Kentucky governor says people just didn't understand his comments linking teacher walkout to child abuse

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) said Sunday that people who were upset by comments he made linking teacher protests to child abuse just didn't understand the point he was trying to make.

On Friday, thousands of teachers went to Louisville, where they successfully persuaded lawmakers to override Bevin's veto of two bills to boost funding for public education. So many teachers were at the protests that 44 school districts across the state were shut down, and Bevin said he could "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 also told reporters that "somewhere in Kentucky today, a child was sexually assaulted that was left at home because there was nobody there to watch them."

In a video posted Sunday, Bevin thanked "those of you who understood what I was saying," adding: "Clearly, a tremendous number of people did not fully appreciate what it was I was communicating. I apologize for those who were hurt by the things that were said."

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