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Muncie teachers, parents protest proposed salary decreases

Posted at 3:23 PM, Mar 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-01 18:51:10-05

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Teachers and parents protested Tuesday night against a proposal to cut teacher salaries as a way for Muncie Community Schools to dig out of a $11.5 million budget shortfall. 

There would be a 20 percent salary decrease this year for teachers and a ten percent retroactive decrease going back as far as 2015.

One teacher who's been with the school district for 26 years says she would be making about $21,000 a year. 

"We could work at a fast food restaurant and make more money than we can working at Muncie Community Schools with what this board and superintendent has offered," said Vicki Jeffers, teacher at Northside Middle School.

Teachers say all they want is honest communication and a chance to work things out after going nearly two years without a contract.

"We're just really uncertain right now about what's going to happen in the future," said Deanna Harshman, teacher, Storer Elementary.

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