FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear said the U.S. Supreme Court has denied Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's request for the highest court to hear his arguments for in-person classes at private schools.
"The Supreme Court of the United States denied the Kentucky Attorney General’s attempt to overturn the ruling in the Sixth Circuit that said we were treating all schools during this dangerous period the same and taking steps to protect the lives of those around us,” the governor said during his daily COVID-19 briefing.
Following the governor's orders in November to close all schools in the state to in-person instruction, Cameron joined Danville Christian Academy and multiple private schools in a lawsuit which argued closing private schools violates their First Amendment rights.
"In no way were religious schools treated any differently. We asked everybody to make the same sacrifices. Everybody. Every school. Not picking on anybody, just asking every school to do the exact same thing," Beshear said.
Beshear said he did not close any schools, but briefly moved them to virtual instruction to prevent community spread of coronavirus during a surge of cases in the state.
“And I think that's important because suggesting a school is closed, suggests the educators aren't working with students to provide the best experience possible,” Beshear said.
The governor said with the brief in-person class closures and other measures taken, Kentucky stopped an exponential growth of COVID-19 cases.
Cameron released a statement on the Supreme Court's decision, saying in part, "While the Court chose not to take immediate action because the Governor's order expires soon, the Court in no way endorsed the Governor's unconstitutional targeting of religious schools."
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