As a member of the Kentucky Board of Education I went to Frankfort today to support Dr. Stephen Pruitt. I earnestly hoped that he could continue in his role as Commissioner of Education. Sadly, the meeting concluded with an agreement between Dr. Pruitt and the Board for his resignation. I voted no, casting the lone dissenting vote against the agreement. Vice Chairman Rich Gimmel abstained from the vote.
I'm deeply disappointed by this outcome. I have enormous respect and admiration for Dr. Pruitt and I am grateful for the work he has done on behalf of the students of Kentucky. I wish Dr. Pruitt and his family many blessings as they enter this new time of transition.
While I disagreed with the Board majority on this issue, I believe that all Board members acted today out of a sincere desire to greatly accelerate student learning outcomes. I share this sense of urgency, and welcome the chance to continue working with the Board to build a unified vision for statewide educational improvement.
Usual disclaimer: All views expressed on this website are mine alone and do not reflect the opinions of Western Kentucky University (where I am associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research) or the Kentucky Board of Education (where I have served as a member since 2016).
