FRANKFORT, Ky. — (WHAS11)-The Kentucky Labor Cabinet has finished its investigation into the 2019 general session teacher sickouts.
According to Labor Cabinet Secretary David Dickerson, 1,074 teachers did violate Kentucky law.
The cabinet investigated whether teachers engaged in an illegal work stoppage when they protested at the state capitol earlier this year.
According to a news release, the cabinet could fine the teachers up to $1,000 a day, but they won't be fined this time.
“It is important to note what the Court explicitly stated,” added Dickerson. “Citizens of the Commonwealth have a strong and continuing interest in public schools remaining open during the school year. The purpose of the Cabinet’s investigation was to undertake a thorough investigation into conduct by some public school teachers and ensure that work stoppages do not happen again so that public schools will be able to fulfill their mission to educate the children of Kentucky. The Cabinet remains dedicated to that mission and will continue to monitor any future ‘sickouts’ closely for further violations of Kentucky labor law.”
Dickerson says "The grace extended in this instance will not be extended for future violations. The public cannot tolerate another illegal work stoppage in our schools. It is important for public school teachers to understand the level of seriousness that, by law, the Labor Cabinet must and will give to any future work stoppages. We dedicate ourselves to students and parents across the Commonwealth to make sure that this doesn’t happen again, and that our schools will remain open."
A full copy of the Court’s Order can be found here.
The sickouts forced the district to shut down six times from late February into March.
The action drew criticism from Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis.
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