Informational meeting about school choice amendment to be held in west Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Local politicians aren't the only ones asking for your vote in November.

Voters will decide in November if Amendment 2 passes, and the debate is heating up.

The school choice debate, also known as Amendment 2, will take center stage at 1619 The Gathering Place later this week.

It involves the debate over using public funds for private schools and like most issues, there are two sides.

Approval would remove the current constitutional barriers that block the state from giving parents state money in the form of vouchers to enroll their children in private or charter schools.

"I think it's an amazing option," Terri Cowden said.

Cowden has a grandchild in private school and said she’s a definite yes vote on Amendment 2.

"My grandchild is learning like, amazingly, she's already a smart little whip but she was able to pass a grade because she's getting this different version of education," Cowden said.

"We really want to educate families about it, educate the community about what Amendment 2 is, the benefits, and how it can help us," said Asa Coleman, the co-founder and director of Coleman Prep Academy.

"I often have families who are interested in Coleman Preparatory Academy, but they don't have the funding for it," Coleman said.

Coleman is also co-hosting an informational meeting about Amendment 2 at the Gathering Place on Thursday.

"We really want to have a discussion," Coleman said. "So that means here people who are not really forward, people who are in the middle ground and figure out what what Amendment 2 is."

Maddie Shepard is president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association and said she’s against Amendment 2 because it would take millions of dollars and resources away from public schools, which educate 90% of students in the state.

"If what happens in Kentucky follows the patterns in other states, we would largely retain the same amount of students, but have far less money to educate them with," Shepard said.

The controversy started when Pulaski County Schools, which is two hours south of Louisville, posted on its website homepage a graphic that says "No on Amendment 2, Public Funds for Public Schools" — clearly taking a stance on Amendment 2, encouraging citizens to vote no on the amendment.

"Just mathematically, there would have to be cuts," Shepard said. "There will be less available for roughly the same amount of students."

To RSVP for the event, click here.

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