Official apologizes for comment about driving while blonde

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. – A suburban Kansas City school board president has apologized for equating treatment of blondes to racist treatment of black people during a conversation about racial diversity.

WDAF-TV reports that Julie Doane described the remarks as “insensitive” in a newsletter that was released Monday.

Issues arose Thursday when the Lee’s Summit school board discussed a proposal to hire consultants to promote racial equity. During the discussion, a consultant gave Doane an example of racial inequality, noting that as a white person he doesn’t get anxious when he sees a police officer behind him while driving. Doane responded, “Honey I’m blonde, I do.”

The discussion ended with the board voting not to spend about $97,000 for the training. The district’s first black superintendent, Dennis Carpenter, has threatened to quit over the vote.