Check Training Hours Member Portal Contact Us Search

People Are Talking

Kentucky School Advocate

January 2018

Danville Independent Schools superintendent Keith Look

“Although this type of dispute is not new, it’s the first time we’ve been asked to contribute to an attorney. Judge McKinney believes that since we get, in his mind, 66 percent of the benefit, that we should absorb or cover 66 percent of the cost of the attorney that they hire.” – Keith Look (right), Danville Independent Schools superintendent, on the Boyle County judge-executive’s request that the district foot a proportionate share of the legal bill in a lawsuit in which the Kroger Co. is contesting the value of its local property assessment. From the Advocate Messenger, Danville

“Removing school resource officers would be detrimental to the school climate. Teachers would no longer feel safe to teach and students would no longer feel safe to learn.” – Steve Mattingly, Jeffersontown High School (Jefferson County) school resource officer, asking the school board to protect the jobs of all SROs after a violent arrest at the school triggered debate about the presence of police in schools. From the Courier Journal, Louisville

“If this goes through Harlan County will see a second exodus and it will be of the educators – because the ones going into education will not come back because the pension is not there for them.” – Brent Roark, Harlan County Schools superintendent, in addressing the local chamber of commerce, in a comparison to the exodus in coal mining jobs. From the Harlan Daily Enterprise

“They could have lessened the cuts to education funding and made more progress in restoring the funding that’s been lost if they’d been more willing to raise additional revenue.” – Michael Leachman, director of state fiscal research for the Center on Budget Policy Priorities, explaining why, in a new report by the organization, Kentucky is among states that have cut public education funding most deeply over the last decade. From WFPL-FM, Louisville

Woodford County school board vice chairwoman Debby Edelen

“It seems like the high school has become the side dish and the football field has become the main dish – and we need to flip that.” – Debby Edelen (right), Woodford County school board vice chairwoman, on the board’s decision to move forward with construction of a new high school and shelve proposed athletic facilities. From the Woodford Sun, Versailles

“We’ve worked hard since this came to our attention to work with the transportation department and learn as much as we can and make sure expectations are reinforced and to adhere to policies and procedures.” – Sheila Mitchell, Anderson County Schools superintendent, after school officials acknowledged that state-mandated monthly school bus inspection reports were not filled out accurately and did not reflect problems with the buses, which were allowed to be in service until the situation came to light. From the Anderson News, Lawrenceburg

“Because of that employment, he was not eligible to serve as a school board member. He was not informed at the time that he ran. He was duly elected.” – Tom Brown, Nelson County Schools interim superintendent, after now-former board member David Norman learned, three years into his term, that he could not legally serve because he is a county government employee. From WDRB-TV, Louisville

“The governor, in his delegated authority by (state law) does not have the power to create new laws, which violates the Kentucky Constitution.” – Thomas Wingate, Franklin Circuit Judge, in a ruling that shot down Gov. Matt Bevin’s change in the appeals process for teachers before the Education Professional Standards Board, while also upholding Bevin’s reorganization of other state education boards while the legislature in not in session. From the Courier Journal, Louisville

Kentucky Honor Flight representative accepting a $2,000 check from Clark County’s Baker Intermediate School students

“On behalf of the entire Honor Flight Kentucky family, we thank you. Too often we hear negative stories about our children, but this is one of those amazing stories.” – George Campbell, Kentucky Honor Flight representative, accepting a $2,000 check from Clark County’s Baker Intermediate School students, whose fundraising helped send four veterans to visit memorials in Washington, D.C. From the Winchester Sun

“In our discussions with Model stakeholders, the charter application was the most viable, enduring solution to the budgetary and facilities challenges at Model. The ultimate goal is to ensure that Model and its legacy continue to exist in the immediate and long-term future.” – Task force recommendation that Model Laboratory School at Eastern Kentucky University should seek to become a public charter school, a recommendation endorsed by the EKU Board of Regents. From the Lexington Herald-Leader

“Property owners are carrying the burden. We don’t want to keep raising the tax burden on our property owners.” – Eydie Tate, Hopkins County Schools’ director of finance, explaining why the school board is considering passage of a utility tax, a consumption tax that she said would be more fair to taxpayers. From The Messenger, Madisonville

“I’m not saying we’ve done anything wrong, or that we’ve done anything right at this time. We’re just reviewing everything and making ... sure things are done properly.” – Michael Tate, then-Powell County Schools superintendent, after the Lexington Herald-Leader reported on a regular morning religious assembly at one of the district’s elementary schools and attendant alleged bullying of an atheist student.

“Throw it in the sinkhole and cover it up. You can’t make this better.” – David Gover, retired Wayne County Schools superintendent, on the governor’s proposed pension reform bill. From the Wayne County Outlook, Monticello.

“I think this is a huge attack on public schools in Kentucky. Charter schools were the first attack, this was the second, and school vouchers will be the next. We need to get the message out there: Public schools work. Otherwise, we’re going to wake up and find ourselves in a completely different world.” – Marion Sowders, Casey County Schools superintendent, briefing his school board on pension reform efforts. From the Casey County News, Liberty

“In May 2021, I’ll have to make a decision. I didn’t plan on retiring at 50 with 27 years in education, but I’ll have to make a decision based on my circumstances at that point.” – Tim Schlosser, Franklin-Simpson High School (Simpson County) award-winning principal, on the potential effect of the governor’s pension reform plan on his career. From the Franklin Favorite