Shortly after pension bill passes, Kentucky schools announce Friday closures due to staff shortage

The latest: JCPS closed Friday due to significant teacher absences

Spring break is coming early for many school systems around Kentucky as a growing number of employees calling in sick has led to closures around the state after a controversial pension bill passed through the General Assembly.

Fayette County Public Schools was the first district to announce that it will be closed Friday due to "more than a third" of its employees being out, according to a message posted to the department's Twitter account.

The announcement was made not long after the Kentucky House and Senate passed a surprise pension bill – which was folded into a bill concerning wastewater – and it was sent to Gov. Matt Bevin's desk for approval.

Within a few hours more districts announced closures, including Clark, Jessamine, Pike, Johnson, Montgomery, Madison and Scott counties.

More: Surprise pension bill surfaces and zips through General Assembly despite cries of stunned teachers

The pension bill had been met with vast disapproval by teachers in the last few months, whose retirement would be affected by it. A large number of educators and their supporters stormed into the Capitol on Thursday night in protest, chanting and booing from the lobby as the House and Senate voted on the bill.

Many schools across the state were set to begin spring break at the end of classes Friday, while some were already off this week.

A short time after Fayette County schools made its announcement, Clark and Jessamine County Public Schools announced they also wouldn't have class Friday.

The list kept growing to include Pike, Johnson, Montgomery, Madison and Scott County schools.

There has been no word on any possible closings for Jefferson County Public Schools.

In a message from Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hub on the Scott County School District's Facebook page, the passage of the pension bill was singled out as the reason for its closure.

"Since the passage of SB 151, dozens of teachers have requested subs for tomorrow. We can currently only fill 54 of the nearly 150 that we need," said Hub. "That leaves too many classes not covered, which causes a situation that is unsafe and unproductive for students and staff."

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