Don’t let General Assembly disrupt the state Board of Education’s momentum
In his first official act, Governor Andy Beshear established a new state board of education in Kentucky. Included in this group are a former college president, K-12 administrators, former classroom teachers, literacy experts and the first active full-time teacher to serve on the board.
During this legislative session, there have been bills filed in the Kentucky General Assembly that would unseat this highly qualified, well-respected board. This partisan maneuver would severely disrupt the positive momentum created by the board and would ultimately hurt students. I hope you will join me today in urging the General Assembly to abandon this effort and work with this highly qualified board to make sure every child is successful in the classroom.
Governor Beshear and I promised to end the attack on Kentucky’s educators and this highly qualified, well-respected board is the first step in that effort. On Nov. 5, thousands of Kentuckians cast their vote for the ticket that would put education first and sent a resounding message to our leaders: it is time to put political partisanship behind us and move our schools forward. This message continues to propel our administration’s commitment to every student.
Commitment like that of Lexington’s Claire Batt and Lee Todd. Batt’s father was in the U.S. Navy so she grew up in places like Georgia, California, Virginia and Kentucky. She graduated with a French degree from the University of Kentucky. She also attended UK for law school. After graduation, Batt lived in France, Canada and Bermuda.
It was while working and living in Bermuda, that she learned the importance of early childhood education. Batt said she realized U.S. students are in competition with their counterparts around the world and the key to American economic prosperity begins with education. During her three decades with Fayette County schools, she served in teacher, assistant principal and district-based roles. She focused on boosting student achievement and challenging students through inquiry-based experiences that integrate 21st-century skills, thinking processes and literacy across content areas.
Growing up in Hopkins County, Lee Todd envisioned becoming a TV repair technician because he wrapped newspapers in the warmth of a TV repair shop during the winter. Like many students, Todd had no exposure to career options available to him in his community. As a student at Murray State University and the University of Kentucky, his horizon expanded and his aspirations changed. Todd obtained a doctorate in electrical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has several patents through his work at MIT.
Todd served as president of the University of Kentucky from 2001-2011 and now dreams of inspiring every child in Kentucky to strive for greatness.
“I dreamed of being a TV repairman because I couldn’t dream big enough,” he said. “I try to tell teachers and students that we have to get the students in Kentucky to dream faster, to understand what they can do beyond what they see.”
When establishing the board of education, each individual’s rich educational experience and demonstrated commitment to provide all Kentuckians with a quality education was of the utmost importance to us. We asked teachers, administrators, school boards, superintendents and school councils to recommend highly qualified, well-respected leaders from diverse educational backgrounds to serve on the board of education. This new board represents that experience and commitment.
I believe transformational change for Kentucky’s educational system is within our reach with leaders like Claire Batt and Lee Todd. We can ensure all children get a great education and quality training so they can attain a meaningful career, support their families and prosper. It requires all of us - elected officials, local school leaders, community members, educators and parents - to work together to provide opportunities for every Kentucky child to reach his or her potential.
Please make your voice heard on this critical issue.
Jacqueline Coleman is the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and the Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.