedagogy as liberatory means to decenter whiteness."
Tichenor's arguments against DEI practices in Kentucky's educational system highlight the ongoing debate surrounding these initiatives. While some see them as a means of promoting equality and inclusivity, others, like Tichenor, view them as divisive and wasteful. This debate is likely to continue as lawmakers grapple with the best ways to educate the next generation.
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