The Annie E. Casey Foundation reported that 69 percent of Kentucky’s fourth graders fail to read at grade level, 79 percent of eighth graders are not proficient in math, and nearly one in ten aren’t graduating on time. Altogether, Kentucky ranks 29th amongst the states in education (2022 data). Adding to the problem was a 20 percent turnover of teachers last year. Accomplished high school principal Randy Adams of Anderson County was one who left after he was forced to use gender-preferred pronouns and told to keep it secret from parents. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) bears some responsibility as they’ve strayed into LGBTQ activism. Instead, they should focus on academic excellence, avoid divisiveness in the classroom, invite parents into the education formation process, and respects parental rights instead of undermining them. And when this happens, Kentucky kids have a better chance to improve their scores and succeed.