At least 36 current and former educators highlight state legislative races in Kentucky eight months after thousands of public school teachers closed nearly two dozen districts to protest changes to the pension system by the Republican-dominated legislature.
Republicans won a majority in the state House of Representatives in 2016 for the first time in nearly 100 years. The GOP then passed bills allowing charter schools and making changes to the struggling retirement system for teachers. Thousands of teachers protested at the Capitol, and dozens more filed to run for office in what Democrats hope is a "blue wave" on Tuesday.
Republicans argue Kentucky's pension system is among the worst funded in the country. Since Republican Gov. Matt Bevin took office, the legislature has spent billions of dollars in the teachers' retirement system.
