FRANKFORT, Ky (LEX 18) – On the final day of the legislative session teachers, public workers, and supporters of public education once again rallied inside the capitol. Along with them, the group "Save Our Schools" held an all day event to show legislators they will not rest until they get the funding they need.
"I am the future, and the future is here, " Alexis Bailey, a junior at Shelby County High School, told the crowd as she spoke from a podium. Bailey was one of many who spoke for future public school students. With budget cuts, she said school would become a place of dysfunction, but at this point she said they may have to accept the reality of the revenue bill.
"We don’t want to settle, but we kind of have to settle with the revenue bill. That’s all we are going to get right now, " Bailey said.
After recent statements made by Governor Matt Bevin attacking teachers on social media, he has received a lot of backlash. Senator Ray Jones said on the floor Saturday it has been an all out assault on public education.
"I try not to look at his social media because it’s not good to look at. It’s not heartening things to look at, and it’s not supportive, " Bailey explained.
The House of Representatives and Senate both overturned Governor Bevin’s veto of the tax and budget bill on Friday, making the last day of the lawmaking session very critical.
"We are now hearing that even though they overrode the veto, that the budget is not balanced, and that has opened it back up to some negotiating that is taking place today, " said Gay Adelmann, president of "Save Our Schools."
As legislators work to clean up the bills, protesters say they won’t give up until they get the funding they need.
"We just want to stay focused on what is it going to take to save public education, because public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, " Adelmann explained.
