Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 1

Editor’s note: Dale Stewart is running unopposed for District 5 representative on the DCPS board. Candidate profi les have been edited only for spelling, grammar and punctuation, and otherwise appear as submitted.

ADDRESS 2227 Ford Ave., Owensboro, KY 42301

EDUCATION undergraduate degree, Kentucky Wesleyan College (1972); advanced degrees, Western Kentucky University

OCCUPATION 40-plus years in education

ELECTED OFFICES HELD Daviess County Public Schools board of education member (xxx-present)

SPOUSE/PARTNER & CHILDREN Wife Jane; three children; fi ve grandchildren

DALE STEWART District 5

Do you support the decisions made on in-person classes vs. virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I totally support the decision made by the board. I served on the task force, and we always put safety fi rst. The group worked all summer, and we are proud of the results.

What do you see as the most important function of the board of education as a whole, and what strengths will you bring individually to enhance the board’s eff ectiveness?

The most important role of the board is to establish the vision and goals for the district. As a board member, it is my responsibility to support our students by being visible and present at all times. I consider that a strength of mine and approach that role in a very serious manner.

What do you view as the greatest strength and biggest area of weakness in Daviess County Public Schools, and what will you do to enhance or improve upon these areas?

Without a doubt, the greatest strength of our district is our dedicated staff. They amaze me every day with their efforts on behalf of our students. In addition, the community support and the way we value education is phenomenal.

What do you view as the role of public education in a community?

Public education is the lifeblood of our society and community. Memories and friendships are established for a lifetime.

KENTUCKY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1 *If voting on a paper ballot, constitutional amendments are on the back of the ballot.

Constitutional Amendment 1 is a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would place the rights of crime victims into the constitution.

If approved by voters, the amendment known as “Marsy’s Law” would include a number of rights of crime victims in the state’s constitution, including the right of a victim to be informed of hearings in their case, to be notifi ed if the defendant in their case is released on bond or escapes, and the right to speak at hearings.

Kentucky lawmakers passed a similar bill in 2019, but the state Supreme Court ruled the ballot language was insuffi cient for voters to understand the proposed amendment. The measure appeared on the ballot last year and was approved by voters, but after the court’s ruling, the vote was not certifi ed and that version of the amendment did not go into effect.