Rally not affecting classes

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 3, 2000

L’Observateur / May 3, 2000

LAPLACE – Teachers from across Louisiana are planning to converge in Baton Rouge today to protest the lack of a pay raise and try to convince the Legislature to find the money to give teachers a raise.

Because of budget short falls, Gov. Mike Foster is having a hard time findingthe money for a raise he promised Louisiana teachers during the last election. Organizers of the rally say they expect over 10,000 teachers toattend.

Because of the rally, some parish school districts are closing schools for the day to allow teachers to travel to Baton Rouge. However, in the RiverParishes, school will go on as usual, without schools closing or any class cancellations.

Teachers at the rally are hoping to convince legislators to pass a bill that would give teachers a $221 million increase. This bill would give certifiedteachers a raise of at least $2,250 a year and up to $4,500 annually. Thepay boost would raise Louisiana teachers’ salaries to within $300 of the southern average.

There is some talk of a statewide teacher’s strike if the raise is not approved.

According to Herman Clayton, president of the St. John Parish Association ofEducators, teachers for the St. John Parish public school system are notgoing to attend the rally and school will be open as usual today.

Thirty-eight teachers, two from each local school in St. Charles Parish, willbe attending the Baton Rouge rally, according to public information officer Rochelle Touchard.

“This is just a way to show support for our teachers,” Touchard said, adding that in this parish teachers do not belong to a labor union.

Substitute teachers will fill in, and no classes will be canceled.

St. James Parish’s teachers were given permission by the school system torequest leave in the event they wished to attend the rally.

Millie Matherne, director of personnel for the school system, commented that though teachers may be requesting leave, principals have not noted a shortage in their staff.

“So far it’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Matherne said.

(Reporters Daniel Tyler Gooden, Leonard Gray and Erik Sanzenbach contributed to this story.)

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