SCS to close Nov. 19

By: 
Staff Writer Kate Wehlann

During their Monday, Nov. 11, meeting, the Salem Community Schools board announced the district would be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Board member Rodney Brough made the motion, but did not give an explicit reason in the meeting. However, Nov. 19 is also the day of a Red For Ed teachers’ rally at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, which has prompted other schools across the state to close and allow teachers to attend.

Interim Superintendent Kim Thurston confirmed that it was becoming difficult to find enough substitute teachers to cover for teachers going to Indianapolis for the rally, and they decided to cancel school that day. Still, he said, “the school board fully supports our teachers’ efforts to approach the state legislature for additional funding to public education.”

This also means the YMCA preschool at Bradie Shrum is cancelled for that day, but not at West Washington or the Y.

As of Wednesday morning, East Washington School Corporation is still planning to be in session that day, though there will be East Washington teachers attending the rally. The school has purchased Red For Ed t-shirts for the staff to wear and will be posting regularly on social media about the good things going on in the classrooms. West Washington will also be in session that day, though in their October board meeting, the school board did vote to allow 10 teachers from the district to take that day to attend the rally.

The Red For Ed movement isn’t just for Nov. 19. Throughout the year, teachers and supporters across the country will wear red on Wednesdays. The Salem Community Schools board recently approved a resolution in support of Red For Ed Wednesdays at school. The movement’s website, NEAToday.org, lists a variety of subjects educators at the rally are hoping to achieve, expanding far beyond simply teacher pay increases; things like greater access for students to counselors, nurses and mental health professionals, better classroom environments and supplies, a bigger voice in education policy, more access to professional development and more.

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