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Fort Thomas board members urge a 'no' vote on Kentucky amendment to let legislature fund nonpublic K–12 education
Summary
At a packed Fort Thomas Independent School Board meeting, multiple members — speaking as individuals — urged voters to oppose the Nov. 5 Amendment 2, saying it hands broad discretion to the legislature to fund education outside the system of common schools and risks reducing public‑school dollars without clear accountability.
Several members of the Fort Thomas Independent School Board used the district's Oct. 31 meeting to explain why they plan to vote "no" on a proposed Kentucky constitutional amendment that would enable the General Assembly to provide financial support for K–12 education "outside the system of common schools." The board placed the topic on the discussion agenda and emphasized members were speaking as private citizens, not for the board as a body.
"At best, nothing happens," said one board member (Speaker 6), expressing concern that the amendment would give the legislature a blank check and little clarity on oversight or accountability. "What's the oversight and what's the accountability? How will things be regulated?" Speaker 6 said the measure offered no clear benefits to the Fort Thomas district and raised the prospect that public funds could be redirected away from public schools.
Speaker 10 said a "no" vote would preserve constitutional protections that currently dedicate public tax dollars to public education. "A yes vote will give the state legislature a lot of new power and discretion to change school funding in Kentucky," Speaker 10 said, adding that recent legislative trends suggest funds could be redirected toward private schools. He encouraged educators to exercise First Amendment rights as private citizens while noting they should not use school time or resources to advocate during the school day.
Several speakers amplified similar themes: the state has a limited pool of education dollars, the amendment’s language is nonspecific, and there is no guarantee that teacher pay would increase or public funding would be protected. Speaker 9 referenced printed materials he said were circulated by the Diocese of Covington that made claims—such as increases to teacher pay—that, he said, are not in the amendment's text.
Speakers repeatedly framed their remarks as individual opinions, not formal board policy. "We're speaking as individuals, not as the Fort Thomas School Board," Speaker 1 said, and advised constituents to "educate yourself" about the amendment, citing the Kentucky School Boards Association and the Prichard Committee as sources of information.
What happens next: the amendment will appear on the state ballot on Nov. 5. Board members did not take an official board vote or pass a formal resolution regarding the measure during the meeting.
