Battle Creek Teachers Protest Lack Of Raises From District

Some teachers in the Battle Creek Public Schools aren’t happy with the district after they weren’t given a pay raise.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that over two dozen teachers protested outside of the BCPS administration building on Van Buren St. Monday, and then went inside to speak up during the school board meeting. The local teacher’s union says that the district had $618,000 available to give teachers an annual raise this school year, after they were told last year there wasn’t any money available for raises. Instead, the union says that money was transferred to the general fund.

However, Superintendent Kim Carter says that that kind of general fund money is intended to only be spent on one-time costs, not annual or recurring expenses; that’s why she says it wouldn’t have been appropriate to use the $618,000 for raises.

The discontent comes as the Battle Creek Education Association is negotiating their union contract with the BCPS.