KY120 United-AFT Official Statement on Special Session

From KY120 United-AFT:

When a special session was first called, we were hopeful that at least some of the challenges we were facing in public schools during the dramatic rise in COVID cases would be met with sensible legislation.

While the bill that was passed today made small strides in allowing some flexibility within school districts, it did not go far enough to meet the challenges we are experiencing. Eliminating the statewide mask mandate issued by KBE and putting it in the hands of local school boards is simply kicking the can in order to dodge responsibility.

Adding “virtual days,” but providing no guidance of what those actually entail, adds yet another burden to our school districts who are now left to interpret and implement how those days can be used.

We need legislators who will do what is right by the people of the Commonwealth by proposing sound legislation rather than playing petty politics. Yet once again, unsurprisingly, public schools will be left to clean up the mess left by Frankfort. But this time, it’s a matter of life or death.