Kentucky Students to Host Public Hearing on Civic Education Amid Legal Battle Over Education Adequacy

Media Contact:
Will Powers, Public Engagement and Policy Partner
(606) 875-0024 | will.powers@ksvt.org

Lexington, KY— As part of their ongoing fight to secure a quality public education for every student in Kentucky, the Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) will convene a youth-led public hearing on civic education on Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m. at the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning in Lexington.

This hearing comes on the heels of a historic lawsuit filed by KSVT and 13 student plaintiffs in January, which contends that the Commonwealth has failed its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate and equitable education system as guaranteed by the landmark 1989 Rose v. Council for Better Education decision.

“Our schools are supposed to prepare us for informed civic participation, but many students graduate without ever learning how government works or how to engage with it,” said Michelle Zheng, a KSVT member and a student from Elizabethtown High School helping to organize the hearing. “We’re hosting this hearing to center student experiences and begin building solutions from the ground up.”

The lawsuit has sparked statewide attention—and pushback. In late February, the Kentucky Attorney General filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that students have “misplaced both the blame and the source of any remedy.” Legislative leaders followed suit, filing motions to remove themselves from the case entirely.

“The state created this crisis—and now they’re trying to avoid responsibility,” said KSVT Policy Coordinator Ivy Litton and student from Rowan County Senior High School. “Instead of addressing years of unconstitutional underinvestment in our schools, they’re trying to shut down the conversation before the facts can even be heard.”

KSVT’s April 5 hearing will shine a spotlight on one of the many issues raised in the lawsuit: the failure to provide adequate civics instruction. Kentucky is one of just eleven states with no requirement for a standalone civics course, leaving many students unprepared for meaningful engagement in a democracy.

Through testimony, storytelling, and moderated discussion, the hearing will elevate the lived experiences of students from across the Commonwealth, while offering policy recommendations to improve civic learning.

The event will feature four expert witnesses:

• Vontella Thomas, Kentucky YMCA Youth Association
• Richard Young, CivicLex
• Carly Muetterties, KY Civic Education Coalition
• Sherri McPherson, Fayette County Public Schools

WHAT: Youth-Led Public Hearing on Civic Education
WHEN: Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Carnegie Center, 251 W 2nd St, Lexington, KY 40507 (Google Maps)
WHO: student examiners, civic education expert witnesses, educators, parents, community leaders
RSVP: The event is free and open to the public. Media and policymakers are especially encouraged to attend. Reserve a free ticket online here.

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About the Kentucky Student Voice Team

‍The Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) is an independent, statewide, 501(c)(3) organization co-founded in 2012 by a group of Kentucky high school students. As a collective of young people, KSVT is on a mission to co-create more just, democratic Kentucky schools and communities as research, policy-advocacy & storytelling partners.