Mississippi News
Largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history passes
Lawmakers pass largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history
The state House on Tuesday passed the largest teacher pay raise in state history — one that kept growing as the House and Senate haggled — on to the governor.
“This has been like making sausage — it’s not pretty, but the end result is pretty good,” House Education Chairman Richard Bennett, R-Long Beach, said before the House voted 118-4 to send a $246 million teacher raise to Gov. Tate Reeves.
The average annual teacher raise will be $5,140, and the raise will begin for the 2022-2023 school year. Starting teacher pay will increase from $37,123 to $41,638, putting Mississippi above the southeastern and national averages.
Mississippi’s teacher pay by several metrics is the lowest in the nation, and the state has struggled to recruit and retain teachers.
The raise grew from about $210 million early in this year’s legislative session to $246 million as the House and Senate haggled over details. The final bill includes annual step increases for teachers of at least $400 and larger pay bumps of $1,200 to $1,350 every five years — a component Senate leaders pushed for.
The raise will be implemented in a single year, as the House proposed, not over two years as in the original Senate plan. The bill also includes a $2,000 raise for teacher assistants.
Reeves’ office on Tuesday did not immediately respond to a request for comments on passage of the raise, but he is expected to sign it into law. Reeves, when campaigning for governor in 2019, promised to raise teacher’s pay. This year he had proposed a smaller raise of $3,300, spread out over three years.
The House and Senate deal on the teacher raise bill marks a rare agreement on major issues this legislative session. House and Senate leaders have been in a standoff over tax cuts, which has threatened to derail other legislation as the 2022 session enters its final weeks. Education advocates had feared the teacher raise would get caught up in the tax fight.
Earlier in the session, the House killed the Senate pay raise bill without a vote. The Senate reluctantly passed the House bill after making changes to keep the pay raise alive.
Antonio Castanon Luna, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Educators, on Tuesday praised lawmakers final passage of the raise, and said it’s a “double investment.”
“It’s an investment in the future of Mississippi, and an investment in our state right now,” Luna said. “We will be able to recruit teachers to our classrooms now and for years to come, which will help our students. And it will provide a more educated workforce, a better prepared workforce for the future of Mississippi.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: December 20-22
SUMMARY: This weekend (December 20-22), Mississippi offers a variety of festive events. In Jackson, enjoy Food Truck Friday, candlelight concerts, a Grinch movie screening, and Journey to the North Pole. In Ridgeland, experience Merry Bingo, Christmas on the Green, and Fleet Feet Coffee Run. Vicksburg hosts Rock the Halls, while Natchez offers a European Christmas Shopping Village. Other activities include Santa scuba diving at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, and Magic of Lights in Brandon. Hattiesburg features Lights of the Wild and Teddy Bear Tea with Santa. Numerous holiday events are available across the state.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: December 20-22 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Attorneys seek protective order in Jackson bribery case
SUMMARY: Prosecutors in Jackson are seeking a protective order to prevent the release of sensitive information in a bribery case involving Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, and City Councilman Aaron Banks. The motion aims to protect personal, financial, and grand jury information, fearing it could impair investigations and fair trial rights. The three officials face charges related to a bribery scheme involving $80,000 in bribes for approving a real estate development project. Other individuals, including former City Councilwoman Angelique Lee and Sherik Marve Smith, are also implicated, with Smith pleading guilty to conspiracy.
The post Attorneys seek protective order in Jackson bribery case appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse
SUMMARY: Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Mangione, who expressed disdain for corporate greed and the health insurance industry, was found with a gun matching the murder weapon and fraudulent IDs. He initially gave false identification but was recognized at a McDonald’s. Mangione, who wrote a three-page document expressing anti-corporate sentiments, is being extradited to New York. His family, shocked by his arrest, expressed condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione had no prior criminal complaints but had a history of severe back pain.
The post Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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