Teachers ‘never broke the law.’ Beshear reverses Bevin administration’s ‘sickout’ stance.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Tuesday he had reversed former Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration’s decision that Kentucky teachers violated state law when participating in “sickouts” protesting anti-public education policies.
Beshear said in a news release that following an investigation last year by the Labor Cabinet, nearly 1,000 teachers were wrongly accused of violating state labor laws and threatened with civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.
“We are rescinding the prior administration’s stance to make clear that our teachers and educators never broke the law and are welcome in Frankfort,” Beshear said in the news release. “In order to do what is best for our public education system and each student, we must respect each other and find ways to work together.”
Fayette County Education Association President Jessica Hiler said in response Tuesday that her group appreciates “ that Governor Beshear supports our right to advocate for our students and our profession.”
“As Attorney General , he disagreed with the initial decision of the labor cabinet and stood up for educators,” said Hiler. “Teachers provide a voice for our most vulnerable children and should be encouraged to speak up, not threatened and intimidated for doing so. We look forward to working with an administration that values educators and will ensure a cooperative environment. “
“In our administration we are focused on bringing Kentuckians together to solve our most pressing problems,” Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, an educator, said in the news release. “And that starts with making sure we recognize the constitutional rights of our employees, educators and all Kentuckians.”
The letter from Beshear’s Labor Cabinet Secretary Larry Roberts to the cabinet’s inspector general, sent Monday, says the former secretary’s conclusion was contrary to law since there was no “strike” or “work stoppage” under state law. The letter says teachers were exercising constitutional rights to speech, petition and assembly and not engaged in a dispute with their employers concerning the terms of their employment.
“The governor’s decision to rescind this decision is a victory for all Kentuckians who choose to exercise their first amendment rights, ” Kentucky Education Association officials said in response.
On its Facebook page Tuesday in response to Beshear’s announcement, the educator’s group Kentucky 120 United said, “New Governor, New Year! Happy New Year and a sincere thank you to our Governor and all who have supported us over the past almost 2 years. Looking forward to what is to come!”
This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 2:35 PM.