LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas educators, staff, and supporters are set to take part in a sit-in rally at the State Capitol on Thursday morning.
According to the Arkansas Education Association, the gathering is set to begin at the organization's headquarters around 8:30 a.m. and aims to push legislators to boost pay to ensure that students have "qualified educators."
"Educator pay in Arkansas isn’t where it should be and it is causing a recruitment and retention issue as educators eye jobs across state lines," the organization said. "[Arkansas Education Association] is helping to support a grassroots effort this Thursday to encourage lawmakers to boost wages now."
The demonstration is working to highlight what's seen as an increased and immediate need for a raise in salary given the added responsibility and stress that teachers are seeing, namely over the past few years with the pandemic and several mass shootings.
The event organizer and former teacher, Julia Taylor said that this added stress and low pay is pushing morale to an all time low which is causing a number of educators to leave the field as a result.
"It has always been a hard job. Teachers have never been paid enough but the past three years have really layered on more and more responsibility for teachers. More dangers for teachers, whether that's from COVID or [school] shootings. I have a lot of friends that are ready to leave the profession," Taylor said.
The organization, which is urging demonstrators to wear "Wear Red for Ed," said that demonstrators will march as a group to welcome legislators that are meeting at the State Capitol to decide what will be on the Special Session agenda.
Educators said that they will meet on the north steps of the State Capitol at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, where they will explain the immediate need for Arkansas educators to receive a pay raise.
Arkansas currently ranks near the bottom in minimum teacher salary compared to other states, despite the state having raised teachers' salaries over the last several years. The minimum salary for Arkansas teachers this coming school year is $36,000.