A Democratic lawmaker recently expressed mixed feelings about her racial identity while advocating for the retention of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in Kentucky’s public schools.

Representative Sarah Stalker made this striking remark during a session of the Interim Joint Committee on Education held on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on the ongoing debate over the presence of DEI initiatives in K-12 education. Republican members are pushing for legislation that would eliminate these programs, citing their controversial nature.

In defense of these educational programs, Stalker shared her personal viewpoint, emphasizing the importance of maintaining diversity and inclusion teachings.

“To be honest, I don’t feel good about being white every day—for a variety of reasons,” she candidly remarked.

‘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…don’t get the privilege to do.’

She went on to say that she is ‘just a white woman’ and if she were a white man, she would have even more privilege than she already has.  

In getting rid of DEI, Stalker argued that the General Assembly would be ‘missing an opportunity’ to allow children to ‘reflect about how the color of their skin does and does not allow them to move through the world.’ 

House Representative Sarah Stalker said she doesn’t ‘feel good about being white every day’ on Tuesday 

Liberal lawmaker Stalker has argued in support of keeping DEI initiatives in Kentucky public schools 

She continued: ‘Running to them and trying to stifle that and trying to say, “You shouldn’t feel bad, we don’t want to ever expose you to something that is going to make you have to pause and have maybe some kind of internal feelings.

‘It’s a missed opportunity for some really good dialogue.’

Beyond the meeting, Stalker’s comments have caused an uproar.  

‘Oh my Karen,’ one woman wrote on X. 

Stalker’s remarks caused discourse beyond the meeting 

Another reacted: ‘I don’t feel good about ANYONE who judges someone by skin tone! Who elects people like this?’

In an Instagram post on Stalker’s sentiment, Newsmax host David Harris Jr wrote: ‘This mindset is racist and dangerous.’ 

Republican Kentucky Senator Lindsey Tichenor is one of the lawmakers who has opposed Stalker’s pro-DEI beliefs. 

Tichenor presented a draft of a bill to end DEI at the Tuesday meeting, calling it a ‘a measure to eliminate the wasteful, ineffective and divisive DEI initiatives that have become interwoven in K-12 institutions,’ according to the Kentucky Lantern. 

The conservative politician has opposed investments by school districts and the Joe Biden administration in DEI programs. 

She has argued that such programs have not lessened achievement disparities among students who are economically disadvantaged or belong to minority groups.

During the Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting on Tuesday, lawmakers discussed a bill proposal that would get rid of DEI in public schools in the state 

Republican Kentucky Senator Lindsey Tichenor presented a draft of a bill to end DEI at the Tuesday meeting

Tichenor pointed out the state’s two largest school districts – Fayette and Jefferson counties – for refusing to sign a form from the Department of Education earlier this year.

The form would certify that the schools were complying with Donald Trump’s interpretation of civil rights laws. 

The document stated that, ‘any violation of Title VI – including the use of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) programs to advantage one’s race over another – is impermissible.’

It also said that ‘certain DEI practices can violate federal law.’ 

Title VI refers to the section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin for federally-funded programs. 

‘DEI reinforces division rather than unity, and encourages students, teachers and staff to see each other through the lens of identity and creating group think instead of creating independent thinkers,’ Tichenor said. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Stalker for comment.