'I can say what I want to say' Indiana lieutenant governor's posts draw outcry during DEI debate

Senate Bill 289 would limit DEI initiatives at schools and in state government, while requiring public notice of certain classroom topics.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Senate has passed a bill limiting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at the state and in schools, while requiring public disclosure of classroom lessons dealing with diversity-adjacent topics.

Senate Bill 289 is now heading to the Indiana House after a fiery debate in the Senate that went on for hours on Thursday, Feb. 6. At one point, Democrats tried to remove Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who serves as Senate president, from presiding over the vote because of comments he made online during the debate. Democrats roundly condemned the bill, which was a combination of two prior bills dealing with DEI topics.

SB 289 follows in the path of Gov. Mike Braun's executive order, calling for an end to DEI efforts in Indiana state government.

It also takes aim at DEI efforts in schools, along with class lessons on topics like racism, sexism and other instances of discrimination past and present. Schools would not be banned from covering the topics, but they would have to post any curriculum dealing with them publicly.

Read more at: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana/dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-senate-bill-289-beckwith-lt-governor-micah-young-byrne-indiana-senate-race-bias-school-government-state-lessons/531-80747332-92f9-441b-bfc0-a7013b70caa5