| Contact Legislators about Proposed Cuts to Prison Education |
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| Written by Administrator | |||||||
| Thursday, 17 February 2005 | |||||||
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The following is excerpted from a legislative update from Cecil Cahoon of The South Carolina Education Association: CORRECTIONS EDUCATORS' SALARIES UNDER ATTACK Contact Your Legislators A subcommittee of House Ways and Means Committee have adopted a recommendation by S.C. Department of Corrections Director Jon Ozmint to strip guaranteed salary provisions from the 2005-06 state budget. Under current law, the Department is required to pay certified educators in its facilities according to the standard salary schedule for all certified educators. But at the request of Ozmint, the Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice has struck that proviso from its draft of the budget for 2005-06. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a member of the subcommittee, argued against the recommendation and voted to leave the proviso in place. "These educators have to satisfy all the certification requirements as every other educator in the state, but you want to pay them less? When you consider where these people work, and the conditions they work in, I think we ought to pay these people more, not less," Cobb-Hunter said. While the subcommittee is likely to meet again to continue working on its budget draft, its review of provisos and agency recommendations is complete. The full House Ways and Means Committee can choose to return the proviso guaranteeing standard salaries to corrections department educators to the budget, but that will require the approval and support of Chairman Bobby Harrell. Harrell can be reached at 803-734-3144 (Office) or 843-556-9075 (Home), and by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it The SCEA opposes any diminution of guaranteed salary and benefits to any educator or group of educators, regardless of their work location, and will continue to monitor the progress of this recommendation. ******************************************************************** Since this update went out last week, the Budget Subcommittee and the Proviso Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee have both approved Director Ozmint's request. The full House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on Proviso 37.8 Tuesday 22 February at 10:00 am. I was informed by a member of Chairman Bobby Harrell's staff that no opportunity for public comment will be afforded prior to or during this meeting. If you wish to express your support for certified teachers who ensure that inmates in the S.C. Department of Corrections receive the free, appropriate, public education which is their right, contact every member of the House Ways and Means Committee today. You can find their contact information at the following link: Contact Your Legislators In solidarity, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Palmetto Correctional Education Association
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