Kentucky teachers: We’ve had enough
Protesters chanted "Stop the war on public education" and some, angry at lawmakers who supported the overhaul, yelled "Vote them out," while others held signs that read "We've Had Enough" and "A Pension is a Promise."
"We're madder than hornets, and the hornets are swarming today," said
Amid the chorus of chants from teachers,
Budget negotiators unveiled a spending plan Monday that includes increased spending for the main funding formula for K-12 schools and restored money for school buses that the state's Republican governor had proposed eliminating. The additional education spending would be paid for by a 6 percent sales tax on a host of services that had previously been tax-free.
Schools across the state were closed, most because of spring break, but several to allow teachers and other school employees to attend the rally that was organized after hundreds of teachers called in sick Friday to protest last-minute changes to their pension system. Teachers have rallied several times during
She wrote in a text message that children, firefighters, police officers and teachers were chanting and holding signs, some of which read "Some cuts won't heal," and "
"People are standing outside the
Dever said that while the pension bill was passed "in a deceitful and disrespectful way," that she was in
"We don't want public education to receive any cuts," she said. "That only hurts the kids."
She said it is important to represent her school district, and others, and to show support for current, retired and future generations of teachers. She wants the teaching profession to stay appealing and valued "because kids deserve quality teachers."
"We are all products of public schools, and we are proud of public education," she said.
Republican lawmakers in
Some provisions of Senate Bill 151, a stripped-down version of Senate Bill 1, include no changes to the 1.5 percent annual cost-of-living-adjustments for retirees; new hires entering a cash balance retirement plan; limits on sick days teachers can put toward their retirement; retirement eligibility for future teachers will increase to age 65 with five years of service or when the employee's combined age and years of service equal 87; and pension contribution rates to be 9.105 percent of salaries for teachers, with a 6 percent state contribution and 2 percent school district match.
Republican Gov.
For him, that includes paying the full actuarial payment for the teacher retirement system for 2019-20, funding employee health insurance at the equivalent level payments are now, and for the state to fully fund Support Education Excellence in
"If legislators don't perform their civic duty correctly, then we want them to know that we are people who are in a well-educated profession who are advocates for public schools," Haynes said. "We will remember this in November."
Haynes wants legislators to know he, and others rallying, are doing so for
"My whole world is my students in my classes," he said. "I want for people to think of education as an honorable and noble profession. I hope that that's the message that gets across to all citizens of the commonwealth."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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