The debate over Kentucky's school choice amendment, as it's called, took center stage in Louisville last night.

The Courier-Journal hosted a forum for advocates on both sides to make their case to voters.

Our June Leffler was there and has more.

And this election 2024 Update.

Voters will decide if state lawmakers should be able to send public dollars to nonpublic schools.

This public school parent is voting no.

The system is already stretched thin.

It's already limited.

For resources to pour money from that system is a huge no for us.

Louisville arguably has plenty of school choice.

Jefferson County Public Schools has a range of specialty schools for Montessori two magnet programs.

Lilli and Brant sends her kids to Weston Middle, a performing arts school.

Not only that, I was able to choose what they will accept down with regardless of what their learning challenges are.

And so that's one of the key points when dealing with JCPenney, is they educate all students, not just some students, and they have the same opportunity as everybody to those extracurricular activities like a performing arts schools.

And Louisville's home to many private schools, largely Catholic, but some not.

We actually do have choice in Jefferson County.

You're right.

If you're wealthy, you have choice.

You can write a check to a private school.

You can up and move to a different area where a better school is or to a different district.

But parents who don't have the financial means, that's really what school choice for us is about right now, is is getting them the financial help they need to get the education that best fits their child.

Amongst all these options.

JCPenney also has some of the lowest performing schools in the state.

Sometimes public schools serve students well.

Sometimes a student doesn't fit their needs, maybe a specialized opportunity.

So I would really like to see Kentucky offer that, especially for those that are in the worst performing public schools, giving them an opportunity who may not have that otherwise.

So I would be voting yes on amendment to.

The local newspaper, held a forum to better educate voters on the issue.

Many in the audience had their minds made up.

Some supporters and plenty of opponents like public school teachers.

The president of the local teachers union made the case to vote no.

The amount of education funding we have available on our budget is finite.

If we are spreading that out amongst more receivers, public and private schools, private schools that charge their attendees in Louisville $29,000 a year to then take our taxpayer funding, of course we're going to suffer.

Public schools will have less money to educate the students that walk in our door every day that we promise we will educate.

Go together.

The local and state teachers unions have contributed half a million dollars to defeating Amendment two.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Jim Leffler.

Thank you, John.

Kentucky isn't the only state with school choice on the ballot this November.

A citizen led initiative in Nebraska asks voters to repeal public scholarships for private schools.

And Colorado voters could enshrine school choice in its state constitution.