Bevin's comments came shortly after Republican lawmakers voted to override his vetoes of a two-year operating budget that included increased spending for public education with the help of an accompanying $480 million tax increase. Thousands of teachers gathered at the Capitol to ask lawmakers to override the vetoes. More than 30 school districts said they were forced to close because they didn't have enough teachers.
Bevin told reporters outside the Capitol on Friday night it was "offensive" that so many districts were closed. A spokesman for the Kentucky Education Association declined to comment.