A recent flyer mailed out in support of constitutional Amendment 2 indicates that the fat cats are the ones opposing Amendment 2. Robbie Fletcher is one of the ones opposing Amendment 2.
Many of us saw Robbie grow up in Martin County and advance through his career as a teacher, principal, school superintendent and now the Commissioner of Kentucky’s Department of Education because of his love for children and his desire that they have the best opportunities to succeed in life.
Anyone who knows Robbie knows he is as far from being a fat cat as you can get.
On the other hand we have the one almost singlehandedly supporting the campaign for Amendment 2, Pennsylvania billionaire Peter Yass, the 32nd richest person in the world.
Peter Yass far and away more closely fits the definition of a fat cat than does Robbie Fletcher.
The same flyer says that Amendment 2 will improve students’ math and reading scores, increase teachers’ pay, give parents more rights, and not hurt public schools.
No explanation is given for how these improvements are going to happen when the schools have less money.
If Amendment 2 passes and our legislature enacts a plan like Florida has, the Martin County School District will lose 17% of its funding—about $4.5 million. Other rural school districts will suffer similar losses in funding.
What will they say next? That there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
This arrogance of the supporters of Amendment 2 is just another example of our long history of rich out-of-staters belittling us and trying to take advantage of what they perceive as our gullibility.
Some of you may choose to stand with the fat cat billionaire Peter Yass. We will stand with Robbie.