Fayette school board chair says lawmaker’s attempt to remove him is unconstitutional

In a 30-page response made public Thursday, lawyers for Fayette County Board of Education chairman Tyler Murphy argue that a state lawmaker’s attempt to remove him from office is unconstitutional.

Murphy’s lawyers say removing him would “usurp the will of voters in Fayette County” and should be dismissed by the Kentucky House committee considering the petition, filed by Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville.

Lockett filed the petition Jan. 30, 2026, arguing that Murphy violated state law by failing to provide adequate oversight of Fayette County Public Schools, which has faced significant financial trouble over the past year. Both Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly have criticized Murphy and Superintendent Demetrus Liggins for their handling of the district’s budget problems.

But Murphy’s lawyers, Kenyon Meyer and Sarah Reddick, with the law firm Dinsmore and Shohl in Louisville, argue that removing him would violate the Kentucky Constitution “and is meritless in any event.”

Still, the House Impeachment Committee opted to proceed with the case against him and will reconvene March 4.

Kentucky law provides two mechanisms for addressing official misconduct: a petition for impeachment and a petition for removal by address. They are different in name, but both types must be referred to the House impeachment committee for review.

But Murphy’s lawyers argue the second of those methods, and the one Lockett’s petition seeks to use — removal by address — is no longer applicable in Kentucky.

“There is no current constitutional authority to remove anyone by address — not a school board member like Tyler Murphy, not anyone,” they wrote in the response.

Murphy’s lawyers said the crux of the petition for removal — failure to provide oversight of the district’s finances and inform fellow board members about the district’s budget troubles — places undue blame on their client.

“Mr. Murphy is one of five board members. Boards of education are statutorily entitled to rely on the superintendent, the executive agent of the board. FCPS employs a qualified team to navigate through the structured budget process. That process resulted in a vote by the board to approve a balanced budget.”

Murphy’s lawyers also cited their client and the district’s accomplishments.

“Mr. Murphy is, first and foremost, a teacher,” the lawyers wrote. “He is a native Kentuckian and graduate of Transylvania University. He teaches AP U.S. government & politics, AP world history, and AP human geography at Boyle County High School. He is a national board-certified teacher.

“In 2018, Lexington voters elected him, and he has proudly served the citizens of Fayette County in that position since 2019, most recently winning the 2022 general election.”

The lawyers also noted that in 2022, Forbes Magazine named FCPS as Kentucky’s best employer, and they said students in the district outperform state averages at every level.

This story was originally published February 27, 2026 at 8:42 AM.