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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 21 april 2018

Arizona is next stop for movement seeking better teacher pay

By MELISSA DANIELS and
BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — The latest
stop in the national move-
ment seeking higher teach-
er pay and better edu-
cation funding is Arizona,
where tens of thousands
of teachers have voted to
walk off the job next week.
They want the Republican-
controlled Legislature and
Gov. Doug Ducey to im-
prove on the governor’s of-
fer of 20 percent raises by
2020. That plan, the teach-
ers say, fails to address sev-
eral of their other goals,
including a restoration of
state funding to 2008 levels
and a pledge not to adopt
any new tax cuts until per-
pupil state funding reaches
the national average.
Arizona is one of several Re-
publican-led states where
teachers have demanded
higher pay this year. The
movement started in West In this April 11, 2018, file photo, teachers at Tuscano Elementary School stage a “walk-in” for higher pay and school funding
Virginia, where a strike Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Phoenix.
resulted in a raise, and Associated Press
spread to Oklahoma, Ken-
tucky and most recently sisted for weeks that he was quo, that is way worse than what we’re already trying they rolled back corporate
Colorado. doing all he could to boost missing a couple days of to the best of our ability to tax cuts and sent the mon-
After West Virginia teach- school spending. school,” said Noah Karvelis, do,” Mesnard said Friday. ey to schools.
ers won their raise in early Then last week he pro- organizer of the grassroots Teachers say the walkout “Here’s the game that’s
March, Arizona educators posed the 20 percent pay group Arizona Educators is years in the making. They played every year: tax cut,
joined forces using online raise. But teachers want United. “We can’t continue are among the lowest paid tax cut, tax cut,” he said.
platforms and held increas- funding that goes beyond to throw away academic in the nation, with similarly “We’re tired of that game.”
ingly frequent demon- salaries, and a vote Thurs- futures.” low-level per pupil spend- Ducey spokesman Daniel
strations over the past six day authorized an April 26 On Friday, Ducey vetoed ing. Last year, Ducey of- Scarpinato said Friday that
weeks. walkout. 10 pieces of legislation to fered a 2 percent increase the governor is focused
“None of us went to school, The governor has refused send a message to the Leg- over 5 years that was wide- on getting his so-called
none of us spent money on to meet with the grassroots islature that he wants law- ly panned as miserly. Law- #20x2020 plan passed.
tuition, on books, none of group or the state teacher makers to send him a state makers eventually gave The bulk of funding for the
us spend our time and our association that supports budget that raises teacher teachers a 1 percent raise, $650 million plan is sup-
energy to not care,” said the efforts. pay. and another 1 percent was posed to come from the
Nancy Maglio, a middle Organizers say setting the “Our teachers have earned planned for the coming benefits of a growing econ-
school teacher in Tucson. walkout date allows dis- this raise,” Ducey said in his year. omy. Adding any new tax-
“We went into a field where tricts to prepare for possible veto letter. “It’s time to get Ducey ran for governor in es or tax hikes, Ducey has
caring is mandatory.” closures and gives lawmak- it done.” 2014 with a promise to cut said, would jeopardize the
Ducey, who is up for re- ers time to act. Republican House Speaker taxes every year he’s in of- state’s growth.
election in November, in- “If we maintain the status J.D. Mesnard said he was fice. Scarpinato would not say
disappointed that teach- Arizona Education Associa- if Ducey would meet with
ers did not give lawmakers tion President Joe Thomas, Thomas, Karvelis or other
a chance to continue ne- who is partnering with Ari- members of Arizona Edu-
gotiating before voting to zona Educators United to cators United ahead of the
strike. fuel the #RedforEd cam- planned walkout.
“I’m not sure what a strike paign, said lawmakers “What we can control is
would accomplish beyond could fund the demands if public policy,” he said.q