Hoosier Teachers Lobby At Statehouse

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(STATEHOUSE) - Hundreds of teachers, wearing red “A Child Is More Than A Test Score” t-shirts, are lobbying lawmakers about property tax reform.

The teachers, who are members of the Indiana State Teachers Association, want legislators to preserve the funding of school instructional programs.

They suggest school construction programs take the hit instead. ISTA lobbyist Dan Clark told the teachers it's their last opportunity to influence legislators since he expects a compromise on property tax issues will be reached by the weekend.

70 of the teachers lobbying at the Statehouse are from Marion and met separately. Although Marion expects to be hard-hit by property tax reform, there's another issue at stake.

ISTA President Natahn Schellenberger says Marion's public school teachers are in the middle of contentious contract negotiations with their school board.

The teachers absence from class for a day to lobby state legislators is also intended to improve their negotiating position with the board.

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