Seminole County teachers rally for raises

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Teachers in Seminole County who are dealing with stalled talks with the school board for a raise took the chance to air their frustrations at a meeting Tuesday night.

Scores of teachers rallied outside the school district building on Lake Mary Boulevard with signs and matching shirts, while chanting “Enough is enough.”

During the meeting, many blasted the district for walking away from recent negotiations.

“You are taking money out of the insurance pot and shifting it out of the salary pot, that’s all you’re doing,” said one of the teachers at the meeting, who was not identified.

“When school board members receive more compensation for a part time job than a third-year teacher, there is a real problem,” said another teacher.

Channel 9’s Angela Jacobs asked school board members for comment but they said legally, they can’t comment during an impasse.

Instead, they posted a statement on the district website, reiterating officials are ready to bargain.

When that happens, the overall issue teachers said they want stressed, comes down to priorities.

“We just think an affluent county like this, as they lead in so many other things, they ought to lead in how employees can be retained and shown appreciation,” union executive Rich Frankhouser.

If the two sides don’t reach a deal next week, a third-party magistrate will most likely enter the picture, which both sides said they’re open to accepting.

Cox Media Group