LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky lawmakers overrode Gov. Andy Beshear's veto on Friday of a bill creating a task force to investigate Jefferson County Public Schools and potentially split up the district.
When vetoing the bill, Beshear said the measure was unconstitutional and just the General Assembly's latest attempt to divide JCPS.
The governor said it should be a local decision by Jefferson County citizens, not a decision made by legislators who don't live in Jefferson County.
Supporters of the bill said JCPS as it is now has been a failure.
"The NAACP called for the ouster of the current superintendent, saying that this had failed, he had failed the system of Jefferson County Public Schools," Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Senate President, said. "This is something this body, and the body at the other end of the building, should be doing. It is our responsibility and we are the ones who are constitutionally mandated."
But opponents of the bill, including JCPS leadership, said splitting the district would have disastrous results, and the district should be left to local control.
"To use this as a pretext to go into my district, and make judgements on some philosophical or technical that you have some broad responsibility to dig in there and make things right is wrong," Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, said.
House Concurrent Resolution 81 would create the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force and target school districts with enrollment greater than 75,000 students, which only qualifies JCPS in the state of Kentucky.
First introduced Feb. 12 with support from the state's Republican lawmakers, the resolution calls for a review of JCPS's performance and a look at how other states have created new school districts.
The task force would be directed to review 17 different areas, including funding, district boundaries, personnel, athletics, racial makeup and more.
The resolution never directly named JCPS, but opponents said it's a clear attack on Kentucky's largest district and would affect Black and brown students the most.
Related stories:
- Kentucky Gov. Beshear vetoes bill aimed at breaking up Jefferson County Public Schools
- Kentucky House committee passes resolution that would create task force to 'monitor' JCPS
- Kentucky lawmakers pass resolution to establish task force for JCPS
- Proposed bill would create task force to review, consider splitting up JCPS
- JCPS superintendent Pollio against splitting district, discusses challenges and highlights at 'State of the District'
- Kentucky Senate president accuses JCPS of stockpiling millions of taxpayer dollars
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