Senate fought over his state board confirmation. Kentucky school choice advocate stands firm.
School choice advocate Gary Houchens said on Friday that some of his “more inflammatory statements” likely contributed to state Senate opposition to his confirmation to the Kentucky Board of Education.
Houchens also said he thought his comments and service had been misrepresented.
On Thursday, the final day of the 2019 General Assembly, the Senate narrowly approved Houchens’ confirmation to the state board of education by a 19-17 vote. The other eight members of the state school board were also confirmed. Some Kentucky educators had lobbied against the confirmations.
Houchens has advocated for charter schools.
Sen. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, questioned in a floor speech whether Houchens should be confirmed.
McGarvey said that Houchens was someone who “publicly warred with our educators, who has publicly sparred with people who support public education, who is unwilling to show any flexibility or any openness to their points of view.”
“His social media accounts, his op-eds are numerous and clearly outline his version of education in Kentucky .... they don’t outline a vision for public education in Kentucky,” McGarvey said.
Earlier in March, comments Houchens made on social media upset some educators.
On Friday, Houchens told the Herald-Leader. “ I’m sure some of my more inflammatory statements, especially taken out of the larger context of the argument I was making, contributed to the opposition to my confirmation.”
“The bottom line is that the education establishment, which does not speak for all educators, does not want families to be able to choose a different education provider than the local school district,” Houchens said. “And they are clear that the reason why is that they want more money for their institutions. I believe they are sincere and well-meaning in their belief that there should be only one education provider, that they believe that’s the best way to ensure a high-quality and equitable education for every student. I just disagree.”
Sen. McGarvey noted that the state board’s new members were appointed last year by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and they immediately called a meeting that led to the resignation of then Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt. The board then appointed Wayne Lewis as commissioner. McGarvey suggested that the new board members made the decision at the governor’s behest.
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, countered McGarvey on the Senate floor, saying that Houchens, a Western Kentucky University professor, met the appropriate criteria for a state board of education member.
”Like most Kentuckians, I believe in policies that give every family an opportunity to choose the school that is the best fit for their child. Those who opposed my confirmation evidently don’t,” Houchens said afterward.
Houchens told the Herald-Leader he would have been happy to meet with any senator prior to the confirmation vote to discuss his views on education, his writings or speeches, or his qualifications to serve on the Kentucky Board of Education, but none asked. He said the offer remains since there were remarks during the debate that “truly misrepresented not only my views but also my service on KBE.”
“Sen. McGarvey made much of the events surrounding Commissioner Pruitt’s resignation last year, but perhaps he did not know that I was the only (Kentucky Board of Education) member present who voted against that agreement,” Houchens said. “ I believe anyone who has paid attention to my activities on KBE the last three years recognizes that there is a great diversity of viewpoints among the board and that mine is a consistently independent voice.”
This story was originally published March 29, 2019 at 4:09 PM.