‘Let our voices be heard.’ With superintendent’s blessing, Fayette teachers go to Frankfort.
Liz Buckler, a fourth grade teacher at Squires Elementary, says she will be among the Fayette school employees going to Frankfort on a school day during the 2020 General Assembly to sit in on hearings, monitor bills, and “let our voices be heard.”
As part of a Legislative Engagement program the district has had in partnership with the Fayette County Education Association since 2018, Buckler and other staff have permission from Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk to be at the General Assembly. This year, the district, in many cases, will be paying for a substitute teacher to fill in for educators visiting the legislature, which runs through April.
Caulk said Fayette County was the first school district in the state to create a plan to allow teachers to advocate in Frankfort on school days and still make sure that students’ needs were met.
“We’re all about providing opportunities for employee voice,” Caulk told the Herald-Leader. “We wanted to increase the level of engagement. “
He said he and Jessica Hiler, president of the FCEA, an employees group, came up with the idea. Caulk said the Legislative Engagement program has been “a true partnership” with FCEA from the outset and one that he is proud of.
“How could we give our teachers voice during the legislative session and still balance that with maintaining high quality educational experiences for our children?” Caulk said.
Teachers going to the General Assembly on school days became a point of contention under former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, whose administration threatened penalties for teachers in 2019. Several school districts canceled classes because of a high number of teacher absences during protests in Frankfort, with Fayette only canceling for one day.
Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who took office in December and who has pledged support for public education, recently reversed a Bevin administration’s decision that Kentucky teachers violated state law when participating in “sickouts” protesting anti-public education policies.
Buckler said that at her visit during the 2019 General Assembly, “We got to go in and meet with several different lawmakers and let our voices be heard. Superintendent Caulk allowing us to take our voices to Frankfort during a work day and to show them that we mean business... and seeing us so involved finally is making a difference.”
Hiler said she and Caulk discussed prior to the 2018 session the need to have more Fayette schools employees actively engaged with legislators in Frankfort.
“I shared with Manny that FCEA typically takes members to Frankfort for a ‘Day of Learning’ one day during each session to attend committee meetings, and meet with legislators,” said Hiler. “However, we have always wanted to engage more employees. Manny agreed.”
As part of the legislative engagement program, Hiler said she creates a schedule of the school employees who will go Frankfort to meet with legislators every Tuesday and Thursday during the session when legislative education committees meet.
Hiler said she works with the district’s Human Resources Director Jennifer Dyar to finalize the schedule for teachers to go to Frankfort and communicate with principals regarding the details. During the 2018 and 2019 session, schools either sent employees who did not require a substitute or employees would cover for each other.
Starting this year, Fayette County will be paying for one substitute per school building. Others can go, but they will need to find coverage within the school if they need a substitute.
Caulk commended school leaders and principals for working with human resources officials on an intentional strategy to provide teachers with advocacy opportunities in Frankfort.
Buckler, a FCEA member, said when she goes to the 2020 General Assembly for one day each in February and March, she plans to tell lawmakers that charter schools “are not for the state of Kentucky” and that revenue must be generated for public school funding. The General Assembly approved charter schools in 2017 but none have opened because lawmakers have not yet approved a funding mechanism for charters and there’s no current appetite for that.
Barbara Priest, an instructional assistant at Julius Marks Elementary school and a FCEA member, has gone to the General Assembly for the past two years and is scheduled to attend one day each in both February and March.
“As a Fayette County Public schools employee it’s very important to meet with legislators face to face,” Priest said. This year, she wants to make sure lawmakers focus on having quality public education available for all students in Kentucky and to increase state revenue to fund programs and the school safety bill passed in 2019. She is asking lawmakers to fully fund and maintain a defined benefit in all public pension plans.
The Fayette school board approved a 2020 legislative agenda at its Jan. 13 planning meeting, including a request for more revenue. But Caulk said the district does not “provide teachers with talking points. “ He said employees are free to share their perspectives and views with lawmakers. Caulk said the advocacy and civic engagement among the staff has resulted in increased voice among students.
“I think what Superintendent Caulk is doing is saying ‘we want teachers to be part of the political process.’ It’s admirable,” said State Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington. Thomas said he thinks private businesses should give their employees similar opportunities to go to Frankfort during the General Assembly.
Caulk said a key factor in the success of the program is that elected officials have been welcoming to Fayette school employees.
“We are deeply appreciative of the hospitality our lawmakers have shown to teachers and education support professionals, which they have demonstrated by meeting with Fayette County Public Schools employees and listening to their issues and concerns,” Caulk said. “That spirit of cooperation is the key to moving public education forward in our Commonwealth.”