(Shelby County) Shelby County teachers have a lot of questions when it comes to staying with the county or going to one of the municipalities.
Monday night, the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association teamed up with the Tennessee Education Association to let teachers know why they should stay put or move to a municipality next fall.
“It’s an individual decision they have to weigh,” said Ken Foster, with M-SCEA. “I think it’s going to be anybody with an interest. Maybe someone wants to get closer to home, or they’ve heard good things about the municipal districts and want to get there.”
It is unclear how many available teaching jobs there are in Bartlett, Millington, Lakeland, Arlington, Germantown, and Collierville.
Foster said he’s talked with the new superintendents, and until budgets are worked out, they can’t give any specifics.
“I think that some point they will really be able to tell the people what they will be able to offer,” said Foster. “By state law, they can’t pay any teacher less than what they are making now, and they can’t have less benefits than they have right now.”
Organizers are concerned the weather may affect the turnout Monday night, so they will schedule another meeting in at Bon Lin Elementary on February 24.
The M-SCEA will continue to hold meetings until everyone makes a decision.
Foster said a lot of teachers are currently looking to stay with SCS. It’s comfortable and what they know.
“What some people are looking at is, what it’s going to be like two, three, five, or ten years from now?” said Foster.
The TEA will also talk to teachers about forming their own unions in the new municipalities.
