Cold temperatures and icy roads failed to deter a large group of Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) members this past Tuesday, Jan. 14, in their efforts to publicize the filing of their landmark lawsuit against Kentucky. The lawsuit, which aims to expand upon the 35-year-old Kentucky Supreme Court Case Rose v. Council for Better Education, claims Kentucky hasn’t lived up to the standards for a quality education set forth by our constitution. If ruled in the student’s favor, it could have huge implications for Kentucky’s public school system, which some students say has been repeatedly neglected by lawmakers for decades. 

The press conference included speakers from KSVT as well as their legal team. (Not all members of KSVT are individual plaintiffs. KSVT is an organizational plaintiff.) Plaintiffs, which include students both in and outside of KSVT, were cited in the complaint distributed to press members. Student speakers touched on several key points, including statistics relating to insufficient funding for the arts, low proficiency in oral communication and writing skills, and the lack of appropriate mental health support in schools across the commonwealth, among many others. 

They also demonstrated just how student-driven the lawsuit is. For nearly two years, dozens of students have worked together to bring this case from idea to reality by reaching out to plaintiffs, coordinating press events, and sharing their own school experiences. Images of the event circulated online and in the media depicted a cluster of teens, all from different locations, backgrounds, and schools, united in support of a shared cause. These Kentucky students aren’t willing to put their constitutional rights on hold. 

“It was very empowering to be out there and see all these people from all across the state, how this was not just a my school problem or my district problem— this was something that was affecting everyone,” said Georgie Farmer, a junior at Danville High School. 

Farmer, who spoke at the event, noted that they could personally relate to many of the claims brought up in the suit. They’ve had to take several classes online due to a lack of teachers, which isn’t a suitable alternative to in-person schooling. They have also noticed instances in which students aren’t getting necessary instruction. Still, Farmer hopes the case will allow schools like theirs to finally gain access to much-needed funding and support. 

“ There was one moment when we were setting up, where a school bus drove past and it was all these little kids that, if this happened, it would be helping them in the next coming years,” they said. 

Other students agreed that the event felt like an encouraging sign of what the lawsuit may result in. Chase Colvin, a junior at duPont Manual High School, said that although he will no longer be in a Kentucky public school by the time the lawsuit is closed, he believes it’s important for him to participate in order to better the system for younger students. Colvin has taken on the role of being an individual named plaintiff in the case, meaning that he could be deposed to attest to the alleged inequities of the Kentucky public school system in court. 

“ Hearing all those perspectives and what everyone has to share about their stories really inspired me to fight for this, not just for my educational quality, but for the rest of the state and also for the future,” he said. 

Not only does the lawsuit attempt to hold legislators accountable and advocate for educational reform, but it also aims to raise public awareness about the Rose standards and glaring inequalities facing our public school system. In the hours and days after the event, social media was flooded with posts featuring images and clips from the students’ speeches. Many of those bringing attention to the lawsuit were students themselves, surprised by the bold actions of their peers. Maggie Donworth, a new member of KSVT and a freshman at Tates Creek High School, said she found the team very impressive, and that young people across Kentucky should feel inspired by the lawsuit. 

“ I think that if they're seeing this in the news that they should take that as a sign that they can get involved, and they can get things done, and they can make a difference,” she said. 

A similar experience was shared by some of the plaintiffs who previously hadn’t been involved with KSVT. Bryan Xia, a junior at North Oldham High School, said he was connected to the litigation team through a friend and decided to sign on as a plaintiff after learning about the impact he could make. 

“There's this quote that kind of inspired me to do this whole thing. John F. Kennedy said, ‘Don’t ask what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.’ and that’s kind of what pushed me to come here,” he said. 

Xia has experienced frustration with the school system before. When signing up for AP classes at his school, he learned he would have to pay a fee of about $150, which seemed exorbitant to him. Although he was able to cover the cost, he feels these prices are unfair to students who are forced into lower level classes that lack  resources because they can’t afford advanced courses. He hopes the lawsuit will be able to solve disparities like these. 

For many students, teachers, parents, and staff, our state’s education situation seems bleak. Kentucky has consistently been ranked among the lowest states in education quality. Our language and math proficiency rates have plateaued. Over 100 Kentucky schools don’t have a qualified counselor on staff, and nearly half don’t meet the required counselor to student ratio. This lawsuit offers many a glimmer of hope. Some believe it promises a better education system for students, one that is able to produce competent, prepared, happy adults. It is legal action that is led by a truly involved party: students.

Caroline Ann Keith contributed to this reporting.