Ky. district slams ‘partisan politics,’ but nixes ‘school choice’ posts after AG advisory
A Kentucky school district has taken information off its web site that opposed a school-choice amendment after the state’s chief law-enforcement officer said the post ran afoul of the law, a decision the superintendent called “partisan politics at its worst.”
The Pulaski County school board took down the social media posts Wednesday morning from the district web site and from individual school sites.
The post urged people to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November, called Amendment 2. If given the OK by voters, it would change the state constitution to allow lawmakers to appropriate state tax money to private and charter schools, which is not currently legal.
Superintendent Patrick Richardson issued a statement Wednesday to district employees, parents and the community saying he had taken down the posts as a result of Attorney General Russell Coleman’s advisory.
Richardson said he disagreed with Coleman’s opinion, but respected the office so he would follow the advisory “until it is overruled.”
“When elected officials work to silence people, that is a red flag and we should all take notice,” Richardson said.
Opponents of Amendment 2 fear it would mean a reduction in state funding to public schools.
The post by the school board said that if voters approve the measure, the Pulaski County schools could lose up to $15.4 million in state funding and have to cut 143 jobs.
Supporters of the measure complained about the board’s position, and a state representative and House candidate — both Republicans — asked Coleman for an opinion on whether it is legal for school districts to use public resources to oppose the amendment.
The school system’s attorney said people had threatened and intimidated board members following the posts and attention on them.
In an advisory issued Tuesday evening, Coleman, a first-term Republican, said tax dollars “must not be used to advocate for or against the amendment.”
School systems can’t use school revenue or school time to advance a political view, Coleman said.
The Kentucky Department of Education has released only a short statement on the issue.
“Public school districts and their leaders may engage in conversations with their communities to educate community members on public school funding and measures that may impact funding to Kentucky’s public schools,” the department said this week. “With knowledge of how public schools in their own communities may be impacted, individual community members may make informed decisions on matters impacting Kentucky’s public schools.”
An attorney for the Kentucky School Boards Association said Wednesday that the organization would send Coleman’s advisory to local school boards without further comment.
This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 12:20 PM.
