Kentucky bill would ban DEI programs at K-12 schools, government agencies
- Kentucky Sen. Lindsey Tichenor filed two bills that would eliminate DEI initiatives in K-12 schools and government agencies.
- Tichenor argues that DEI policies are ineffective and detract from academic excellence.
- The legislation follows similar efforts at the federal level and in other states.
A Republican lawmaker wants to expand Kentucky's push against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from college campuses to K-12 schools and government agencies.
Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, filed two bills Thursday that would eliminate DEI initiatives at schools and government departments at both the state and local levels.
Senate Bill 165, filed as the Kentucky Education Equality Protection Act, would also ban the "teaching of discriminatory concepts" in public schools.
The bill defines "discriminatory concepts" as "justifying or promoting differential treatment or benefits conferred to individuals on the basis of religion, race, sex, color or national origin." That provision would not apply to "instruction on the historical oppression of a particular group of people," among other exceptions.
The bill also bans public schools from maintaining a DEI office and officer and lets the attorney general bring civil action if a school district violates the provisions.
Tichenor said the legislation is something she's worked on for a couple of years under the belief that DEI policies and programs "aren't really effective."
"It's not helping students, and this will help to return schools back to the basics of educating our students and that focus back on academic excellence, which we've seen fall away in recent decades," Tichenor told reporters Thursday afternoon.
She emphasized SB 165 isn't meant to "ignore any type of history" but is rather "creating an environment where there's not division."
Tichenor also filed Senate Bill 164, which bans taxpayer-funded DEI programs, offices and trainings in state and local government agencies.
The bill prohibits "differential treatment or benefits to an individual, including an applicant for employment, promotion or contract renewal, on the basis of the individual's religion, race, sex, color, or national origin."
That bill, she said, was motivated from policy created at the federal level by the Trump administration.
"We've seen some other states file similar legislation, and I think we have some movement behind that from the federal level," Tichenor said.
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ending DEI policies in the federal government and affirmative action in federal contracting, according to Paste BN.
Tichenor’s legislation was filed a day after Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, filed a bill in the House aimed at curtailing DEI offices and personnel in state universities. House Bill 4 would dissolve all DEI offices at Kentucky public colleges, ban diversity training and prevent schools from considering personal views on social or political issues in hiring, contract renewal, tenure, promotion, admission or graduation.
Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.