A late night maneuver Thursday to alter retirement for Kentucky teachers isn’t impacting Marshall County Schools today.
Superintendent Trent Lovett said teachers reported to work Friday even as multiple districts across the Commonwealth reportedly closed when staff did not come in. According to the Courier-Journal, 20 districts across the state closed due to staffing Friday. None were located in western Kentucky.
“I looked before I went to be last night and I looked again this morning,” Lovett said. “Our teachers are here. I am proud of them.”
The state-wide protest is in response to Senate Bill 151, a sewage bill used to alter the pay structure of future teachers and restrict how current educators may apply leave time toward their retirement. Proponents say it will reduce more than $40 billion in future unfunded liabilities, while detractors are criticizing how the change came about.
The bill passed 22-15 in the Senate, mostly along party lines.
SB 151, was amended to add pension provisions moving future teachers to a hybrid “cash balance” plan similar to the state’s retirement plan for employees hired as of 2014. Another section of SB 151 would prevent current teachers and workers from applying sick days toward retirement eligibility.
According to information provided by the Legislative Research Commission, “cost of living raises for current retired teachers would remain unchanged in the bill, as would the benefit calculation and years of service required for retirement of current teachers or state employees. And sick days could still be accrued for use by active teachers and employees.”
Lovett said he disapproved of how lawmakers went about passing the bill.
“I don’t like the way they did it, putting it in a bill late at night,” Lovett said. “I don’t think that’s the way a democracy needs to work.”
Lovett said he had not been able to read the entire 290-page bill yet, but said it may not have a large impact on current teachers.
“A lot of new teachers are just looking to get a job,” Lovett said. “When I was getting started, the last thing on my mind was a retirement.”
Lovett said if it does have an impact, it’s likely to be after teachers have become vested and are able to leave the profession with their retirement earnings.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, criticized critics on Friday.
“I would urge everyone to take a deep breath and not buy into the talking points and hyperbole,” Thayer said. “This is good news for teachers — current, retired and future — because it puts Kentucky’s pension systems on a path to sustainability.”
Minority Floor Leader Ray S. Jones II, D-Pikeville spoke out against the legislation.
“If our forefathers who served in the halls of the state senate and state house of representatives could see where we are as a commonwealth, they would be appalled,” he said in reference to the pension provisions being added in an amendment. “This is not the way democracy is supposed to work. Democracy depends on the free exchange of ideas and consideration of the rights and opinions of others.”
Marshall County representatives Sen. Danny Carroll voted in favor of the change, while State Rep. Will Coursey voted against it.