Connect with us

Kentucky

‘Diversity isn’t always a good thing.’ Kentucky Senate advances limits on DEI programs

Published

on

‘Diversity isn’t always a good thing.’ Kentucky Senate advances limits on DEI programs


FRANKFORT – A bill aimed at limiting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and requiring First Amendment training at colleges and universities advanced in the Kentucky legislature Tuesday.

Senate Bill 6, which passed the chamber 26-7 after two hours of debate, would prohibit higher education institutions from requiring students and faculty to “describe the attitude or actions in support of or in opposition to specific ideologies or beliefs” to receive admission, employment, promotions or graduation. The bill also would require First Amendment training at student orientation.

Supporters said on the Senate floor that the bill is meant to protect free speech and promote “intellectual diversity.”

Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, the bill’s main sponsor, said that DEI policies prevent conservative voices from expressing their views on college campuses.

Advertisement

Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, added that “diversity isn’t always a good thing and being thrown way out of proportion.”

“If I’m being wheeled into the emergency room to have brain surgery … do I look around at the brain surgery team and say ‘woah, is there diversity on this team?’” Schickel said. “No, I want the best darn team in there with the most expertise.”

Conservative states have zoned in on diversity, equity and inclusion, also known as DEI policies, by stopping colleges and universities from using state and federal funds for these programs.  Since 2021, 21 states have introduced legislation that would limit DEI programs on campus, according to an Axios analysis.

Meanwhile, supporters of DEI initiatives say that these programs help foster inclusivity and opportunities for underrepresented minorities.

Advertisement

The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville both have DEI offices and resources available for students and faculty.

Critics of the bill raised concerns Tuesday that the legislation could harm underrepresented students and result in unintended consequences.

Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, said she fears the bill will hurt faculty retention and recruitment because schools will have difficulty with navigating “vague concepts.”

Chambers Armstrong was referring to a list of “discriminatory concepts” in the bill that aren’t allowed to be included in any training for students or employees.

“I’m concerned about the message it sends to our faculty members and concerned about the way it will impact our ability to recruit and retain faculty members,” she said.

Advertisement

Sen. Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, said the bill would hurt the progress Kentucky has made with attracting underrepresented minorities to its colleges and universities.

“My position is that we should not and never as a country move to a color-blind society,” Thomas said. “Instead, we should embrace all people of different clubs, different boards, different languages. … That is the richness of our diversity and differences.”

Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, said SB 6 “isn’t a racial bill and meant to be divisive” and is instead supposed to stop discrimination in higher education.

According to poll results released Tuesday by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, the state’s voters believe that institutions and businesses should make their own decisions about DEI programs.

Of the 625 registered Kentucky voters polled, 71% believe that “businesses and institutions should make decisions about DEI education and programs without government interference.” Meanwhile, 26% answered that businesses and institutions should not, and 2% were unsure. 

Advertisement

Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy conducted the poll between Jan. 30 and Feb. 4. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The bill ended up passing on a party-line vote and now heads to the House.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Kentucky

Here's what will be on Northern Kentucky ballots Tuesday

Published

on

Here's what will be on Northern Kentucky ballots Tuesday


Kentucky voters will go to the polls Tuesday, May 21, to weigh in on the nation’s presidential primaries and a number of other local elections.

Northern Kentucky voters will also consider the primary election of the state’s 4th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. He’s facing two other Republican challengers, Eric Deters and Michael McGinnis, in the primary.

Boone County

Voters in Boone County will also consider primaries for the 60th, 61st, 66th and 69th Statehouse districts, as well as the 11th state Senate district. Three Boone County Board of Education candidates will also be on the ballot. Residents of Walton and Florence will also weigh in on city government primaries there.

You can find more information at the Boone County Clerk’s Office.

Advertisement

2024 Kentucky Voter Guide: Primary Edition

Campbell County

Campbell County voters will vote in a primary election for Kentucky’s 67th Statehouse district. Residents of Newport will also cast ballots for the city’s mayoral and commission primaries, and residents of other cities like Dayton, Bellevue and Fort Thomas will vote on city commissions. Find out more at the Campbell County Clerk’s Office.

Kenton County

Residents of Kenton County will consider nominees for Kentucky’s 61st, 64th and 69th Statehouse districts. They’ll also weigh in on county commission candidates. Covington residents will see primary elections for mayor and city commission, and residents in other Kenton County municipalities will vote for city council or city commission candidates. More information is available at the Kenton County Clerk’s Office.

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. local time. You’ll need government-issued ID to vote.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Kentucky

Kentucky Newsmakers 5/19: Ky. Sec. of State Michael Adams; God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan

Published

on

Kentucky Newsmakers 5/19: Ky. Sec. of State Michael Adams; God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – On the latest edition of Kentucky Newsmakers, WKYT’s Bill Bryant talks with Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams and God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan.

First, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams is here as voters have been going to the polls for early voting before Tuesday’s primary.

Later, we’ll get an update from God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan on hunger in Kentucky and their efforts to address it.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kentucky

Could Kentucky land the top 2025 basketball prospect?

Published

on

Could Kentucky land the top 2025 basketball prospect?


Now that Mark Pope has mostly finished putting together his 2024-25 roster, he will shift his focus to recruiting the 2025 class. What better place is there to start than with the number one overall player? 

Yesterday, Coach Pope offered AJ Dybantsa, who is the number one overall player in the 2025 class. Dybantsa was a member of the 2026 class but reclassified and will look to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. 

Coach Pope and many other top coaches were at the EYBL event in Indianapolis, where Dybantsa and many other top prospects were. It sounds like Dybantsa really does want to play at Kentucky so Pope will have a chance here. It sounds like Coach Calipari will try and get him to Fayetteville and Bruce Pearl is trying to pull him to Auburn but Coach Pope will make a run at the classes top prospect. 

If Coach Pope is going to succeed at Kentucky, he will need to have the perfect mix of veteran stars and one-and-done McDonald’s All-American type of player. If he is able to land Dybantsa, he can achieve that balance. 

Advertisement

This is definitely a recruitment Kentucky fans need to keep an eye on.  

Here is On3’s scouting report on Dybantsa, “AJ Dybantsa is a lengthy and wiry 6-foot-7, maybe 6-foot-8 wing. He has a slippery and smooth handle in the open floor that allows him to attack the basket downhill. He is a bouncy athlete at the rim, finishing high above in transition. Dybantsa has a smooth jump shot and can create his own shots off the bounce. He has the length and upside to be very good when he is locked in on the defensive end. With a 2007 birthday, he has the foundation of all the tools; it will simply be about continuing to get stronger and developing the vast skill base. He is tracking as one of the top players in his class.”



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending