KY Gov: Kids Hurt 'Sexually, Physically' Because Of Teacher Rally

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin implied on Friday that teachers who protested at the State Capitol were responsible for putting children left alone at home in harm's way saying he guaranteed there was a child who was sexually assaulted or physically harmed.

Bevin made the comments in an interview about the rally with WDRB reporter Marcus Green. In the interview, Bevin also complained that the teachers were "hanging out" at the State Capitol, even "smoking," "leaving trash" and "taking the day off."

The teacher rally at the State Capitol in Frankfort on Friday was to urge lawmakers to override the Republican governor's budget veto. The teachers were successful as lawmakers voted to override the veto of the two year state budget — which increases public education funding — on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

As a result of Friday's rally, dozens of public school districts in the state canceled classes for the day, according to WDRB.

"You know here's what's crazy to me," Bevin said. "You know how many hundreds of thousands of children today were left home alone. I guarantee you somewhere in Kentucky today a child was sexually assaulted that was left at home because there was nobody there to watch them.

"I guarantee you somewhere today a child was physically harmed or ingested poison because they were home alone, because a single parent didn't have any money to take care of them," he continued.

Bevin said he was offended by how many people "cavalierly" and "flippantly" disregarded what's truly best for children. He also said many single parents who couldn't afford to take the day off work were given a matter of hours so there were hundreds of thousands of children left alone at home, some in communities where people knew that for a fact and took advantage of the fact.

"And as surely as we're having this conversation," Bevin said. "Children were harmed, some physically, some sexually, some were introduced to drugs for the first time because they were vulnerable and left alone.

"It's offensive, frankly."

You can watch Bevin's full comments below:

Kentucky Education Association President Stephanie Winkler told The Lexington Herald Leader she was appalled at Bevin's comments.

“There are no words,” Winkler told the paper. “My mouth was hanging open and I don’t even know what I can tell you.”

Photo: FRANKFORT, KY - APRIL 13: Kentucky Public school teachers protest outside the Kentucky House Chamber as they rally for a 'day of action' at the Kentucky State Capitol to try to pressure legislators to override Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin's recent veto of the state's tax and budget bills April 13, 2018 in Frankfort, Kentucky. The teachers also oppose a controversial pension reform bill which Gov. Bevin signed into law. Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images News/Getty Images