Defeated Republican Governor Matt Bevin was a huge fan of charter schools. The legislature passed a charter law but never funded it. Bevin appointed a new state board of education, and they appointed Wayne Lewis as state commissioner. Lewis loves charters.
A few weeks ago, Bevin was defeated by Democrat Andy Beshear, who ran on a strong pro-public education program. He chose an educator as his Lieutenant Governor. He said he would pick a new state board on day one and a new state commissioner on day two. Beshear made clear that public education was a major priority for his administration.
Beshear has said he and Lt. Gov.-elect Jacqueline Coleman, an educator, will have no higher priority than Kentucky’s public education system and its teachers. Teacher Allison Slone, founder of a popular Facebook page called Kentucky Teachers in the Know, said she and her colleagues “are ready to move on and up from the negativity, lack of trust, and partisan politics” that they experienced under Bevin.
Not so fast, said Wayne Lewis. Beshear can’t replace the board members until their terms expire in 2020 and 2022. And Lewis has no plans to leave until the board changes.
Stay tuned.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Oligarchy’s minions feel entitled to screw the 99% because they get personal benefit.
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Quite a few of the anti-public school governors have been defeated. You wonder when the national ed reform echo chamber will notice.
If public schools are as unpopular as we’re told you sure can’t tell it at the state level.
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It is unfair that #45 gets to make sweeping changes and appointments when elected. Many governors are stuck with lame duck appointees from previous administrations.
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Wow, that’s like Hitler being defeated in an election but his replacement, an honest, fair man, ends up stuck with Hitler’s cabinet and cannot get rid of them.
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