Posted on 02/27/2019 7:35:33 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
RANKFORT, KY (WAVE) - A Kentucky teachers group is urging teachers to call in sick on Thursday to protest HB 525 in Frankfort.
The group, KY 120 United, is a grassroots group that led protests during the last legislative session. The group is not directly affiliated with teachers unions in the state of Kentucky.
In a letter obtained by WAVE 3 News, the group is urging teachers to “take bold action” and to “ask employees in every work site to call in sick tomorrow (Thursday).”
See the full letter below:
Dear KEA & JCTA members!
Please DO NOT POST TO SOCIAL MEDIA!
This is an emergency action alert!
...
Please make sure to emphasize that this word should be spread via phone call or text and NOT on social media.
HB 525 is a bill that would restructure the TRS Board of Trustees. It will be heard at 12 p.m. on Thursday.
According to the letter, if HB 525 passes out of committee on Thursday, “we will stay home on Friday as well.”
...
HB 525 sponsor Rep. Ken Upchurch issued the following statement Wednesday evening:
“I have been told that teachers in at least two of our largest school districts are planning a ‘sick out’ to protest the preliminary version of legislation that seeks to give educators more say in their own retirement.
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. We have been working for more than a week on a committee substitute that will not only increase the say teachers have – particularly those with JCTA - but also the voice of retired educators...
(Excerpt) Read more at wave3.com ...
FRANKFORT, not RANKFORT...lost a letter there, sorry...
Fayette County is apparently already closed tomorrow. Jefferson is still waiting to see.
Follow the moo lah.
Shutting down school systems for a bill that hasn’t even gotten a reading, let alone a vote for passage. Aren’t you glad these people are teaching our children?
This is the new world we live in. Last week teachers and support staff struck for two days in WV, primarily it was about a bill which would allow the first two charter schools in the state.
Striking is turning into an annual event, last year it was about raises that lasted for a couple of weeks. Both strikes were illegal.
The school boards, superintendents, legislature and Governor acquiesced to the unions, they control the state.
Jefferson County schools may as well close for all the good it does students.
It is hugely mismanaged and top heavy with a lot of grossly overpaid administrators. Plenty of corruption also. IOW, a very expensive joke that is in no way funny.
Sounds like the AZ “red for Ed” movement that was a blatant socialist run organization...
Where else will the kids learn to be bullies if not from the teacher union?
+ 1
And many of them are openly defying the SCOTUS Janus decision.
Fire Them All.
They try to portray these as grassroots movements, but they are are organized by large Leftist groups. They’re agenda is to discredit Republicans, get democrats elected, and radically raise taxes. It’s happening in other States as well.
If public school teachers are against it...I’m for it!
Good. Hope they do and the governor fires than, and passes a school voucher law. Private schools would double in size over night and many public indoctrination centers would close forever.
JoMa
Sadly, this is all too true. There are a few good schools, here and there. But, there are also far too many that are FAILING badly. The whole system is so screwed up. I have a neighbor with three kids, 6,8 and 10 that ALL go to different schools. They are forced to let some ride the bus, since... they can't physically drive the kids to all three at the same time. The 10 year old rides a bus 40 minutes, each way, to a CRAPPY school that is over-run with 'inner city kids' who routinely curse at teachers with no fear of retribution.
The truly sad part about this is, there is a good elementary school less than a mile from our house.
They are trying to arrange a private school for their oldest. But, it's extremely expensive... especially, for three kids.
So what is this all about? I read through the entire body of the thread with no answer to that important point.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — JCPS canceled classes Thursday, after an advocacy group called on teachers across Kentucky to call out sick to protest legislation that would alter the makeup and selection of the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System’s board.
A group called "KY 120 United," created last year as teachers across the state protested a pension reform bill that was later overturned by the Kentucky Supreme Court, urged teachers to protest House Bill 525 at the Capitol on Thursday and possibly Friday if HB 525 moves out of committee.
The legislation would alter the makeup and selection process for KTRS board members. It’s scheduled for a hearing in the House State Government Committee on Thursday.
[...]
HB 525 would scrap the current three-member nominating committee that picks two potential KTRS board candidates to place on ballots for every opening. The KTRS board is currently made up of the chief state school officer, state treasurer, two trustees appointed by the governor and seven elected by KTRS members.
Four of those elected trustees must be KTRS members, one must be a retired KTRS member and two must not be teachers. Those provisions would be stricken from law if HB 525 passes.
The president of the Kentucky Education Association leads the nominating committee, but that person would be one of seven offering nominations for board elections if HB 525 becomes law.
Others who would offer nominations under HB 525 are the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association, Kentucky School Boards Association, Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, Kentucky Association of Professional Educators, Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants and Kentucky Bankers Association.
Those nominees would automatically be placed on ballots for board elections, according to the bill.
You can say that again.
Basically, the bill just takes away the complete control of the pension board membership from the teacher’s union (outrageous they had that much power over it to begin with). The teachers don’t even know what they were protesting but called in sick to protest anyway. Smart bunch of folks we’ve got teaching our kids...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.