Could Kentucky schools be ending DEI? Here's what state education leaders said
KENTUCKY, Ky. (FOX 56) — On Wednesday, FOX 56 reached out to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), asking if programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in schools across the state would be terminated.
Over the weekend, Kentucky Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher reportedly told local superintendents that the department had decided to sign a certification form sent on April 3 from the United States Department of Education (DOE) forbidding the use of DEI practices in school policy.
The DOE's form goes on to say that school leaders who don't sign the form will no longer receive federal funding and could even be sued by the U.S. Department of Justice under litigation for a breach of contract.
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'As Commissioner of Education, I am committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of race, background, language, socioeconomic status, or zip code, has access to a high-quality education and vibrant learning opportunities to succeed,' Commissioner Fletcher said. 'That means removing barriers, expanding support for English learners, and providing all students with the resources they need to thrive. Our schools must be places where every child feels supported and challenged to reach their full potential. We will continue to work with educators, families, and communities to build an education system that is responsive and relentlessly focused on student success.'
Initially, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) asked education leaders around the nation to sign the form within 10 days of receiving it, but the deadline was extended to April 24.
The commissioner said the KDE would agree to submit the form to the OCR by April 24 because each district in the state has already been complying with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including Title VI.
'As previously recommended, school districts should consult with board counsel on whether the district will sign the Certification Form,' Fletcher said.
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The state superintendent asked school districts that choose to sign the form ending their DEI programs to do so by 5 p.m. on April 18th.
'I am confident that through our statewide commitment to providing opportunity and access for every student, we can advance towards meeting the needs and ensuring the success of each student in Kentucky's public schools,' Fletcher wrote.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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3 hours ago
Travel ban may shut door for Afghan family to bring niece to US for a better life
IRMO, S.C. -- Mohammad Sharafoddin, his wife and young son walked at times for 36 hours in a row over mountain passes as they left Afghanistan as refugees to end up less than a decade later talking about their journey on a plush love seat in the family's three-bedroom suburban American home. He and his wife dreamed of bringing her niece to the United States to share in that bounty. Maybe she could study to become a doctor and then decide her own path. But that door slams shut on Monday as America put in place a travel ban for people from Afghanistan and a dozen other countries. 'It's kind of shock for us when we hear about Afghanistan, especially right now for ladies who are affected more than others with the new government,' Mohammad Sharafoddin said. 'We didn't think about this travel ban.' President Donald Trump signed the ban Wednesday. It is similar to one in place during his first administration but covers more countries. Along with Afghanistan, travel to the U.S. is banned from Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump said visitors who overstay visas, like the man charged in an attack that injured dozens of demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, earlier this month, are a danger to the country. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, which isn't included in the ban. The countries chosen for the ban have deficient screening of their citizens, often refuse to take them back and have a high percentage of people who stay in the U.S. after their visas expire, Trump said. The ban makes exceptions for people from Afghanistan on Special Immigrant Visas who generally worked most closely with the U.S. government during the two-decade war there. Afghanistan was also one of the largest sources of resettled refugees, with about 14,000 arrivals in a 12-month period through September 2024. Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. It is a path Sharafoddin took with his wife and son out of Afghanistan walking on those mountain roads in the dark then through Pakistan, Iran and into Turkey. He worked in a factory for years in Turkey, listening to YouTube videos on headphones to learn English before he was resettled in Irmo, South Carolina, a suburb of Columbia. His son is now 11, and he and his wife had a daughter in the U.S. who is now 3. There is a job at a jewelry maker that allows him to afford a two-story, three-bedroom house. Food was laid out on two tables Saturday for a celebration of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. Sharafoddin's wife, Nuriya, said she is learning English and driving — two things she couldn't do in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. 