Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 5 March 2018

West Virginia teachers: No raise, no school; strike goes on

the governor. teachers, Republican Gov.
A joint legislative commit- Jim Justice and the Re-
tee has been formed to publican-controlled House,
address differences in the which approved the 5 per-
pay raise bills of the state cent raise Wednesday.
Senate and House. House of Delegates spokes-
In a joint statement Satur- man Jared Hunt said Sun-
day, the American Fed- day no meeting had been
eration of Teachers-West scheduled yet of the con-
Virginia, West Virginia Edu- ference committee. It
cation Association and the wasn’t yet clear when it
School Service Personnel would meet.
Association said Senate The committee will include
President Mitch Carmi- Delegates Bill Anderson, R-
chael and his leadership Wood, and Brent Boggs, D-
team had left them with no Braxton, and House Educa-
choice after they voted to tion Chairman Paul Espino-
reduce the raise to 4 per- sa, R-Jefferson; and Senate
cent. Majority Leader Ryan Ferns,
The statement said all R-Ohio, Senate Finance
public schools in West Vir- Chairman Craig Blair, R-
ginia would be closed Berkeley, and Sen. Robert
again Monday “and re- Plymale, D-Wayne.
main closed until the Sen- The Senate’s vote came as
ate honors the agreement the teachers’ strike rolled
Parry Casto, a fifth grade teacher at the Explorer Academy in Huntington, W.Va., dressed in an that was made.” Teachers into its second weekend.
Uncle Sam costume leads hundreds of teachers in chants outside the state Senate chambers at walked out of classrooms Republican Sen. Greg Boso
the Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. statewide starting Feb. 22. of Nicholas introduced the
(AP Photo/John Raby) The Republican-controlled amendment to lower the
By MICHAEL VIRTANEN Virginia teachers and ser- state Senate voted to cut Senate voted Saturday raise, which the full Senate
Associated Press vice personnel say they will the 5 percent pay raise evening to approve the adopted by a vote of 19-
Unions representing West stay out on strike after the they had negotiated with lower pay raise, bucking 15.q
Alabama’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ racial violence of 1965 remembered

SELMA, Ala. (AP) — Sev- joined civil rights activists noon for the annual com- tiful day here today in Sel- tions walking across the
eral members of Congress and others Sunday after- memoration of a day of ra- ma,” Lewis said as he was bridge.
cial violence in Selma dat- surrounded by his peers, the “It’s bittersweet,” Harris
ing to 1965. Selma Times-Journal report- said. “It’s sadness and pain
A bipartisan group includ- ed. Lewis, then a young or- at the thought of what they
ing Rep. John Lewis of ganizer, was among those endured 53 years ago, but
Georgia led the crossing of injured then. That violence it’s also inspiration about
the Edmund Pettus Bridge. set the stage for the Selma- again fighting for the best
It was to recall “Bloody Sun- to-Montgomery march, of who we are and honor-
day,” when voting rights which helped build support ing those who have been
protesters were attacked for congressional approval heroes and are still heroes.”
by police as they attempt- of the Voting Rights Act The annual celebration
ed to cross the bridge. months later. drew tens of thousands of
“It’s very meaningful to Sen. Kamala Harris from people in 2015, when then-
come back here, to come California, who spoke at President Barack Obama
back to this historic site and the Martin and Coretta spoke near the base of the
be here with so many won- King Unity Breakfast, said bridge as former President
derful people. It’s a beau- she felt a mixture of emo- George W. Bush listened.q

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