LAGRANGE, Ky. — A Kentucky parent's goal was to make an impact to weigh in on issues, like mask policies and critical race theory, so he said he went from speaking up at school board meetings to obtaining a very short-lived position. He said his work as a photographer became the reason he was asked to step away.

It started at the Oldham County School Board meeting in June where Corey Queen spoke out.

“Whatever three-letter term we want to use, teach those children facts not narrative. We don't tell our science teachers, they don't teach fission because it's unfair to fusion," Queen said. "We teach facts, that's what I want my children to come home and learn. Betsy Ross knitting a flag did not happen in 1776 it happened in 1792 because Rhode Island didn't become a state until 1790. Those are facts."

When an Oldham County school board seat opened up, Queen realized he could be part of the change he spoke about. On Monday night the board unanimously voted to appoint him to fill the vacant district 4 seat.

According to a statement from Oldham County Schools, “the Board passed a motion to appoint Mr. Corey Queen to fill the District 4 seat that became vacant after the resignation of Mr. Kevin Woosley in July of this year.”

The dream was short lived. Just hours after the vote, Queen said he received a text from a board member whom he did not want to name about posts on social media regarding his previous photography work. The Office of Kentucky Conservatives group even took to Facebook with a post to call Queen out for his photography business.

“Any local, world famous, any photographers page and they've got boudoir pictures, it's the same thing. You go to their web page and you find the same stuff if not more descriptive, more artistic, more graphic if you want to use that term,” Queen said.

That's when Queen said he got a phone call, just hours later, from the same board member he wishes to leave anonymous.

“I answered the phone, they said, 'I'm sitting here. The office is blowing up, and I've been talking with the superintendent. And, I just feel like this is going to be too difficult for you,' and, 'We think you need to decline the position,'” Queen said.

In a statement, Oldham County Schools said “Tuesday morning the district was notified that Mr. Queen declined the appointment prior to his scheduled swearing in on Sept. 27.”

Spectrum News 1 did reach out to each board member as well as the school for further comment, but did not hear back. Oldham County Schools stated that the board members were responsible for interviewing applicants for the board seat.

Queen felt he had no choice but to decline the seat because he had to think about the five other members of his family.

“I don't cry about regretting the decision because again I still think about my kids and so, that is always going to be paramount in any decision I make,” Queen said.

Oldham County Schools voted unanimously Thursday to appoint Andrea Neikirk to the District 4 seat