Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The KEA Strikes Again: Kentucky loses millions more in latest Race to the Top grants

For Immediate Release
August 24, 2010

"The state teachers union and the state lawmakers who carry their water have once again caused Kentucky to lose out on millions of dollars in federal money for schools," said Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst with The Family Foundation Kentucky. The comments came in response to today's news that Kentucky lost out on another round of federal Race to the Top money because of the opposition of the politically powerful Kentucky Education Association (KEA), the state's teachers union, and their intransigence on the issue of charter schools.

"State policymakers who have kowtowed to the KEA now have a choice to make," said Cothran: "continue to do the bidding of the teachers unions and punish Kentucky's children, or tell the teachers unions to start looking out for the good of students, teachers, and schools and approve charter schools." Today's failure of Kentucky to receive Race to the Top funding is only the most recent round of awards it has lost out on due to its position on charter schools.

Cothran said state lawmakers have taken too long to act on this issue. "That little horned creature with the pitchfork whispering into the left ear of state lawmakers that they should vote against charter schools is the KEA; the little creature with wings and a halo whispering into their right ear is their common sense telling them to allow charters. If they can't figure out which one they should listen to, then their constituents need to bring them back home."

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