BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education renewed its opposition to Amendment 2 during Monday night’s meeting, with board members and district leadership warning that the measure would siphon funding from public schools.

“This is Amendment 2 that will be on the ballot as you vote in Kentucky,” board chairperson Mickey McCoy reminded attendees. “Last time I checked, Martin County is part of Kentucky, so it will be on the ballot here.”

Superintendent Larry James offered his personal take on the proposed amendment urging voters to reject it.

“In my opinion, we need to vote no on Amendment 2,” James said. “We’ve all seen the flyers claiming it will increase teacher or school funding—that’s a lie. It’s going to take money away from public schools and send it to private schools in Louisville and Lexington. If we get less funding, it doesn’t help our people.”

James criticized the amendment’s support of a voucher system, arguing that it would undermine local education.

“There’s no guarantee of state funding and costs will shift to your local community in the form of increased taxes,” he explained. “If you have less money from the state, you need more money from local funds. Nobody likes to raise taxes but you still have to keep the lights on, feed kids, get them to and from school and other things. If you have less money you have to get more money from somewhere.”

James also emphasized that vouchers would primarily benefit students already attending private schools, leaving most public school families at a disadvantage.

“The children most likely to use vouchers would attend private school anyway and do,” he said. “Private money should pay for private school.”

The superintendent warned of the lack of accountability to the public, saying private schools would “take your tax money but do not have to accept your kid.” 

He added, “It really is the school’s choice; they don’t have to take you.”

The superintendent called vouchers “a horrific idea for rural Kentucky” that would result in budget cuts, loss of teachers and staff, loss of programs and extracurricular activities, less money for facilities, and increased taxes.

“Who to admit and who to turn away is the private school’s choice,” he reiterated.

McCoy echoed these concerns, calling Amendment 2 a threat to rural communities like Martin County.

“I give a hefty amen to everything the superintendent said because that’s exactly what it does,” McCoy said. “Anybody who is for Amendment 2 and votes yes wants to defund public schools. Just remember that, with these commercials and these mailers that hit you at the post office, on the airways and on television sets. It’s pick-and-choose on who to accept by private schools. Amendment 2 gives no choice at all. No choice. They choose.”

Using the analogy “you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip,” McCoy noted the potential financial toll on local taxpayers if the amendment passes.

“People in Martin County shouldn’t have to pay for private schools and pay more to fund public schools just because some state legislator was too cowardly to speak out against it.”

Board member Steven Gauze likened the situation to the coal severance taxes, where the state kept the lion’s share and the county received a small fraction in the overall history.

“When the state says something is good for everyone, it’s probably not good for us,” Gauze said.

Kathleen Price, representing District 5 on the board, closed the discussion by reiterating her opposition to the amendment.

“I’m voting no, and I encourage others to do the same,” she said.