'I'm very happy to be here now, because my son is very good at school and my daughter also. I think after 18 years they are going to work, and my daughter is going to be able to go to college,' she said. It is a life she wanted for her niece too. The couple show videos from their cellphones of her drawing and painting. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, their niece could no longer study. So they started to plan to get her to the U.S. at least to further her education. Nuriya Sharafoddin doesn't know if her niece has heard the news from America yet. She hasn't had the heart to call and tell her. 'I'm not ready to call her. This is not good news. This is very sad news because she is worried and wants to come,' Nuriya Sharafoddin said. While the couple spoke, Jim Ray came by. He has helped a number of refugee families settle in Columbia and helped the Sharafoddins navigate questions in their second language. Ray said Afghans in Columbia know the return of the Taliban changed how the U.S. deals with their native country. But while the ban allows spouses, children or parents to travel to America, other family members aren't included. Many Afghans know their extended families are starving or suffering, and suddenly a path to help is closed, Ray said. 'We'll have to wait and see how the travel ban and the specifics of it actually play out,' Ray said. 'This kind of thing that they're experiencing where family cannot be reunited is actually where it hurts the most.' The Taliban have criticized Trump for the ban, with their top leader Hibatullah Akhundzada saying the U.S. was now the oppressor of the world. 'Citizens from 12 countries are barred from entering their land — and Afghans are not allowed either,' he said on a recording shared on social media. 'Why? Because they claim the Afghan government has no control over its people and that people are leaving the country. So, oppressor! Is this what you call friendship with humanity?'
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Miami Herald
2,000 National Guard troops will be sent to LA amid clashes over immigration raids
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Jessica Levinson, a law professor at Loyola Law School, noted that when the National Guard was sent to L.A. before, it was because we as a state requested it and it was coordinated. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley Law School, said in a text to the Los Angeles Times that Trump has the authority under the Insurrection Act of 1807 to federalize the national guard units of states to suppress 'any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy' that 'so hinders the execution of the laws.' But he called the move very troubling. Such deployment typically happen during 'extreme circumstances... here it seems it was an early response. And I fear that it is to send a message to protesters of the willingness of the federal government to use federal troops to quell protests.' In the most serious incident, a crowd gathered in Paramount in a protest that escalated over the course of the day into a fiery and tumultuous clash with federal agents. By afternoon, the confrontation near a Home Depot at 6400 Alondra Blvd. was declared an unlawful assembly, and officials warned protesters in Spanish and English to quit the scene immediately. During the protest, at least one protester was injured, witnesses reported, and a Border Patrol official said an agent was hurt. Meanwhile, Tom Homan, the Trump administration's 'border czar,' said officials were cracking down hard on the unrest and that the National Guard would be deployed to the city Saturday night. California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed Saturday that the federal government was moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. Newsom criticized the federal action in a statement Saturday evening, saying that local law enforcement was already mobilized and that sending in troops was a move that was 'purposefully inflammatory' and would 'only escalate tensions.' '(T)here is currently no unmet need,' Newsom said. 'This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.' At the Paramount protest, chants of 'Fuera ICE' — ICE, get out — could be heard as flash-bang grenades deployed by federal agents lighted up the scene. The agents appeared to include members of Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations. A group of protesters on a street corner shouted expletives and that there was 'nothing but noise.' Shortly afterward, the grenades exploded at their feet, causing them to briefly scatter. A Los Angeles Times reporter watched one protester gather a bag of trash and light it on fire in the middle of Alondra Boulevard, half a block from where immigration agents were gathered. 'This is a difficult time for our city. As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County. Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning. We've been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C., and are working closely with law enforcement to find the best path forward,' L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said after the National Guard deployment was announced. Saturday's scene in Paramount followed raids across Los Angeles on Friday that led to the arrests of 44 people on suspicion of immigration violations, and another on suspicion of obstructing justice. 'Federal law enforcement operations are proceeding as planned this weekend in Los Angeles County,' U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said on X as the standoff unfolded. 