A few weeks ago, I got an email from a Lexington resident named Shaun Denney. He was writing in response to one of my columns about Amendment 2, and he wondered if there was a way to discuss school choice in Kentucky without the usual division that accompanies politics these days.
We met, talked and thought it might be useful to have an online discussion with each other about our views, in the style of Gail Collins and Bret Stephens at the New York Times.
Here’s our conversation, which was lightly edited for space.
Linda Blackford: Hi Shaun, thanks for reaching out to talk about Amendment 2. As you know, I’m opposed to this amendment because I think it would eventually weaken public schools, especially in 61 percent of counties where there are no private schools as alternatives. But you have a different perspective, right?
Shaun Denney: Thanks, Linda! I appreciate your willingness to engage on the issue. I do have a different perspective. As a private school parent, I support Amendment 2 (and our public schools!). A big misconception is that private school families are wealthy, but that’s just not the case for many people I know. For families like ours, it is a major financial sacrifice. We’ve made a choice we believe is best for our students, but we essentially pay a double tax — paying for public schools and our own children’s education without getting any relief from the state. I’d like to see some of those dollars returned to families in the form of a tax credit.