The Bluegrass Institute issued the following statement in response to Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of House Bill 9, which provides funding for public charter schools in Kentucky.

In vetoing legislation funding charter schools in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear today stated he’s “against” these public schools, claiming they’re “wrong for our commonwealth.”

Such public schools of choice are “wrong” only if giving parents without means options to a better public education is “wrong.”

Such public schools of choice are “wrong” only if competition which creates improved education for all students is “wrong.”

Such public schools of choice are “wrong” only if allowing our most at-risk kids the same opportunities available to children from wealthier families is “wrong.”

Such public schools of choice are “wrong” only if it’s “wrong” to give parents without means the same opportunity to choose a better education for their kids like the governor and his family have in the past chosen for their own children.

What’s really “wrong” here is that the governor is siding with self-interested teachers’ unions, education establishment bureaucrats and other special-interest elitists while denying the neediest among us the opportunity for a better education and a brighter future.

The only "right" thing for lawmakers to do is to allow, encourage and welcome these schools to our commonwealth by overriding Beshear’s special-interests’ veto.

For more information or comment, please contact Bluegrass Institute President and CEO Jim Waters at (270) 320-4376 or jwaters@freedomkentucky.com.