'I urge the public to refrain from interfering with these lawful actions. Anyone who obstructs federal agents will face arrest and prosecution.' In his Fox News interview, Homan, the president's former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director and now 'border czar,' made unsubstantiated claims about the people who had been arrested, saying they included child sex offenders, gang members and national security threats. 'They arrested a lot of bad people yesterday and today,' Homan said. 'We're making Los Angeles safer and Mayor (Karen) Bass ought to be thanking us for making her city safer.' Homan also remarked that ICE agents were often wearing masks as they conducted raids because they were worried about their families being doxxed. In Paramount, a city that is 82% Latino, protesters gathered along Alondra Boulevard Saturday after reports that ICE officers were targeting people at a Home Depot where day laborers commonly gather in search of work. A group of protesters stationed themselves near the Alondra exit of the 710 Freeway, as a second gathered by the Home Depot. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene about 11 a.m. The department clarified in a statement that it 'was not involved in any federal law enforcement operations or actions,' and was present only to assist with traffic and crowd control. By Saturday afternoon, bright orange shopping carts from Home Depot and a blue recycling bin were scattered across the boulevard. The air was acrid with smoke. Federal agents deployed round after round of flash-bangs and pepper balls. Some of the projectiles struck protesters, witnesses said. One woman among the protest group appeared to be bleeding, and another man was treated for injuries. 'There were some individuals around him throwing bricks. One of the windows got shattered and he was knocked unconscious. He seemed in a pretty bad state,' said Nico Thompson-Lleras, an attorney with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights who witnessed the incident. He said it was unclear whether the man was hit by a vehicle, a weapon or something else. Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons, who was present at the scene, said she had not learned of any arrests at the Home Depot. She said the confrontation appeared to have started after protesters spotted immigration officers staging in a nearby business plaza where DHS has an office. She encouraged the crowd to stay calm to avoid violence. She said she was told that the Department of Homeland Security was targeting Home Depots across the county in search of undocumented residents. But she has had little communication from federal authorities about their actions in the city she represents, which is about 4.5 square miles and home to about 57,000 people. 'We don't know what was happening, or what their target was. To think that there would be no heightening of fear and no consequences from the community doesn't sound like good preparation to me,' she said. 'Above all, there is no communication and things are done on a whim. And that creates chaos and fear.' The city of Paramount released a statement reaffirming it was not working with ICE or assisting the immigration operations in any way. 'As a city, we are committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community — regardless of immigration status,' the statement read. There was no raid at the Paramount Home Depot on Saturday, a federal official told The Times. Helicopter footage from the scene showed law enforcement vehicles blocking access as they closed the road. Border Patrol agents stood lined up. Sheriff's deputies set off flash-bangs to clear a freeway exit of protesters. A U.S. Marshals Service bus approaching the location was surrounded by a crowd as it exited the freeway. Protesters kicked the vehicle and pushed back in an attempt to stop it, before another federal vehicle pulled up alongside the bus. An agent appeared to shoot tear gas to push the crowd back. Lindsay Toczylowski, chief executive of Immigrant Defenders Law Center, said in a post on X that ICE agents threw a teargas canister at two female attorneys with the organization, after they approached to ask calmly that they be allowed to see a warrant and observe the action. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the incident. 'ICE has brought their terror tactics and masked agents to#Paramount this morning - in my district,' wrote U.S. Rep Nanette D. Barragán, whose district includes Paramount, in a post on X. 'This is unacceptable. We will demand answers and accountability. For those out there - please stay safe, protest peacefully, and KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.' Protesters burned an American flag while others waved Mexican flags. Some began lining the boulevard with large cement bricks. One immigration agent was cut on his hand from a rock that sailed through his windshield, according to a social media post by U.S. Border Patrol chief Michael W. Banks. Federal officials struck an ominous tone. 'Multiple arrests have already been made for obstructing our operations,' FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on X. 