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Teachers to rally for higher pay at Indiana Statehouse

Posted at 4:03 PM, Mar 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-08 20:42:49-05

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana public teachers will try and send a message to lawmakers Saturday when they participate in the "Red for Ed" rally at the Indiana Statehouse.

The rally is being hosted and organized by the Indiana State Teachers Association.

Under the proposed Indiana budget currently in the hands of the Senate, public school funding would increase by a little more than two percent over the next two years.

But none of that money is specifically earmarked for teachers.

ISTA President Teresa Meredith said some Indiana schools may have to make cuts of some kind if the budget passes.

"It's time that we get very, very serious about this," Meredith said. "[State lawmakers are] headed in the right direction, but we need them to come much closer and really hear, understand and demonstrate respect for their concern for the profession through putting some more money in that budget for public education and marking some of it for teacher pay."

Meredith said the ISTA decided to move the rally inside the Statehouse, because of expected rain Saturday.

She also didn't rule out a teacher walkout at some point in the future, but said she's trying to avoid that.