Each week, AAE brings its members a round-up of what’s happening in education. From big, eye-catching headlines to the stories most papers overlook, we find the news our members really want to see. This week, fallout from sickouts in Kentucky, vaccination woes, a new education commissioner, and more!

Showdown in Kentucky over Protestor Names: Kentucky’s education commissioner is responding to recent sickouts in by requesting that districts turn over the names of all participating teachers. The state’s largest district, Jefferson County Public Schools, has closed five times in recent weeks, however the district’s school board has said they don’t want to hand over the names. The district and many teachers are afraid that handing over names will lead to retaliatory action. The commissioner, Wayne Lewis said he will not punish teachers so long as schools remain in session, and maintains his request for the names.

Vaccination Controversy Leads to Lawsuit: Jerome Kunkel, a student at a Catholic school in Kentucky, is suing the local health department. Kunkel claims that a state policy barring unvaccinated students from school and school activities during a potential chickenpox outbreak is a violation of his religion. In the past, some vaccines were created using the cells of legally aborted fetuses. Kunkel says that being barred from participating in school and basketball games during a recent chickenpox outbreak was discriminatory and had a negative effect on his schooling, however the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed states to require vaccinations in matters of public health.

New Rhode Island Education Commissioner: Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo announced Angélica Infante-Green as the state’s new education commissioner this week. Before being tapped for the position, Green served as deputy commissioner of P-12 instructional support in New York. She comes with a history of cutting through bureaucracy to see results, a tendency that has sometimes annoyed union officials in the past. Infante-Green has said that she plans get to work right away, pointing to the state’s recent test scores.

Happening Elsewhere:

SC teachers could get pay raise despite stalled education reform

Teachers at an Indiana elementary school were shot with pellet guns during an active shooter training

2 teachers were fired for allegedly displaying noose imagery in a classroom

Trump K-12 Priorities Outlined in Budget

U.S. schools are failing to protect kids from lead in drinking water, report finds

All Aboard, Educators! Norwegian Cruise Line Wants to Give Away Free Trips to Teachers

Mark Janus promotes bill to allow Kansas teachers, others to leave union at any time

West Virginia Hosts Listening Tours on Education Reform

Texas House abandons plan to give teachers merit-based raises

Indiana has its last elected education leader, as bid to make it appointed job goes to Holcomb

Tennessee education savings account plan clears first hurdle

New Mexico's Public Education Department starts logo contest

Colorado school district mergers could happen without voters’ OK

Florida House committee advances bill that would allow armed teachers

Starting pay for Idaho teachers raised to $40,000

Only 7 Black Students Got Into N.Y.’s Most Selective High School, Out of 895 Spots

Alaska School District Buys Hotel for Student Housing

Study: Denver youth marijuana education campaign is working, teens turning away from using drug

An online threat of violence shuts down all Charlottesville schools

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