At least eight Kentucky School Districts closed Thursday following a call for a teacher sickout by Kentucky 120 United.
According to the Courier-Journal school districts in Jefferson, Fayette, Madison, Marion, Bath, Carter, Boyd and Letcher Counties were closed Thursday after several of their teachers called in sick in support of a call for a sickout. Hundreds of teachers reportedly showed up at the Capitol Thursday to protest House Bill 525.
The bill proposes to allow the Kentucky Education Association to appoint only one member to the Kentucky Retirement System Board. Currently, the KEA can appoint four members to the board. The KEA claims the bill was in retaliation for continued protests over changes to the pension system.
Representative Ken Upchurch, who sponsored the bill, said a committee substitute addresses teacher concerns. The change late Thursday morning would allow a member of the Jefferson County Teachers Association to serve on the board. Upchurch said he has already heard from teachers who are satisfied with those changes.
