Amendment 2 a wolf in sheep's clothing

You might say this is a ballot measure where both sides deserve to lose, but we have to defend the country's principles, so we're voting no.

On November 5, something called Amendment 2 will be on the ballot in Kentucky. If it passes, it would amend the Kentucky Constitution to allow public money to be given to private schools.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was right when he said many of our public schools are "criminal enterprises." But the solution isn't to give money to private schools that may be just as bad - or in my experience, even worse. It's a fact that our so-called public schools and political "leaders" have abandoned the Kentucky Constitution's obligation to provide "common schools." In practice, common schools do not exist in Kentucky. It's clear our school and political officials care very little about education. They see private schools as more of a business competitor. But principles must come into play here.

One of the main principles we're standing on in opposing Amendment 2 is the fact that many private schools are religious institutions, and using taxpayer funds to sponsor them would run afoul of existing provisions in the federal and state constitutions against government sponsorship of religion. Furthermore, public money is for public schools. I know it's true that public schools refuse to do their job, but the solution is to find ways to make sure they do it. You might think that's asking too much, but we pay taxes, so we have a right to expect common schools to be operated and maintained.

Will Amendment 2 pass? Before 2020, measures like this almost always failed when put before voters. (It failed in California even after the Los Angeles Times ran a loopy op-ed supporting the measure that railed against "communist indoctrination.") But the past 4½ years have done more to destroy the reputation of our public schools than all the years before. Prussia originated common schools 250 years ago, but there has never been such a steep decline in our schools as we've seen since 2020. I didn't think our schools could possibly get any worse, but they managed to defy all expectations. There is no bottom.

I will vote against Amendment 2, but if it passes, our public schools are going to have to wallow in the consequences, after they refused to do their job.