MOlTeachers step out of the classroom to protest for against budget cuts.

On Friday, April 13, there was a protest held at the Kentucky state capitol in Frankfort. Teachers went to protest because the day after, April 14, legislators were going to vote to override Gov. Matt Bevin’s tax reform and budget vetoes. Teachers said that the budget was their best shot at getting the school funding they need.

Many teachers took that Friday off so that they could attend this protest. Due to lack of sufficient substitute teachers, school was canceled in multiple counties across the state.  

Exercising their first amendment, freedom of speech and petition, teachers from all across the state lined up at the capital in hopes of making a change with a peaceful protest. Thousands of teachers turned out with signs to push the movement.

The protests come after multiple shady bills entering the floor, including a “sewage bill” that was later amended with a little extra. The extra was regarding the replacement of teacher pensions with 401k plans. The bill passed through the house and senate and was sent to Governor, Matt Bevin’s desk where he quickly signed it.

The difference between pension and a 401k retirement plan is that a pension takes care of the person until they die. Whereas the 401K retirement plan ends when the retiree runs out of money that has been saved up since starting their teaching career. So, if one were to live a longer lifespan than originally expected and ran out of retirement money, that person would have no source of income in the later years of their life.

The pension is a huge recruitment tool that teachers and fellow educators are able to use to lure new educators of the future. Now, with this no longer on the table for new teachers, many are worried that the teachers of the future will lack the interest in the field.  

One of the few teachers from Bullitt East that attended the rally was Spanish teacher Brandi Molter. “The pension is a better deal for retirement than what will be implemented. If I were a new teacher, I would want the pension reinstated and of course minimal budget cuts.  These cuts equate to fewer jobs and more money out of pocket for teachers,” said Molter. Molter has been a teacher for 11 year’s, by the time she is able to retire her son that is now three will be graduating high school. If she decides to retire at 27 year’s she plans to either travel, get another job, or substitute teach.

Now, fast forward a couple weeks and yet again the education budget is in question. Bill 362 is its name and cutting was its game. The bill would help the state spend less but that was at the effect of the cities that would assume millions in retirement costs from state employees, including teachers. The bill passed easily through the house and senate but once it got to Bevin’s desk, he shocked everyone by vetoing the bill. As soon as this broke out, the house and senate held a revote and overturned the Governor’s veto.

The whole point of the rally was to strike a change, while some may say that the protest in Frankfort, seemed like a hollow victory, others feel as though it was a success. “This time, I feel as if the protest was effective.  Several politicians changed their vote based on the protest/rally as well as their constituents’ feelings towards the budget cuts. Budget cuts are a necessary evil. However, there are some areas that take more “hits” than others,” said Molter.

Both the pension and budget bills are meant to save the state money, but the ways they are going about it are having numerous impacts on the people that teach the future of America.