Fayette schools, other districts cancel classes after advocates call for teacher ‘sick out’
Fayette County Public Schools and other districts canceled classes Thursday after advocates called for a teacher “sick out” to protest a legislative proposal that would change the makeup of the board that oversees the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System.
As of about 8 p.m. Wednesday, about 40 percent of employees had reported they would not be in school Thursday, according to the district. There were not enough substitute teachers to fill the absences.
A bill that would restructure the board that makes decisions on pension investments sparked concern among current and retired teachers Wednesday, leading education activists to call for protests.
In addition to Fayette, Jefferson, Carter, Madison and Berea schools were closed, according to officials.
The Kentucky Education Association had questioned House Bill 525, which would restructure the Teachers’ Retirement System board of trustees, stripping retirement system members of the ability to elect seven trustees. Instead, one member would be nominated from seven different professional groups, five of which are educator-affiliated.
The change would result in the removal of teachers’ majority power over the board.
“It’s our money we want to put in, and we want to oversee that money,” said KEA President Stephanie Winkler in a Facebook Live video calling on members of the KEA to contact their lawmakers.
A text message sent by the teacher advocacy group 120 Strong to many current and retired teachers across the state called for a “sick-out” Thursday in protest.
The bill is scheduled to receive its first hearing in the House State Government Committee Thursday at noon.
Currently, there are 11 members of the TRS board of trustees: the chief state school officer, the state treasurer, two governor-appointed trustees with investment experience and seven members who are elected by the members of TRS.
The bill would change those seven members, five of whom are required to be members of TRS, and replace them with members nominated by the KEA, the Kentucky Retired Teachers’ Association, the Kentucky School Boards Association, the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, the Kentucky Association of Professional Educators, the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Kentucky Bankers Association.
Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis disagreed with educators taking Thursday off.
“It is unfair to Kentucky’s students and families, unreasonable, and irresponsible to attempt to shut down our state’s public school system because a House committee will consider a bill,” Lewis said. “Educators can and should make their views known in Frankfort, but there is no reason for our kids not to be in school tomorrow.”
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ken Upchurch, R-Monticello, said Wednesday night that he had been working for more than a week to change the bill to increase the say retired and current teachers would have on the board. He planned on filing a committee substitute.
“It is staggering that people would strike so early in the process and more astonishing that the organization that says they represent teachers’ best interests has called for it,” Upchurch said.
Winkler said she didn’t like the bill because it eliminated the election process, which is currently run by the KEA, and the changes could result in the selection of people who do not have money invested in the teachers’ retirement system.
“For the last more than 75 years, the KEA has been in charge of this process and it has gone fabulously, gone smoothly,” Winkler said.
The bill also would eliminate specified requirements for members selected by the professional groups. Currently, two members have to be non-teachers, one has to be a retiree and four have to be members of the retirement system.
Opposition affected several school districts, parents and students.
Jefferson County Public Schools canceled classes Thursday due to “significant teacher absences and the inability to safely cover a large number of classes with substitute teachers,” according to the district.
Carter County Superintendent Ronnie Dotson tweeted Wednesday night that his district would have no school Thursday “due to a significant number of employees that have called in sick tomorrow.”
Brad Hughes, former spokesman for Kentucky School Boards Association, posted on Twitter that Madison County Schools and the Berea Independent District were also out due to teacher absences.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 8:52 PM.
