The appointment of 69-year-old state Rep. Jon Draud, R-Edgewood, as Kentucky's education commissioner is something of a disappointment.
Obviously, we hope things work out well, but if they don't, blame the state Board of Education, which stubbornly refused to reopen the process for a second national search, after the initial choice proved an embarrassment.
...One wonders about Mr. Draud's values, given the piece he wrote after some celebrated school shootings, blaming the First Amendment and suggesting it shouldn't bar the government from stopping the entertainment industry from teaching kids violence.
...As a legislator, he keeps up with issues. His votes occasionally cross party lines. Some find his self-confidence off-putting, but journalists who have covered him generally give him good marks.
Critics will watch closely to see whether Mr. Draud has the physical stamina and creative energy this job requires. It's a hands-on job. And there's no time for tucking them under one's backside.
Mr. Draud will have a honeymoon period in which to show where he's headed. If it turns out he's carrying water for the private school lobby, or favors the narrow agenda of right-wing K-12 fundamentalism, that quickly will be obvious. But then so will a wiser course.
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