Beshear believes FCPS leadership needs to ‘move forward’ amid controversies

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear “is monitoring the situation with Fayette County Schools,” his spokesperson Scottie Ellis said Thursday.

Ellis said that Beshear “believes it is time leadership move forward and address the current issues in a transparent way so the focus can return to the education of Lexington students. “

Ellis did not clarify what Beshear means by having FCPS “leadership move forward.”

Beshear is a graduate of Fayette County Public Schools.

The Herald-Leader had asked Beshear about the ongoing developments in FCPS — including Democratic Rep. Adrielle Camuel’s allegations that Liggins placed a fraudulent email that threatened legal action underneath her office door at FCPS’ Central Office. Camuel, of Lexington, is an administrative assistant at Fayette Schools’ Central Office.

Liggins has also made ongoing efforts to void the paid leave the school board has placed him on. Liggins has said the school board violated the Kentucky Open Meetings Law in determining Liggins’ situation. Liggins and the school board have disagreed on whether he expressed his intent to resign as superintendent.

Beshear has previously said Liggins should not get a buyout, particularly as FCPS deals with financial issues.

Kentucky’s second-largest school district has been marred in controversy for more than a year, largely over its finances. The district is currently trying to balance its books while continuing to restate and find problems with past years’ bookkeeping, a problem district officials have said goes back to at least 2008.

Kentucky Department of Education spokesperson Jennifer Ginn said this week that KDE staff is providing regular technical assistance to Fayette schools as they work to establish a sound financial future and continue to provide a high-quality education to all their students.

“As KDE monitors their financial situation, the level of technical assistance could change if necessary,” Ginn said.