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Our Stories
Kay Curtis
Lexington, KY
Letter to the Senate
My name is Kay Curtis. I am 47 years old and moved to Lexington from Southern California in 1987. I have a small farm in Northern Fayette County, which I share with a wonderful husband, two horses and a dog. I also have a felony conviction for obtaining a prescription by fraud.
I was addicted to a narcotic medication called Fiorinal #3, which had been prescribed to me for chronic headaches. My crime was "doctor shopping". I went from doctor to doctor to get the drug.
In 1996, I was turned in by someone, and quit using the drug in August of that year. In January of 1997 I was arrested in a Lexington drug sting. As I already had five months clean, I readily admitted what I had done and plead guilty to one felony count of getting the drug. It was my first and only offense. It was a non violent, non trafficking Class D felony.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky punished me, rightfully so, and I took responsibility for my crime.
I served two years' probation and was released from probation in April of 1999. I received my voting and other civil rights back in the late summer of 1999. During these years I worked full time, and starting in 2000, I not only worked full time, but began pursuing my 2nd Bachelor's Degree. I went to school at night while I worked during the day.
In May of 2004 I received my Business Administration/Accounting Degree from Midway College with a 4.0 GPA and outstanding graduating student honors from the Business Department there. (They would not hire me, either.)
When I left my full time job in 2004 to begin looking for work in which I could use my Degree, I was stunned to find that there was not an employer in Lexington who would hire me. I was also rejected by the very same temporary agencies that had gratefully used my services five years earlier, knowing that I had the felony on my record.
I will not go into detail the devastating words spoken to me by potential employers in the past year, but it all boils down to the felony. It is time I was able to live my life again and stopped being punished for my past. Probation was supposed to be my punishment. I have been off probation for six years.
Many of you have heard from me before this. I have written letters and emails pleading for a chance to earn a living wage, using my accounting skills and College degree.
Instead of being given the benefit of the doubt for a problem that has been over for nine years now, I have been tried and convicted again and again every time I have sought gainful employment.
Now it is time for the Commonwealth of Kentucky to explain to me why I continue to be punished, especially after I have worked my heart out to turn my life around.
House Bill #5 is my chance to earn more than 8.00 or 9.00 and hour, which is what I am earning now. This is a wage that unskilled high school graduates earn. I have 25 years' experience and two Bachelor’s Degrees.
This kind of prejudice makes Kentucky look like a judgmental, myopic, unforgiving place in which to live, and in my opinion, it is.
Some felons will never be rehabilitated, but those like me are not only rehabilitated, we are enthusiastic, honest, hard working people who are grateful for any chance we might have to follow our career dreams. Yes, even felons have career dreams and I don't intend to let the Commonwealth take mine away from me.
I have been told that the State Senators are not going to be receptive to House Bill #5. I have been told that, unlike the members of the House, the Senate stays in an "Ivory Tower". I don't know if this is true, and I am not judging you because I do not know you. I can tell you, however, that you will see me next Legislative Session, like the House saw me during the past Legislative Session. My situation has gone on long enough. I am tired of being treated like a violent, unrepentant, unethical criminal, when I am NONE of these things.
I will look in your eyes and I will ask you to tell me that I do not deserve to earn a good living or use my great mind and my hard-earned College degree.
I ask you to remember that you were voted to office by your constituency, of which I am one. I am through letting employers and in this state punish me and I am going to fight hard for my right to have a career and I think you can help me do this. You will hear from and you will see me me every time House Bill #5 is discussed and even when it isn't.
Yes, I am upset, and I am angry. I have spent nine years being ashamed and apologizing for what I did. Now I am going to speak out because I deserve to have a career as much as anyone in this State.
I was recently asked to come to work as a billing clerk for my own physician's practice. If I am good enough to work for this well respected group of men, I am good enough for any employer in this state. Think about it, someone with my background, at work in a doctor's office. THAT is how far I have come. These people know my history and they KNOW I am trustworthy and clean.
I would love to have the chance to pursue my career at my current job, but my training will not lead me in this direction, so once again, I must turn to those who probably don't want to hear from me.
I think you have a responsibility to me now, because I have tried every thing imaginable to find the right career position, to even find a decent job. There is simply nothing more I can do.
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