UPDATE: KEA responds to commissioner’s memo about teacher sickouts

UPDATE: (03/27/19)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- The Kentucky Education Association has released a statement regarding the Education Commissioner’s request of names of teachers who used sick days to rally at the Capitol.

Here is that full statement:

“KEA reviewed the Commissioner’s memo to the ten school districts affected by the sickouts during the last month.  The conclusions he draws are legal ones, based on the plain wording of the applicable statutes.  The analysis he offers could easily have been completed at any time without making dramatic, cumbersome requests for information from the districts involved and without knowing the name of a single teacher who requested leave on any of the days in question.  His continued threat to use those names to trigger individual consequences if teachers and school administrators don’t comply with his demands just proves to us what we’ve known all along:  getting those names was always intended to intimidate.

It’s possible that the Commissioner doesn’t understand that many teachers don’t get personal days per KRS 161.154, because the language of that statute is permissive, not mandatory.  He claims to support teachers’ right to advocate and engage in the political process; if that’s true, he should use his bully pulpit to encourage all districts to grant the maximum number of personal days under KRS 161.154 and to permanently establish plans to allow employee delegations to travel to Frankfort during the legislative sessions.  Any Kentucky educator knows that positive supports get better results than fear every day of the week.  Let’s see if the Commissioner believes that, too.”

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky’s largest school district has turned over a preliminary list of teachers who used sick days to protest at the state Capitol.

The names were requested by Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis after Jefferson County Public Schools canceled classes multiple times in recent weeks due to teacher absences.

Lewis has said it isn’t his intent to discipline teachers who used sick days to close multiple school districts so they could protest, but wouldn’t rule it out.

Jefferson County school district spokeswoman Renee Murphy told news outlets the list was sent Monday, but declined to say how many names were on it.

Teachers protested at the Capitol as lawmakers considered proposals that would change who manages the teachers’ pension fund and indirectly support private schools with tax credits. The final day of the 2019 legislative session is Thursday.