Fayette County School Board Member Opts Out of Upcoming Community Engagement Events Over Concerns of Impropriety

Lexington, Kentucky – Fayette County Public Schools board member Amanda Ferguson announced she will not participate in upcoming community engagement events, referred to as “roadshows,” organized by district officials. Set to begin on Monday, these events will feature meet-and-greet opportunities, question-and-answer sessions, and performances by students.

The roadshows, according to a district news release, aim to provide an overview of the new Fayette County Public Schools Safety Tracker and highlight recent Kentucky accountability scores, along with fostering discussions between board members and the community.

Ferguson expressed concerns that the events appear to primarily support the board members seeking re-election. “I have chosen not to participate because of my apprehension about their true intent, and the appearance of impropriety surrounding these meet-and-greets,” she stated. Two current board members, Amy Green of the 5th District and Marilyn Clark of District 1, are up for re-election.

Ferguson highlighted that the planning process for these events did not include her input, raising issues of transparency and fairness. “I was never asked at which school(s) I would want to appear or with which other board member(s) I would like to share a platform,” she said. The board had received an email from Superintendent Demetrus Liggins on September 5 informing them about the new initiative without prior input from Ferguson or any discussion among board members.

The disparity was further complicated by the district’s legal office sending an email discouraging employees from participating in school board campaigns, which Ferguson noted coincided with the announcement of the roadshows highlighting two candidates. She pointed to the presence of “likes” on social media posts from official FCPS accounts supporting these candidates as evidence of a conflicting stance from district leadership.

In response to Ferguson’s concerns, Liggins said that communication and transparency have been priorities for his administration and that the board had ample opportunities to provide input. “Most board members have taken the opportunity to contribute valuable insights,” he said, emphasizing that he only learned about Ferguson’s specific concerns through her public statement.

The first roadshow is scheduled for Monday, October 21, at Lafayette High School, followed by events at Bryan Station on October 24 and Tates Creek on October 25. All sessions will run from 6 to 8 p.m. and remain open to the public, regardless of residential area.