This article originally appeared in the Lexington Herald Leader

BY: Beanie Geoghegan

I don’t gamble. Besides being frugal, I know the odds always favor the house, and I don’t like losing. Sadly, some parents in Kentucky are forced to gamble with their children’s education and future, whether they like it or not. The impact of this system on the students is profound. In the case of education, the odds don’t favor the house, but they do favor the system. And too often, it’s the students who lose.

Some parents send their children to schools with less-than-stellar results, thinking theirs will be the lucky ones who defy the odds. After all, everyone hears the stories of the students who graduated from public school and achieved great success. It does happen, but it’s a pretty big gamble, considering in the largest Kentucky district last year, only 23% of the students were proficient in reading and 20% in math. Usually, it’s much more than luck that leads to this type of success. Strong family support, financial means to access tutoring, and supplemental help are often the “wild cards” behind those highly publicized success stories. 

Other parents send their children to schools where the deck is stacked against them because they have no other option. Desperation often drives people to buy a lottery ticket or place a bet because they don’t know where else to turn for the money they need to survive. Sadly, the same is true for parents with nowhere else to turn for their children’s education because they lack financial resources. They know it’s a long shot that their children will receive the education they need, but their financial situation forces their hand.

The issue is not new. Far too many government-run schools have decades of data showing that many of their students will not acquire the knowledge or gain the skills needed to thrive and flourish as adults. Yet, these government schools maintain a monopoly on education in America, thanks to the heavy influence of the teachers’ unions and administrators, whose positions could be threatened when the bloat in many districts is exposed. Monopolies have no incentive to improve, so the only solution is to break up the monopoly. 

Kentucky voters have an opportunity this November to ensure that no family has to gamble on their children’s education again. The amendment on the ballot would break up the current monopoly and pave the way for a brighter future. It would allow the legislature to create a school choice program to meet the needs of Kentucky’s children and parents, offering hope in the current educational landscape. Our children need and deserve better.