KENTUCKY, USA — With just a week until Election Day, advocates and opponents for Kentucky's Constitutional Amendment 2 are not letting up on their push for why voters should or should not vote for amendment.
Amendment 2 would reallocate some taxpayer dollars from public schools into private or charter schools.
While the state may be nearing the finish line of election season, canvassing and rallying for Amendment 2 is not letting up.
On Monday, Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ), which is part of the Protect Our Schools Campaign, canvassed homes in the Camp Taylor neighborhood.
LSURJ opposes the amendment, saying it would cut funding to public education.
Carla Wallace, with LSURJ, rallied the group together and went over training for the volunteers before they canvassed the neighborhood.
"Public monies should be used for public schools, and public schools are so core to growing equity in our society," Wallace said.
Pat Allison taught for Jefferson County Public Schools for 43 years. She joined in the canvassing, pushing back on the potential amendment to the Kentucky Constitution.
“I want to protect those schools and to keep them running and to be able to serve the students the best that they can,” Allison said.
She said public school funding means, "having enough books. It means having enough teachers."
Another educator who canvassed with LSURJ was Melissa Zipper. She went door-to-door to speak with voters about their thoughts on the amendment and sharing information.
Over in Bowling Green, a room of voters chanted "Yes on 2" in unison and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was posing with 'twos' among voters.
"I think that educational freedom, educational choice is the civil rights of our era and we got to do something about it today,” Paul said.
Nearly a week out from Election Day, supporters of Amendment 2 – for funding private schools and vouchers with public money – rallied in Bowling Green.
One of Paul's messages centered on school achievement, which he said won't improve for low-income students with status quo policies.
"Because you just leave them in the same place, in the same violence, and the same drugs and all of that," Paul said. "These kids can achieve when they get out. They achieve on par with everyone else."
The SuperPAC Americans for Prosperity, financed by the billionaire Koch brothers, hosted Monday's event in Bowling Green.
One attendee came in from Tennessee. He's not casting a ballot in Kentucky, but Walter Blanks Jr. said he works trying to convince states like Kentucky to back the funding change.
"I always say either Kentucky is ahead of the curve of the country, or they're severely behind. And when you have 48 states, including DC, they're really falling behind," Blanks said.
Another attendee, Gary Houchens, is an educator at Western Kentucky University. He said in his teaching career, he's seen financial inequity firsthand.
"It's families who don't have those kinds of means who are often stuck with whatever those public schools are offering," Houchens said.
Paul and his wife Kelley said there is a benefit for students in rural counties.
"Let's say you live in a town of 5,000 and there is no private school and there is no other choice, but your child has autism. Well, even the public school doesn't have someone for autism. But, you can hire someone and use that money that can be a part of a voucher program," Paul said.
If you vote "yes" on Amendment 2, the state constitution would change to allow taxpayer dollars to be used to fund private or charter schools. The money would not flow immediately, however. Lawmakers would still need to create and pass legislation regulating how the funds can be allocated.
If you vote "no" on Amendment 2, the state constitution would not change. Money for public schools would not go to private or charter schools.
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