Education advocates rally against Amendment 2

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — Public education advocates across Kentucky are sounding off against a proposed amendment to the state constitution.

A coalition called “Protect our Schools” rallied in Owensboro tonight, encouraging people to vote against Amendment 2.

“Politicians in Frankfort want to rob our public schools so that a few children will get a voucher to go to private schools. The government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers. We should be helping all kids,” says Michael Johnson, a former Owensboro Public School board member who joined the coalition.

The coalition calls Amendment 2 a “voucher bill.” If passed, coalition members say it would rob public schools of critical resources and hurt students.

“It would siphon tax dollars away from our public schools and starve students of critical resources they need to receive the strongest education possible,” says Megan Warder, the President of the Owensboro Education Association.

Maria Clark has children attending Daviess County Public Schools and says Amendment 2 would worsen the teacher shortage.

“It is difficult to attract and retain teachers as it is. Our budgets will be even tighter and budget cuts will have to be made,” Clark says.

One of the amendment’s authors says the amendment is not tied to any vouchers. State Representative Suzanne Miles of Owensboro helped write Amendment 2 and said she did it for the kids, teachers, and their families.

“I hear about groups who say ‘protect our schools.’ Well, I am here to protect our kids, their families, and the education system,” State Representative Miles says.

Miles says the amendment has no strings attached.

“The amendment gives legislators the possible option to have conversations. The policy would follow after the amendment is passed. That policy would go as far as any other piece of legislation. It would go through the complete process,” says State Representative Miles.

Miles also says Amendment 2 would help get Kentucky on the same page as other states, and help students and teachers have more options.

“All of the states around us already have some form of school choice. Some form of educational freedom, and we continue to try different processes of how we do this. And the reality is, we cannot even have those conversations based on the way the constitution is written right now,” says State Representative Miles.

Amendment 2 will be voted on during the general election on Tuesday, November 5th.

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