Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced Tuesday that teachers who protested at the State Capitol during the 2019 General Assembly session did not break the law.

In

, former Governor Matt Bevin's labor cabinet determined that the more than 1,000 teachers broke state law by participating in the 'sickout.'

“We are rescinding the prior administration’s stance to make clear that our teachers and educators never broke the law and are welcome in Frankfort,” said Gov. Beshear. “In order to do what is best for our public education system and each student, we must respect each other and find ways to work together.”

“In our administration we are focused on bringing Kentuckians together to solve our most pressing problems,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman. “And that starts with making sure we recognize the constitutional rights of our employees, educators and all Kentuckians.”

Kentucky law prohibits public employees from participating in a 'strike' or 'work stoppage.' A

from Gov. Beshear's Labor Cabinet Secretary Larry Roberts to the cabinet’s inspector general says that teachers were simply exercising their constitutional rights to speech, petition and assembly and not engaged in a dispute with their employers .