Educational opportunity for some, but not for all?

The state Senate this morning enthusiastically endorsed a resolution recognizing April as Deaf Education Month and honoring the Kentucky School for the Deaf’s “two centuries of outstanding service to the Commonwealth.”

In his supportive floor speech, Nicholasville Republican Sen. Donald Douglas eloquently noted that while the school’s students may “have an impairment, they are not disabled.”

Recent Kentucky budgets have included $3 million in direct funding each year for the school for the deaf and Kentucky School for the Blind.

No one argues we shouldn’t provide funding for these unique schools which allow hearing- and vision-impaired students access to a specialized education that best fits their needs and better prepares them to be productive and successful citizens.

Why, then, the controversy in our courts and among some in public education over a tax-credit scholarship program which doesn’t even propose direct funding but rather allows individuals and businesses to make voluntary donations which help provide students from homes without financial means – many of whom also have learning impairments – the same opportunity we rightly provide young Kentuckians with visual or hearing disabilities?

Don’t all young Kentuckians – whether they have a learning impairment or come from a home with “income impairments” – deserve access to the kind of stellar and specialized education that will set them up for future success?

Why the warm mushy feelings for providing educational opportunities for one group of students but tension, denial and controversy over choices for other groups?