Kentucky State Representative Derrick Graham (D – Frankfort) is no fan of charter schools. As the chair of the House Education Committee, he has steadfastly blocked charter school legislation even though these public school choice options are producing significant results elsewhere.

In this audio recording from the August 10, 2015 meeting of the Kentucky Legislature’s Interim Joint Committee on Education, Graham tries to put school turn-around expert Professor Daniel L. Duke on the hot seat about charter schools. However, Duke had a ready answer.

The charter school miracle in New Orleans is a really dramatic example of the power of these public schools of choice, IF they are given the chance to come in to a state.

It remains to be seen if Rep. Graham was listening to Prof. Duke yesterday or is still only hearing the siren song of the teachers union in Kentucky. So long as Graham only hears that siren song attacking charter schools and school choice in general, many Kentucky kids will remain doomed to run up on the rocks of academic and lifelong failure.