FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky House voted Friday to choke off funding for diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities following an impassioned debate that had a GOP lawmaker dismissing DEI efforts as a failure and Democrats defending them as pillars of support for students from underrepresented groups.
Kentucky
GOP Kentucky House votes to defund diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities
The effort to roll back DEI initiatives in Kentucky is part of a much broader Republican campaign featuring bills in several states that would restrict such initiatives or require their public disclosure.
In Kentucky, the House-passed version would ban race-based scholarships and defund DEI offices and staff positions. It would prohibit the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, which oversees public universities, from approving degrees that require courses containing “discriminatory concepts.”
And it would hold public universities accountable to “dismantle the misguided DEI bureaucracies,” said Republican state Rep. Jennifer Decker, who shepherded the new version to House passage.
“This bill would put an end to the failed, expensive and discriminatory DEI initiatives at our public post-secondary schools in Kentucky,” Decker said at the outset of the hourslong debate.
While she insisted the bill would foster a culture that’s “inclusive and welcoming to all,” Democrats said it would hurt minority students on campuses. That includes racial minorities and LGBTQ students but also can be people who are disabled, from rural areas or from low-income families.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are about creating and sustaining environments that support students and faculty who have been traditionally underrepresented on our college campuses, that make them feel safe and welcome,” said Democratic state Rep. Nima Kulkarni.
The sweeping bill also threatens to stifle concepts that professors can teach, opponents said.
“It would disallow the teaching of how oppressive governments create systems of inequality through laws and policies that are structured to marginalize minority groups,” Kulkarni said. “Our students deserve to know our history. They deserve to fully explore all of the progress that we have made.”
Democrats said the backlash to the anti-DEI bill could include economic boycotts, students leaving the state for college and perhaps hurt efforts by Kentucky’s university’s to recruit Black student-athletes.
In condemning the bill, Democratic state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson warned that it sends the message to prospective recruits that “we don’t want you to learn about your heritage” but “we’re sure going to use your athletic abilities to further our institutions.”
In a recent letter to the NCAA’s president, the NAACP said Black student-athletes should reconsider attending public colleges and universities in Florida. The letter was in response to the University of Florida and other state schools that have eliminated their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. It was also addressed to current and prospective student-athletes.
“This is not about politics,” the letter read. “It’s about the protection of our community, the progression of our culture, and most of all, it’s about your education and your future.”
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year ending affirmative action at universities has created a new legal landscape around diversity programs in the workplace and civil society.
Republican lawmakers have proposed about 50 bills in 20 states that would restrict initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion or require their public disclosure, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural.
Kentucky state Rep. Tina Bojanowski, a Democrat, said such bills pose a threat.
“The threat from authoritarians who use phrases like ‘evil DEI bureaucracy and indoctrination’ to limit academic freedom while imposing their world view upon institutions of higher education cannot be overstated,” she said. “A cornerstone of democratic societies is the survival of the institution of higher education, free from political interference and the ideological agenda of autocrats.”
For the first time since November 19, Aaron Bradshaw jogged over to the scorers table for Ohio State, checking in at the 17:46 mark of the first half. As his name was announced over the loudspeakers, though, a roar of boos echoed inside Madison Square Garden. Splitting up with Kentucky seemingly on good terms this offseason during the coaching change, the reaction was a bit of a surprise, but you never know the true emotions of a fanbase until they experience it in real time.
The former Wildcat’s response? Two quick buckets in two minutes, followed by the sixth 3-pointer of his career in the final segment of the first half. Bradshaw would close out with 11 points good for third on the team, shooting 5-6 overall and 1-2 from three with two rebounds, one assist and two steals in 18 minutes.
Given the circumstances and opponent, it was one of the best performances of his career — and undoubtedly a special one for him personally.
What was it like getting Bradshaw back in the lineup for the Buckeyes?
“Missing a 7-footer is always going to hurt,” Bruce Thornton, who finished with a game-high 30 points, said of Bradshaw. “Not a lot of people who are 7-foot are able to make tough shots in the mid-range. His energy and his passion, it’s very contagious. It rubs off on us. We’re just very thankful that he’s back.”
Bradshaw is now averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.3 minutes per contest for the Buckeyes. He returned alongside Ques Glover, who had been previously dealing with an ankle injury and had been out since Nov. 15.
Those two were different-makers in Ohio State’s win with the Buckeyes’ bench outscoring the Wildcats 26-11 on Saturday.
“I thought it was a significant boost,” Jake Diebler said. “We felt like going into this year depth was going to be a real strength for us, and we haven’t had an opportunity to play with that depth much of this year. It’s also impacted practice and building because there’s still a lot of newness in this program, new staff, new players, new system, and it’s impacted our growth a little.”
You can see just how much that one meant to Bradshaw by watching OSU’s postgame celebration from the floor at MSG.
He wanted this one bad, and to his credit, he was a big reason for the win.
The Kentucky Wildcats are in New York City about to tip off against Ohio State in Madison Square Garden, and they will be facing a former Wildcat Aaron Bradshaw, who is taking the floor for the first time in a month. The Buckeyes get some much-needed help on the glass as a team that struggles rebounding.
