Lexington families receive flyer with misleading information about Amendment 2 | Opinion
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The fight over Amendment 2, which would allow the legislature to use public school funding for school choice programs, is heating up.
But the information is confusing and in some cases, misleading.
Some Lexington families have received a flyer in the mail sent by Kentucky Students First, a nonprofit chaired by Kentucky's EdChoice group.
It makes the following claims:
"Amendment 2 provides additional funds for teacher pay."
"Invests more money into our public education system."
"Increases public school funding per students."
These claims are disingenuous at best. Amendment 2 would change the state Constitution from language that specifically public school funding to language that allows it.
The actual language of the ballot measure says: "To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?
The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59 , 60 , 171 , 183 , 184 , 186 , and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding."
The General Assembly would have to create any school choice programs that might result from a yes vote on Amendment 2. This could range from education savings accounts to universal school vouchers that helps parents pay for private schools.
Elizabeth Post, a spokeswoman for Kentucky Student First, said the claim that Amendment 2 would improve teacher pay is based on a policy paper by the Bluegrass Institute, a conservative free market think tank, that increased competition between public and private schools might leader to more pay for teachers.
The paper says: "Basic economics predicts that greater competition for teachers' services leads to higher teacher compensation."
But in no way does Amendment 2 "provide additional funds for teacher pay."
In a similar manner, Post said school choice might invest more money into public education because it would allow "policymakers to expand the pie to fund public schools create education choice options."
Yes, lawmakers could at any moment, with or without Amendment 2, give huge increases to public education. But Amendment 2 does not do that on its own. In fact, in some states, universal voucher programs have caused budgetary problems for the public schools.
By the same measure, advocates opposing Amendment 2 often say it is a school voucher measure. If it passes, most observers believe the General Assembly will quickly pass some kind of school choice measures, like education savings accounts or vouchers. But currently, nothing is in place.
Post was unable to say how many flyers were sent out around the state.
It's alarming but not surprising that misinformation of this kind is already out in public.
This is a fierce policy battle that has been waging for years between public school advocates and school choice supporters.
According to campaign finance reports, Kentucky Students First has raised just over $1.5 million, with much of that coming from leaders in the Northern Kentucky business community. William Yung, CEO of the Crestview Hills-based hotel company Columbia Sussex, gave $500,000 to the group.
A "dark money" group called the Kentucky Education Freedom Fund gave another $500,000.
Protect Our Schools, the Kentucky group campaigning against the amendment, has been largely funded by the National Education Association, the nation's largest labor union and other local education unions.
This is an important public policy change on the horizon, and it's even more important that voters clearly understand the facts behind it.
