By Becky Manley / Staff Writer
The Corbin Board of Education is willing to take its fight to reinstate the non-resident reciprocal agreement axed by the Knox County Board of Education all the way to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
That appeals process will first begin with Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday.
During a special work session Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to authorize Superintendent Ed McNeel to send a written appeal to Holliday.
If that appeal fails to result in the reinstatement of the reciprocal agreement, the board directed McNeel to appeal to the Kentucky Board of Education.
If both those appeals fail, Bob Hammons, attorney for the Corbin district, said the district will pursue the agreement’s reinstatement in Franklin Circuit Court and the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
Earlier this month, the Knox County Board of Education voted to end its long-standing non-resident reciprocal agreement with Corbin.
That vote, which impacts 169 students who live in Knox district but attend Corbin schools, has sparked an outcry from some parents and protests from Corbin officials.
Included among those protesters are Barbourville residents Bo Hinkle, 30, and Michelle Hinkle, 28, who attended Tuesday’s Corbin board meeting.
The Hinkles told the board their four children attend Corbin schools, although their two oldest children began attending Knox district schools.
The Hinkles moved their children to the Corbin district after one of their sons began to struggle with reading, Michelle Hinkle said. Since the move, the boy’s reading has improved and he now consistently reads above grade level and has remained on the honor roll, Michelle Hinkle said.
Bo Hinkle said school choice should remain with parents.
“It’s not fair,” Bo Hinkle said.
Hinkle’s opinion was echoed by Corbin board members during the meeting, including Chairwoman Lisa Cleary who said all schools would benefit if state laws were changed to allow school choice.
“I think we’d see an improvement in all our school districts,” Cleary said.