The Buckeyes are a great shooting team, and getting Bradshaw back on the floor really helps compliment that by adding some size. Bradshaw has been held out since November 19 due to personal reasons. The Wildcats will still be without backup guard Kerr Kriisa, but last game out, a boost from starting point guard Lamont Butler in his return really helped.
Bradshaw will be coming off the bench for the Buckeyes, and may even play limited minutes given it will be his first game back. Kentucky will need to keep playing good defense against the threes on Saturday, as that and rebounding will be major keys. If the Buckeyes want to hang around, they will need to knock down shots.
It will be interesting to see how Bradshaw meshes in his first game back in month, and it’s clear they have been a little off without him. Mark Pope and the Wildcats will look to get a win on a big stage in Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Bradshaw will look to give Ohio State a major boost down low on the glass.
Good morning, folks! It’s Gameday once again for the Kentucky men’s basketball team. On today’s schedule? A matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes (7-4) up in Madison Square Garden as part of the CBS Sports Classic. The No. 4 ranked Wildcats opened as a 5.5-point favorite on Friday but have since been bet up to an 8.5-point favorite. Considering Ohio State fans have a football team playing at home in the College Football Playoff this evening, MSG should be nothing but a sea of blue.
A key for Kentucky will be running Ohio State off the three-point line. The Buckeyes are 4-1 this season when hitting 10 or more made triples (the lone loss in overtime) and just 3-3 when under that mark. OSU hasn’t made at least 10 threes since Nov. 29. Freshman John Mobley Jr. is one of the best outside shooters in the country (53.6% on 5.1 three-point attempts per game) though. Bruce Thornton (14.8 PPG) and Devin Royal (15.6 PPG) will be tough to slow down.
But Ohio State is without Meechie Johnson (9.1 PPG) and Aaron Bradshaw‘s status is still uncertain as of this morning. The former Wildcat hasn’t played since Nov. 19. Kentucky will be the better team regardless of whether he plays or not though. Our Staff Predictions are nothing but double-digit wins for the ‘Cats across the board. Lamont Butler‘s ankle had another full week of good rest.
Make sure to enjoy this game a little bit more, BBN. Kentucky won’t play again for another 10 days after this one. Let Kerr Kriisa get you excited for what should be a fun night of hoops “in Big Apple”.
- Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- Television: CBS (Brad Nessler, Bill Raftery, Jenny Dell)
- Streaming: Paramount+
- Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
- Online Radio: iHeart
- Satellite Radio: Sirius 158 or 191
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tipoff, or join the conversation on KSBoard.
3 new portal commits
It was another busy day in the world of the transfer portal. Kentucky football received three commitments yesterday, two of them happening back-to-back. Alabama WR Kendrick Law (1 year of eligibility), Nebraska RB Dante Dowdell (2 years), and Wyoming DT Jaden Williams (1 year) will all join the program in 2025.
All three are quality additions to the roster. Law is a former Top 100 high school recruit with track athlete speed, Dowdell ran for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns this past season as a sophomore, and Williams committed to UK despite having a Georgia visit lined up for this weekend. Not a bad Friday haul in the portal for the staff.
That puts Kentucky at 11 committed transfer prospects so far this offseason, a group that ranks 12th in the country and fifth in the SEC, per On3.
OG Josh Braun
OT Alex Wollschlaeger
OL Wallace Unamba
LB Landyn Watson
EDGE Sam Greene
WR J.J. Hester
QB Zach Calzada
TE Henry Boyer
WR Kendrick Law
RB Dante Dowdell
DT Jaden Williams
Belmont gives Kentucky WBB a scare
It was a Christmas-themed night in Memorial Coliseum on Friday, but Belmont was trying to bring some coal to Kentucky women’s basketball this holiday season. Belmont even led 39-33 at the break. But a 20-point second half from star point guard Georgia Amoore fueled the No. 16 Wildcats (10-1) past the Bruins 84-78. She finished with 23 points, five assists, and five rebounds while shooting 7-13 from deep.
Amelia Hassett (16 points, 11 rebounds), Dazia Lawrence (15 points, five assists, five rebounds), Teonni Key (12 points, five rebounds), and Clara Strack (12 points, five rebounds) all finished in double-figures for the ‘Cats. UK shot 49.2 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep, both the second-highest marks of the season.
Click here for a full recap. Make sure to check out KSR’s Rapid Reaction from the win while you’re at it.
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Andrew Carr gets a New York slice
One of my favorite bits from The Office is early on in the show when Michael Scott visits New York. He hypes up his favorite “local” pizza joint, only for the camera to pan to him running towards a Sbarro. A classic moment. Kentucky forward Andrew Carr recreated that hilarious scene while in New York with his teammates.
Flawlessly executed, Andrew.
After Notre Dame took care of Indiana 27-17 last night in the first-ever College Football Playoff game, we’ve got three more on the schedule today. The FCS Championship semifinals are also on the docket if you’re a true football sicko. But the CFP is all any will be talking about today (other than a big Kentucky basketball win, of course).
- No. 11 SMU @ No. 6 Penn State (12:00 PM EST | TNT/Max) PSU -7.5
- No. 12 Clemson @ No. 5 Texas (4:00 PM EST | TNT/Max) TEX -13.5
- No. 9 Tennessee @ No. 8 Ohio State (8:00 PM EST | ABC/ESPN) OSU -7
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