On November 5th you’ll be asked to vote on amending the Kentucky Constitution. Here is the exact language of Amendment 2: The General Assembly MAY provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. (emphasis added)
Amendment 2 does not allow one single penny to be shifted from public school funding to private and parochial school funding. But it does allow the General Assembly to have a conversation about that and if based on that conversation which will necessarily involve public input legislation is put forth to provide “financial support” the voters of KY will still have an opportunity to speak to their legislators either in favor of or opposition to that legislation. THAT is how representative democracy works.
Despite the clear language of Amendment 2 this is what Carol Hankins Wolfe, a Boone County Board Member would have you believe:
“This amendment will allow lawmakers to divert public funds — your tax dollars — to private and parochial schools, with no guarantee that those dollars will be used to serve students equitably. This isn’t a scholarship fund. It’s not a grant program for those living in tight spots. It’s a cash-grab disguised as choice. And the only ones benefiting are the private institutions whose pockets will be lined with your hard-earned tax dollars. So much for the public accountability that Kentuckians demand.”(Lexington Herald-Leader 9/26/2024)
There are two points to made here. First, parents of private and parochial school students are also tax payers. Second, because those parents choose to send their children to either private or parochial schools they should not be forced to subsidize parents who chose to send their children to public schools. That’s right — parents who send their children to schools other than public schools are paying tuition while they still pay taxes to support public schools. That is not equity.
Ms. Wolfe’s OpEd in the Herald-Leader is nothing more than fear mongering based on speculation of what the General Assembly MIGHT do if Amendment 2 passes. Why do I call her OpEd speculation? Its simple. At the moment there is not one single piece of legislation that has been offered or is being crafted or is being planned to line the pockets of private institutions with “hard earned tax dollars”.
Ms. Wolfe seems to not be aware that in many states that have laws that provide financial support for the parents of non-public school students the solution doesn’t touch one cent of tax money needed to educate public school children because that support is in the form of tax credits.
IF Amendment 2 passes as it well should, the conversation about providing for the financial support of parents who choose to educate their children outside of how the teacher’s unions and school board members say they should be educated, can be had and we can all participate in that conversation. That is transparency.
Vote yes on 2 and have that conversation.
