Group: Kentucky officials, schools used public resources to oppose school choice amendment

A nonprofit public-interest law firm is asking Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman to launch investigations into the lieutenant governor and two school districts, which the firm claims have misused taxpayer resources to speak out against a proposed constitutional amendment on school choice.

Liberty Justice Center sent a letter to Coleman citing social media posts by Pulaski County Schools Superintendent Patrick Richardson and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman against Amendment 2, which will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Amendment 2, if approved, would allow the General Assembly to offer financial support to Kentucky families whose children do not attend public schools.

Two weeks ago, Pulaski County Schools took down social media posts urging voters to reject the amendment after Attorney General Coleman issued an opinion claiming they were an improper use of public funds. However, the district replaced those with a statement from Richardson saying he disagreed with the attorney general on the issue.

“I believe the Attorney General’s advisory is partisan politics at its worst,” Richardson said in the statement. “When elected officials work to silence people, this is a red flag, and we should all take notice.”

Richardson added he would advise teachers and staff to only speak out against Amendment 2 outside of school hours and through their own resources.

Dean McGee, an educational freedom attorney with Liberty Justice Center, said in the letter that Richardson’s statement is a “continued violation” of a state law banning the use of tax dollars to promote or oppose a ballot measure.

Richardson was not the only official who used social media to speak out against the amendment. Lt. Gov. Coleman, a Democrat and no relation to the Republican attorney general, posted comments on her official X and Facebook accounts urging voters to reject the measure. While some posts have been deleted, others remain on her pages.

The public interest group also wants the attorney general’s office to investigate Daviess County Public Schools. It claims district Superintendent Charles Broughton used a rally to celebrate the beginning of the school year to speak out against the proposed amendment. According to an article from the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, the Aug. 6 event was attended by thousands of teachers and staff members. McGee said that some who attended the event plan to file complaints with the attorney general’s office.

“Using taxpayer resources to oppose Amendment 2 isn’t just illegal—it’s a betrayal of public trust,” McGee said in a statement. “The Attorney General should act swiftly and decisively to uphold the law and protect the integrity of the November election.”

A message to the attorney general’s office was not immediately returned.