‘A step backwards.’ Senate removes teacher and student seats on KY Board of Education

Despite an outcry from hundreds of students, the full state Senate removed the non-voting student and teacher seats on the Kentucky Board of Education.

House Bill 178, which passed the Republican-majority Senate by a 29-7 vote, also requires that the governor appoint a balance of members on the board from a political affiliation, gender and minority standpoint. It now goes back to the House for approval before it can be sent to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

The student and teacher seats were created last year.

But on March 11, the Senate Education Committee removed the seats in a committee substitute, leading to a social media movement from “The Kentucky Student Voice Team” called Save our Seats. Within hours, hundreds of students, educators, and others voiced support of student and teacher seats on the Kentucky Board of Education.

Read more from Lexington Herald Leader.

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