FRANKFORT, Ky. — Voters in Kentucky have rejected Constitutional Amendment 2, a ballot measure that would have changed where public tax dollars are allocated for education.
Kentucky Students First, the group behind the ballot measure, released a statement Tuesday night conceding and stating in part, "Though the results may not have been in our favor, this campaign has been a powerful force for standing up to the Kentucky education bureaucracy."
Essentially, Amendment 2 would have allowed public money to fund education outside of the public education system. The amendment would have added the following sentence to the Kentucky Constitution: "The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools."
The push for Amendment 2 came after the Kentucky Legislature had funding struck down by the Kentucky Supreme Court, citing the current language in the constitution that states public money cannot be used outside of public schools.
Opponents, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, argued that Amendment 2 would give the General Assembly a "blank check" for whatever education system they want, which could impact opportunities for students of different classes, races and more.
"This doesn't create opportunity for everyone," Coleman said weeks before the election. "This takes funding away from the thing, the one thing, that creates opportunity for everyone."
Supporters like Republican state Rep. Steven Doan, whose district represents Boone and Kenton County, said he believes the amendment will allow parents to decide where their tax dollars will go.
In the end, Kentucky voters decided against Constitutional Amendment 2. The decision means no language will be added to the current constitution and public money will continue to go exclusively to public schools.
Find the latest general election results from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana here.
