Sexton was dedicated to education

State News

Discussion

August 29, 2010

By RONNIE ELLIS CNHI The Glasgow Daily Times Sun Aug 29, 2010, 07:35 AM CDT

FRANKFORT — Robert F. Sexton, the longtime director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and a vocal proponent of education reform, has died.

Sexton, 68, died Thursday evening at the University of Kentucky Medical Center after a long battle with cancer.

“Many Kentuckians may not realize the revolutionary impact Bob had on shaping our state’s education practices, but it is not an exaggeration to say that Bob Sexton has influenced and enriched the education experience for generations of students,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with his wife Pam and their family.”

Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, had known Sexton since his college days when Moberly was in an intern program at Frankfort administered by Sexton. The two often discussed education in Kentucky as Moberly helped craft legislation he said often was shaped by those discussions with Sexton.

“I don’t believe the Prichard Committee which has done a great deal in improving education in Kentucky would have stayed on track without Bob Sexton,” Moberly said. “He was a continual prodder and provoker of education issues and discussions that moved Kentucky forward. Bob Sexton was a great Kentuckian.”

Sexton headed the Prichard Committee from the time it was formed in 1983 to advocate for education in Kentucky. The Louisville native had a bachelor’s degree from Yale and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. He served pm the boards of the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center and the New Opportunity School for Woman. He was a founder of the Governor’s Scholar Program and the Kentucky Center for Public Issues. He was a visiting scholar at Harvard University and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, according to information released by the Prichard Committee.

Before joining the Prichard Committee, Sexton was Deputy Director of the Council on Higher Education which was replaced by the Council of Postsecondary Education created by the 1997 higher education reform.

Dr. Terry Holliday, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education, a post created by the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 for which the Prichard Committee worked to see enacted, said Sexton had “an unswerving dedication to strengthening Kentucky’s public education system.” Holliday called Sexton’s passing both a personal and professional loss.

“Kentucky has lost one of its great education leaders and advocates today,” said Dr. Robert King, President of the Council on Postsecondary Education. “Bob was a visionary reformer and a tireless supporter of stronger schools and greater opportunity for Kentucky students. He will be missed, not only by those of us fortunate enough to have known him, but by all citizens who have benefited from his life’s work.”

Plans for a memorial service are pending.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.

Text Only

State News

EVENING UPDATE: Supreme Court: Lawmakers to run in old districts
Legislative candidates will have to run in decade-old districts in this year’s elections, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Friday afternoon.

February 24, 2012
Stivers withdraws pseudoephedrine bill
In a move that surprised both supporters and opponents, the sponsor of a bill to require prescriptions for medications containing pseudoephedrine withdrew the bill in the state Senate Thursday.

February 23, 2012
Gambling talk, cold medicine dominates week
First it was redistricting which dominated every conversation in the 2012 General Assembly. Lawmakers couldn’t resolve that issue and it’s now before the state Court of Appeals which is expected to seek to transfer the case to the state Supreme Court.

February 17, 2012
Drug bill clears committee
It took some blunt testimony and visual evidence and the vote was close, but the Senate Judiciary Committee passed out a bill Thursday to require prescriptions for the purchase of products containing pseudoephedrine.

February 16, 2012
Senate committee looks at constables
A state Senate committee revised a proposed constitutional amendment which would have eliminated the office of constable Wednesday, choosing instead to offer a statute to allow local governments to define constables’ duties through ordinance.

February 16, 2012
Medicaid managed care groups reassure committee
Medicaid managed care organizations went before a restive Senate committee whose members have been bombarded with complaints from providers about late payments for Medicaid services.

February 16, 2012
Gambling amendment introduced
Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican Sen. Damon Thayer on Tuesday announced the much anticipated gambling amendment they hope to push through the legislature, an amendment that would allow up to seven casinos, five at existing horse racing tracks.

February 15, 2012
Activists gather to protest mountaintop removal
Their message was clear, though not everyone agrees with it.

February 15, 2012
Kentucky pharmacists unhappy with rates
A roomful of Kentucky pharmacists Monday made clear their dissatisfaction with some of their reimbursement rates under the newly implemented Medicaid managed care system before a legislative committee.

February 14, 2012
LRC appeals to Supreme Court
A lawyer for the governing arm of the state legislature has filed an appeal asking the state Supreme Court to dissolve a Franklin Circuit Court temporary injunction that 2012 candidates for the legislature run under 2002 district lines and set aside its ruling that the new district lines passed this year are unconstitutional.

February 14, 2012
More State News Headlines

State News

Search Results

Discussion

Sexton was dedicated to education

Site Map