‘We are not going to have school employees that are mistreated,” Estill County Superintendent Jeff Saylor said of the district’s new “Civility Statement.’ https://t.co/c2tlBWxSmr

— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) October 14, 2021

An increase in incidents of parents being abusive and making threats to school employees over COVID prevention measures prompted the Estill County Board of Education on Thursday to issue a stern warning.

A “civility statement” from the school board said members were not trying to deny freedom of expression, but wanted to be clear about the possible consequences of parents abusing staff.

“In recent weeks, we have seen an increase of incidents where parents have been abusive to school employees and have made comments of a threatening nature. This is a direct violation of state law,” the statement said.

Estill Superintendent Jeff Saylor told the Herald-Leader the district had had phone calls and emails sent to principals and other school personnel about masking, quarantines and other coronavirus mitigation that he thinks crosses a line.

“We are not going to have school employees that are mistreated,” Saylor said