FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Health care advocates in Kentucky gathered Wednesday to voice their opposition to this year’s proposed school amendment.

“Why is this a health issue, you might ask? Well, because education is one of the most significant predictors of health outcomes.” Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, said.

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Chandler and other advocates argued the proposal, which if passed would allow the General Assembly to spend tax money on students outside of the public school system, could put some support services at risk. KDE reported that 1 in 6 students had some kind of disability that required specialized education in the 22-23 school year.

“When proponents tout Amendment 2 as an educational opportunity, remember that private schools could simply rid themselves of any child with behavioral or developmental issues,” Dr. Sheila Schuster, executive director of the Advocacy Action Network, said.

Schuster, a clinical psychologist, argued that public schools have a legal obligation to serve all students regardless of disability or economic background when schools that could benefit from passing the amendment don’t. In FOX 56’s conversations with supporters, they’ve said those students would have options too.

“There are schools in Kentucky, the Summit Academy in Louisville, and other places that have been created to serve students with disabilities who may need other services, who may need therapy, who may need tutoring, who may need more special attention.” Bluegrass Institute president Jim Waters told FOX 56 in June.

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The debate all comes back to money and if passing the amendment would leave enough in the budget to go around. Schuster looked to recent measures like this year’s ‘school guardians’ bill that also increased mental health resources as an example of additional spending that lawmakers are directing toward public schools.

“And this is not supposed to be an unfunded mandate. Now, we need to be sure that they realize that when they put those requirements into law that they give the schools the sufficient resources to do it,” Schuster said.

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