“School choice really is the school’s choice, not the parent’s choice.” –Dena James, Special Education Director
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education convened Sept. 9 with Amendment 2 on the agenda. Chairman Mickey McCoy opened the floor, stating that voters would face a decision regarding the amendment in the Nov. 4 election. He turned to Superintendent Larry James to explain the amendment.
James expressed his personal opposition to Amendment 2, warning of its implications for rural areas like eastern and western Kentucky.
“This is just my humble opinion; it’s all I can give,” James remarked. “We need to vote ‘no’ on Amendment 2. You’ve probably seen ads on TV—it’s called ‘school choice.’ Well there are no private or charter schools in our area. So what will happen to rural eastern Kentucky and rural western Kentucky, districts like us? They will take money from us and send that money to Lexington, Louisville and northern Kentucky where most of the charter schools are concentrated.”
James stated that charter schools can “pick and choose” the students they want, which could marginalize students with disabilities or special education needs.
“They don’t have to take you,” he said.
“Really, there’s no evidence that shows charter schools would be much better than public schools,” added James. “You’ll hear a lot; it’s ramping up closer to election time, but in my opinion we need to vote ‘no.’”
The BOE and James hope to educate Martin County residents and answer questions that have arisen within the community.
“We’re not telling you how to vote,” said James. “I’m telling you what I’m going to do and giving you my opinion.”
The superintendent addressed a primary concern about the financial impact on local districts. He mentioned the potential for increased property or local taxes to compensate for lost funding to private schools.
“It’s a possibility. If we lose money, we still have to keep the lights on in the building; still have to have heat. So that’s a definite possibility,” noted James. “No one likes to talk about raising taxes, but when push comes to shove, that is a very real possibility and no one wants that to happen.”
Another concern is that the amendment would affect teacher retention and quality in local schools.
“If we lose kids, that’s losing jobs,” explained James. “That would mean fewer teachers, fewer classified folks, bus drivers, everybody. You know it takes everybody to run this.”
He criticized the amendment for its lack of clarity on financial and academic accountability, calling it “open-ended” with uncertain outcomes.
“We don’t know if it’s a voucher program or what it is. If you vote ‘yes,’ it just opens the door to whatever they want to do,” James warned.
District 2 board member Bowie Clark echoed James’ concerns.
“If you care about your public schools, what’s best for our children throughout this county and state, you’ll vote ‘no,’” Clark said. “The amendment is written in such a manner that pretty much focuses on ‘Are you for school choice?’ Well school choice is fine, but not when it comes to taking your tax dollars for private schools.”
Martin County Special Education Director Dena James also weighed in, explaining the meaning of the term “school choice.”
“When it comes down to it, school choice is not me as a parent having school choice about where my child goes. The school has the choice about what kids they will take in their school,” she said. “School choice really is the school’s choice, not the parent’s choice.”
Superintendent James reminded attendees that local parents already have a choice within the public school system.
“If you don’t like your elementary schools, if you don’t like Eden, come to Inez or Warfield, and vice versa,” he said. “If you don’t like your middle school or high school, go to another county. Competition is a good thing, and we want our schools to be the best. We’re working to make them the best possible. But you already have a choice. You won’t have a choice [with Amendment 2]. They’ll just take your money and give it to Fayette County, Jefferson County and northern Kentucky, where the vast majority of charter schools are located. The thing is that money is going to go for people who are already in the charter schools.”
James added that families of students attending charter schools have an average annual income of $154,000.
“That’s not our average in Martin County, not by a long shot,” he said.
District 3 board member Larna Cassidy concurred, “They can afford more than we can.”
District 5 board member Kathleen Price added that tax dollars would not cover private school tuition.
“You’re still going to have to pay big bucks to get into private schools, and that’s only if they will accept you,” Price remarked. “Public schools usually test students to see where they need to be and how the schools can help them, but private schools test to see ‘how can you help us.’”
McCoy was blunt, labeling the potential reallocation of funds as “unadulterated theft.” He warned that voting in favor of Amendment 2 would effectively siphon resources away from local students, particularly those in Appalachian and rural areas.
“If you vote ‘yes’ to this amendment that means you are supporting the theft of public schools, especially here in Appalachia and in western Kentucky,” McCoy concluded. “If you want to go to a charter school, if your parents will send you, then go if they will take you. They’re not obligated to take you. They’ll take your money but won’t take your kid.”
Other business
In other actions, the board approved a request for the chief state school officer to authorize the acquisition of property from the Martin County Economic Development Authority, located adjacent to the high school.
James explained that the cost analysis for the site survey and property acquisition for the future Inez Elementary School exceeded 10% of the project’s maximum budget.
“This is just one of the hoops we have to jump through,” he noted. “It’s required because the Kentucky Department of Education is factoring in the property’s purchase price, even though no money is actually changing hands.”
The board also approved a request for the release of an electric company easement on the property.
“Our lawyers are working on a release,” James said. “But in case we don’t have it ready before next month’s KDE meeting, they said we could do this.”
Additionally, the board approved paid warrants totaling $975,437.56, which included $176,284.14 in payments made outside the board. The treasurer’s orders amounting to $641,940.22 were also approved.
RossTarrant of Lexington will provide architectural services for the district’s facility plan projects, with Codell Construction of Winchester serving as the construction manager.
The board voted to maintain the motor vehicle tax rate at 22.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.
“Aren’t we one of the lowest in the area for motor vehicle tax?” Clark asked.
McCoy confirmed, “We are the lowest.”
James urged residents to license their vehicles in Martin County, stressing that keeping tax dollars local benefits the community.
“It’s better if the money stays in the county,” he said. “License it here—it’s cheaper than anywhere else.”
Cassidy added, “You have to push the dealerships to make it happen.”
Dena James updated board members on the Early Learning Bus, which launched in January 2024. Additionally, the BOE recognized outstanding student achievements. (See the related stories in this edition of the newspaper.)
