COMMENTARY | Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s web page expresses a recognition of how important a child’s education is and even states he ” has managed to protect the primary education funding formula from any cuts.” It should be mentioned that Governor Beshear is now suggesting over $50 million in budget cuts to the education system.
There is a severe conflict of interest in promoting a high regard for education and at the same time offering to cut funding for education. This isn’t the only problem the Kentucky Governor is facing regarding his value of education. In May of 2011, a $43 million dollar tax cut was approved for a Creationist Bible-themed amusement park, “the Ark Encounter.” In the face of suggesting the massive budget cut for education, the tax break for the theme park that rejects evolution and other sciences remains intact.
Aside from taking away from the potential of children to have a good education, this move all but breaks the oath regarding the separation of church and state; despite Kentucky already having legislation that does directly violate that oath. Currently, teachers are authorized to teach the theory of creation according to the Bible as well as read passages that outline creation.
The next concern comes from the condition of the education system of Kentucky itself. At the last survey by the Kentucky Department of Education updated in February of 2011: of the 44,023 public school teachers; only 2,156 (4.9 percent) are certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Despite promoting improvements in the education of the students, it becomes clear that few of the teachers are board certified to to make this assessment. Add recent complaints nationally of standardize testing throwing education off balance, and the demands of what a teacher needs to accomplish as an educator seem to already be in question.
This is still in the evaluation stages by lawmakers. Governor Beshear has admitted that this cut to education (which is a part of a larger two-year budget to reallocate upward of $19 billion) is “inadequate for the needs of our people.” The Governor has made 10 budget cuts since his interment into office and is now serving his second term. Based on the history of Kentucky and their handling of legislation, the new proposed cuts seem more likely to pass than not.