By Angela Hatton
Murray, KY – Stump speeches from Kentucky's fourteen Republican candidates running for state office highlighted the annual Purchase and Lakes Area Lincoln Day Dinner. Reforming education topped the candidates' agendas.
All three Republican gubernatorial candidates agree Kentucky's education system needs a new direction. Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, Senate President David Wiliams, and Louisville Businessman Phil Moffett presented their platforms this weekend in Murray. Holsclaw quoted a professor at Western Kentucky University who put Kentucky fourth from the bottom on education. Moffett says the way to improve public schools is with less bureaucracy.
"We need to cut loose the free market in our public school systems and allow parental choice to the highest degree possible so our kids can start becoming educated and compete with every nation in this world. If we do not do it, we will continue to grow our dependency state."
Williams pointed to work the state has already done to improve education, including eliminating the CATS testing system. Williams says he wants to allow teachers to go into depth on a subject and not "teach to the test." The candidates face off in the primary May 17.