A Warren County teacher is joining thousands of her colleagues from across Kentucky at the state Capitol Friday. Busloads of educators arrived in Frankfort to continue their activism, exercised many times throughout this year's General Assembly.
Lawmakers increased funding for K-12 education and restored cuts to school bus transportation in the next state budget. Governor Bevin vetoed the spending plan, and educators will rally in hopes of convincing lawmakers to override the governor’s veto.
Patrice McCrary is a kindergarten teacher at Cumberland Trace Elementary in Bowling Green and a former Kentucky Teacher of the Year. She says the governor’s budget would have dismantled public education.
"The budget that the governor laid out would have crippled public schools across the entire commonwealth," McCrary told WKU Public Radio. "It would have almost immediately shut down some schools."
McCrary says overriding Bevin’s veto would be the first step in protecting education. Next, she wants lawmakers to amend their budget plan by restoring cuts to pre-school funding and adding money for new textbooks. Lawmaker have just Friday and Saturday to complete this year’s legislative session. If a budget deal can't be reached, Governor Bevin would have to call a special session.
