By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-950740.mp3
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- – In Frankfort, this year's session of the Kentucky General Assembly is moving into its third week. In January, the Senate approved a host of bills sponsored by the chamber's Republican majority. The measures addressed issues like tax reform, immigration enforcement, government transparency and charter schools.
The immigration issue's seeing some action in the House, but the charter schools bill is stalled. And House Education Committee Chairman Carl Rollins is not inclined to move it along.
"It takes our focus away from making our public schools better. Just to allow somebody to go out and start a public school that would take public funds away from our current schools and to start a school is not the answer to what we need to be doing."
Rollins also doesn't like another element of the Senate bill, neighborhood schools. He says local districts, not the state, should decide where children go to school. Look for Rollins to offer an alternative to the Senate bill in coming days.