Teachers plan “walk-in” over pension bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Teachers in Central Kentucky are staging “walk-in” rallies on Thursday to protest of a bill that would cut benefits for retired teachers.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee passed Senate Bill 1 on Wednesday by a vote of 7-4.

The bill cuts annual cost-of-living raises for retired teachers to 1 percent from 1.5 percent.

Republican Senator Joe Bowen, who sponsored the bill, says it would save the state about $3.2 billion over the next 20 years and help pay for the massive shortfall in the public pension system.

The bill now heads to the Senate floor for a vote then would need to be approved by the state House before it becomes law.

Shortly after the vote, the Kentucky Education Association sent out a release saying the state made a promise to teachers and it needs to keep its promise and “treat funding our schools, the services our kids need and the people who devote their working lives to providing those services as a top priority, not as a burden.”

The Kentucky Education Associate says on Thursday morning, teachers and school staff will gather outside their schools and walk in to school together in the Clark County, Danville Independent, Franklin County, Garrard County, Lincoln County, Montgomery County, Rockcastle County and Woodford County school districts.

Staff of at least four schools in Montgomery County will hold rallies after school.

The schools and districts participating are:

CLARK COUNTY
Justice Elementary – 6:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.

DANVILLE SCHOOLS
Jennie Rogers Elementary – before 7:35 a.m.
John W. Bate Middle School – before 7:45 a.m.
Hogsett Elementary – 7:25 a.m. to 7:35 a.m.
Danville High School – 7:35 a.m. to 7:55 a.m.

FRANKLIN COUNTY
Elkhorn Middle School – 7:40 a.m. to 8:10 a.m.

GARRARD COUNTY
Lancaster Elementary – 7:10 a.m. to 7:40 a.m.
Garrard County High School walk-in 7:10 a.m. to 7:40 a.m.

LINCOLN COUNTY
Crab Orchard Elementary: 7:00 a.m.
Lincoln County High School – 7:30 a.m.
Lincoln County Middle School – 7:30 a.m.
McKinney Elementary – 7:40 a.m.
Stanford Elementary – 7:30 a.m. and possibly also that afternoon

MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Montgomery County Intermediate School – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
McNabb Middle School – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Montgomery County High School – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Sterling School – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
MC2 – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Early Learning Center – 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Camargo Elementary – 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mapleton Elementary – 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

ROCKCASTLE COUNTY
Rockcastle County High School 7:15-7:40
Rockcastle County Middle School 7:15 – 7:30
Mount Vernon Elementary School 7:15 – 7:30
Brodhead Elementary School 7:15 – 7:30

WOODFORD COUNTY
Woodford County High School
Woodford County Middle School