'More are coming. We are pouring through the videos for more perpetrators. You bring chaos, and we'll bring handcuffs.' José Luis Solache Jr., the California Assembly member who represents the Paramount area that includes the Home Depot, said he was on the way to a community event when he saw Border Patrol cars exit the freeway. He decided to turn around. Solache said he arrived and began observing alongside other demonstrators in a peaceful effort when the agents started shooting off canisters in their direction, forcing him and others to run through the smoke. After identifying himself to agents, he tried to get information about what they were doing, but they would not answer his questions, he said. 'You see the community here, demonstrating that they don't want them here,' he said as flash-bangs went off nearby. 'Our hardworking communities are being targeted. These are hardworking families. These are not criminals. You're going to facilities where people are literally working.' Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Travel ban may shut door for Afghan family to bring niece to US for a better life
IRMO, S.C. (AP) — Mohammad Sharafoddin, his wife and young son walked at times for 36 hours in a row over mountain passes as they left Afghanistan as refugees to end up less than a decade later talking about their journey on a plush love seat in the family's three-bedroom suburban American home. He and his wife dreamed of bringing her niece to the United States to share in that bounty. Maybe she could study to become a doctor and then decide her own path. But that door slams shut on Monday as America put in place a travel ban for people from Afghanistan and a dozen other countries. 'It's kind of shock for us when we hear about Afghanistan, especially right now for ladies who are affected more than others with the new government,' Mohammad Sharafoddin said. 'We didn't think about this travel ban.' President Donald Trump signed the ban Wednesday. It is similar to one in place during his first administration but covers more countries. Along with Afghanistan, travel to the U.S. is banned from Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump said visitors who overstay visas, like the man charged in an attack that injured dozens of demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, earlier this month, are a danger to the country. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, which isn't included in the ban. The countries chosen for the ban have deficient screening of their citizens, often refuse to take them back and have a high percentage of people who stay in the U.S. after their visas expire, Trump said. The ban makes exceptions for people from Afghanistan on Special Immigrant Visas who generally worked most closely with the U.S. government during the two-decade war there. Afghanistan was also one of the largest sources of resettled refugees, with about 14,000 arrivals in a 12-month period through September 2024. Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. It is a path Sharafoddin took with his wife and son out of Afghanistan walking on those mountain roads in the dark then through Pakistan, Iran and into Turkey. He worked in a factory for years in Turkey, listening to YouTube videos on headphones to learn English before he was resettled in Irmo, South Carolina, a suburb of Columbia. His son is now 11, and he and his wife had a daughter in the U.S. who is now 3. There is a job at a jewelry maker that allows him to afford a two-story, three-bedroom house. Food was laid out on two tables Saturday for a celebration of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. Sharafoddin's wife, Nuriya, said she is learning English and driving — two things she couldn't do in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. 'I'm very happy to be here now, because my son is very good at school and my daughter also. I think after 18 years they are going to work, and my daughter is going to be able to go to college,' she said. It is a life she wanted for her niece too. The couple show videos from their cellphones of her drawing and painting. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, their niece could no longer study. So they started to plan to get her to the U.S. at least to further her education. Nuriya Sharafoddin doesn't know if her niece has heard the news from America yet. She hasn't had the heart to call and tell her. 'I'm not ready to call her. This is not good news. This is very sad news because she is worried and wants to come,' Nuriya Sharafoddin said. While the couple spoke, Jim Ray came by. He has helped a number of refugee families settle in Columbia and helped the Sharafoddins navigate questions in their second language. Ray said Afghans in Columbia know the return of the Taliban changed how the U.S. deals with their native country. But while the ban allows spouses, children or parents to travel to America, other family members aren't included. Many Afghans know their extended families are starving or suffering, and suddenly a path to help is closed, Ray said. 'We'll have to wait and see how the travel ban and the specifics of it actually play out,' Ray said. 'This kind of thing that they're experiencing where family cannot be reunited is actually where it hurts the most.' The Taliban have criticized Trump for the ban, with their top leader Hibatullah Akhundzada saying the U.S. was now the oppressor of the world. 'Citizens from 12 countries are barred from entering their land — and Afghans are not allowed either,' he said on a recording shared on social media. 'Why? Because they claim the Afghan government has no control over its people and that people are leaving the country. So, oppressor! Is this what you call friendship with humanity?'
