As Kentucky teachers' movement grows, splits appear over next moves and possible sickouts

Thousands of Kentucky teachers stormed the state Capitol last Monday in a unified show of support for public education. But in the days since, that unity has been tested as teachers contemplate their next moves.

Some want to take swift, dramatic action. Others want to be cautious.

"Right now, we're trying to get everybody's ducks in a row," said Nema Brewer, a Fayette County Public Schools employee who has emerged as a leader in Kentucky's grassroots teacher movement.

Much of the debate about what to do next has played out on social media.

Read more: Will teachers hold another sickout Monday? Statewide union urges against it

For weeks, teachers across Kentucky have taken to platforms such as Facebook to vent their frustrations over not just a trying legislative session, but over years of perceived disrespect toward their profession.

Some of the coordination has taken place within "secret" Facebook groups, where only teachers and other school-based staff are allowed to join. At least three such groups have sprung up over the past month, including the largest, "KY 120 UNITED," which Brewer created.

But as more teachers find solidarity online, the inevitable has occurred: In a group of thousands of people, not everyone agrees on the best step forward. Online posts reveal a growing fissure among the state's educators.

While some have pushed for a statewide sickout similar to the one that shut down nearly 30 school districts on March 30, others have questioned what that would accomplish.

"I'm not calling in sick unless there is some kind of plan to go along with it. We'll lose the public if school closes for no reason," read one post in a secret group viewed by Courier Journal.

Related: After massive rally, Kentucky teachers watching for Bevin vetoes on education funding

Brewer said similar discussions are taking place in the Facebook group she created, which, as of Friday, had more than 39,000 members.

Under Kentucky law, teachers and other public employees do not have the right to strike. But teachers are galvanized by similar movements in West Virginia and Oklahoma, Brewer said, and have taken to social media to push for more action.

"Let's just be honest here: We're running out of legislative time," she said. "We understand that."

There are two days left in the legislative session, April 13 and 14. Before the final day, teachers and their supporters will be watching to see whether Gov. Matt Bevin exercises his veto power in their favor.

On Friday, the Kentucky Education Association released a statement urging educators to use the next week "speaking directly with your elected senators and representatives" who are at home on recess.

"Our students need us to show up for them in classrooms and schools," the union statement said. "We urge educators statewide not to allow our united efforts to be compromised by continued calls for action that deprive students, parents and communities of the educational services we provide."

Online, the union's statement was met with immediate pushback from several Facebook users, with some urging a walkout on Monday.

"So we just take it is what you are essentially saying? A walkout for the entire week would get EVERYONE'S attention, including parents that would get mad at legislators and governor for not compromising with the teachers," read one post.

"How many feel we should continue to pay KEA membership dues after this?" another post read.

The online dissent came as the statewide union met in downtown Louisville for its annual convention. During the convention, which ended Friday, elected delegates debated the union's priorities and voted in favor of the reserved approach.

Brent McKim, president of the Jefferson County teachers union, said the belief that the union hasn't been pushing hard enough is a "false narrative."

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said, adding that pressure from union members torpedoed a special session on pension reform last fall and killed a pension reform bill in early March.

McKim also said that the union is not ruling out bigger plans for the final days of the legislative session.

Read this: Kentucky teachers' protests over pension reform, budget show 'red state revolt' spreading

"Absolutely one tool still in the toolbox includes collective actions that would involve closing schools," said McKim, noting that the union has called for Bevin to veto the pension reform bill that was ultimately passed, Senate Bill 151.

The bill was steamrolled through the legislature last week, sparking teacher protests. Bevin has until midnight Tuesday to veto it.

Though the bill made limited changes to the pensions of current and retired teachers, newly hired teachers would be placed into a "hybrid" cash balance plan that blends features of a traditional defined-benefits plan with those of a 401(k)-style approach.

Educators and their allies said that, for decades, teachers have been willing to accept low wages and difficult working conditions on the front end because they were promised a comfortable retirement through the traditional pension system.

But with the changes passed by lawmakers, new educators will think twice about starting their careers in Kentucky, teachers have said.

Joshua Kumm, a consulting special education teacher with Jefferson County Public Schools, said from the teacher union's convention that a lot of the online discussion about what to do next has been "emotionally loaded."

"It's hard on people because government is slow, and people want results," he said.

He voted in favor of the union's call for teachers to head to work on Monday, but he said Bevin's veto power is "the real wild card."

There appears to be momentum toward waiting to see what happens.

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"We understand. We have working families," Brewer said. "We're trying really hard to do the right thing for everybody involved. But we also want people to know we are mad."

In the secret Facebook group viewed by Courier Journal, teachers appeared ready to head back to Frankfort on the first day of the legislative session.

"I heard sickout Friday the 13th since that is when the legislature will be back in session," read one post in a group called "Sickout! Kentucky Teachers in the Lead."

McKim said teachers should act "collectively" through the union.

"We will be most effective if we don't splinter," he said. "We will be most effective if we work together."

Reporter Darcy Costello contributed to this story. Mandy McLaren: 502-582-4525; mmclaren@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @mandy_mclaren. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/mandym.