FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 23, 2023) – The Republican Party of Kentucky issued the following statement after Andy Beshear tried to pretend he had no role in the hiring of Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education, who has come under fire from Republicans for saying teachers who refused to follow his guidance on the use of preferred pronouns should quit.
“After more than three years of taking credit for things he had nothing to do with, Andy Beshear has finally found something he doesn’t want to take credit for: his own education commissioner,” RPK Spokesman Sean Southard said. “Andy Beshear was the first Governor in the history of Kentucky who wiped out the board of education and replaced it with a board completely comprised of Democrats, a move that was criticized by even one of our state’s most strident liberal columnists. I haven’t seen a guy run away from someone this fast since I saw Bill Murray run away from the Bishop who got struck by light
ning in Caddyshack. It’s Andy Beshear’s Board of Education and Jason Glass is Andy Beshear’s Commissioner of Education.”
GOVERNOR BESHEAR’S RECORD ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
- Governor Beshear’s Team has previously said he would appoint a new board of education on “day one” and it was his wish that “the new Board of Education would select a new commissioner on day two.” Herald-Leader, Nov. 25, 2019
- Beshear spokesperson said that he “must have Kentucky Board of Education members and a Commissioner of Education that shares their objectives and priorities for public education.” Herald-Leader, Nov. 25, 2019
- Governor Beshear was the first governor in Kentucky history to reorganize the Kentucky Board of Education to achieve his political goals. WDRB, Dec. 11, 2019
- Governor Beshear praised his own action to eliminate the previous board and the selection of Education Commissioner Jason Glass in a press release, calling him “a new leader” with “a vision.” Kentucky Department of Education, July 10, 2020
- Liberal Courier-Journal columnist Joe Gerth said Beshear’s decision to not appoint a single Republican to the state board of education was a huge mistake. Courier-Journal, Jan. 7, 2020
