The question the Kentucky legislature has proposed in Constitutional Amendment Question 2 to voters in next week’s election is: Do you, the people of Kentucky, choose to amend the Constitution of Kentucky so that the “General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside of the system of public schools”? 

We urge you to vote NO to Amendment 2. How strongly do we feel? The Sun has never endorsed a candidate or a ballot question in its history. 

Until now. 

The most ridiculous argument put forward by the supporters of Amendment 2 is that passage does not, itself, require or fund any non-public school or system. They are being disingenuous. In other words, it’s the hidden ball trick. First, disclosure records of the Legislative Ethics Commission and lobbying groups supporting the amendment spent lots of money and time persuading the legislature to put this question on the ballot. 

Does anyone seriously believe that if Amendment 2 passes there will not be a rush on the “Bank of Kentucky” to get appropriations? We do know school funding, including teacher raises, has been resisted by Kentucky lawmakers causing the due bill to fall heavily on the taxing power of local boards of education.  

Teacher raises, increased public school funding from the state, more dollars for special education and funding formulas to bring more balance to school funding between urban and rural counties can all be done now. Why do we need a change to the Constitution to do this? We don’t. We should be able to rely on the reasonable judgment of state legislators to respond now.  

Does anyone seriously believe the legislature will raise taxes significantly to offset the loss of public funds to private/religious schools in any new legislation it can enact if Amendment 2 passes?  

You believe this if you believe the earth is flat.  

There have been well over a million dollars spent on the ballot question by groups both for and against it. But, it is the “Vote Yes” groups who have embraced deceitful, misleading arguments. 

Supporters of Amendment 2 have been sending mailers, airing social media-radio-TV ads and writing Op-eds deploying an array of misleading points like:  

“Pass Amendment 2 to give Gov. Andy Beshear and the legislature the tools to pioneer a modern education system.” Beshear adamantly opposes Amendment 2. This is a clear attempt to bootstrap on to the governor’s popularity. 

Rural school systems will not suffer with the passage of Amendment 2. At least three superintendents of rural districts have spoken against the amendment in comments to “Protect Our Kentucky Schools,” a group urging a “no vote.” Perry County (Hazard) Superintendent Kent Campbell said if the amendment succeeds it will “allow for public money to be funneled to unaccountable private schools” and “pave the way for our state to begin writing blank checks to private schools using dollars that should go to public schools and their students.” 

Teacher pay will increase. Again, there is no reason this cannot happen now with proper legislative funding and there is no guarantee the legislature would increase teacher pay with the new power at its disposal. Supporters point to a study by the Bluegrass Institute, a libertarian think-tank, which argues this will happen via competition for teachers between public and private schools. This is quite a leap. 

The non-partisan and independent Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (KCEP) has analyzed the various impacts that the passage of Amendment 2 would have, setting aside it is nearly impossible to predict the exact parameters of new laws enacted with this new legislative power.  

KCEP debunks all of the claims of the amendment supporters. It points out that 67% of Kentucky counties have no private schools. It points out that in the other states that have used education savings accounts, vouchers and tax credits the overwhelming majority of the funds go to families in higher economic classes while poorer or working-class families see no benefit. It points out that teacher salaries in public systems go down, not up. It points out that funding for special education, athletics, technology and other student-oriented programs goes down. 

One point that has received little attention is how the passage of Amendment 2 would impact local school systems. While school financing is complex involving various state and federal laws, the Kentucky Department of Education funding SEEK formulas and the wealth measured by local taxes of individual counties, it does not take an advanced degree from the UK Gatton School of Business to know the local share comes primarily from property taxes controlled by the board of education. This means shortfalls in funding to maintain even a generally competent school system will mean increases in property taxes. There is no other funding tool available.  

If Amendment 2 passes and the legislature, as expected, starts passing laws to transfer public money to private/religious schools, then school budgets will be hard-pressed to even maintain current levels of funding. It could be disastrous. 

In Woodford County, we are rightly proud of our public school system. Recently, the board has increased teacher salaries, adopted a new districtwide holistic program called Portrait of a Learner and is opening a new high school in two months. If Amendment 2 passes, we are convinced by the evidence, including how these transfers to the private sector have played out in other states and the recent history of our own legislature, then our local public school system will be under serious financial stress and impossible choices will have to be made. 

A few years ago, the voters of Woodford County voted against a bond referendum to fund the new high school requiring an increase in property taxes and other funding sources. Given this, can we really rely on Woodford County voters to pass a bond to adequately fund our public school system if new state laws are enacted that pass on even moderate school funding cuts to local boards? Would the reduction in funding which would likely diminish the quality of education cause people to agree on higher property taxes or bonded debt? I wonder. 

Vote No on Amendment 2. For our children. For our teachers and administrators. For the good of Woodford County.