There was lengthy debate in Frankfurt today in a committee about K-through-12 education bills, including legislation that would expel violent students.

State lawmakers also heard a proposal to make changes to the school boards in Kentucky's two largest school districts.

Our Emily Sisk breaks down those debates.

Since 2021, there have been 25,000 assaults against educators in her commonwealth.

That statistic is why.

State Senator Matt Nunn is proposing Senate Bill 101 so that if a student in grades six through 12 physically harms a teacher, they would be expelled for 12 months.

The school may choose to provide services to the student like an alternative placement.

A house revised version of the bill, approved today, says that if a violent student is expelled, they will lose access to school, transportation and extracurriculars, which drew some concern from Democratic lawmakers.

I do worry about kids who are struggling with trauma and may be acting out inappropriately in school.

That denying it transportation for kids who don't have reliable transportation or are rural will be, but will impact them disproportionately.

We have to protect our students.

But if these these kids are, they still exist.

If they're expelled from school, they still exist.

And if they're causing mayhem in schools, it's very likely they're going to be causing mayhem in communities.

The bill's sponsor pushed back, however, saying ultimately the legislation is about protecting educators.

What is the role of education?

Is it to to fix all society's ills, or is it the teacher reading, writing and arithmetic?

What do we expect our teachers to be?

Despite critiques from the minority party, many Republican lawmakers applauded the measure.

We asked.

Questions about, well, how are they going to get a ride to school, not ride the bus?

No, they need to go to juvenile hall.

They need to get arrested.

This is ridiculous.

Listen, if you're assaulting one of my teachers or one of my aides or one of my cooks, or one of my bus drivers, I don't care what kind of services you get.

You know what I mean?

At some point, you need be cut off from services because they have to be learning consequences.

Senate Bill 101 passed out of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee.

Among other pieces of legislation heard today was Senate Bill four, which would develop a principal leadership program for new school principals.

House changes to the Senate bill would alter the number of school board members on just the Jefferson and Fayette County school boards, which have been under fire for budget deficits in the districts.

The revised measure requires the State Treasurer to appoint two school board members that have at least ten years of financial expertise to both school boards, which would bring their total membership to seven.

This would reduce the number of elected school board members in Jefferson County.

A representative from JCPs spoke out against the change.

These people will be chosen for their financial expertise.

However, those board members will not be voting only on financial matters for these two school districts.

They will have a say over everything, including personnel matters, including logistics, academics, and particularly the contract of the superintendents.

The committee chair, who is a former superintendent, pushed back, saying this would be a worthy addition to the boards.

If you don't have any financial experience on your board, the finance officer can present whatever they want to the board and there's going to be no questions asked at all because they don't understand our new board members that are elected.

You think they know how school board up or operates until they get elected and learn?

Senate Bill four also passed out of the House Committee.

These measures will move on to the full House for consideration for Kentucky Edition on Noise desk.

The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee also passed a resolution to establish a new legislative task force.

The group would focus on early childhood education, governance and outcomes.

That resolution advances to the full House for consideration there.