Teacher group SC for Ed plans school day Statehouse rally
Caption Teachers with the group SC for Ed gather in a Statehouse meeting room as they prepare to lobby lawmakers on Wednesday, Jan. 29. 2020, in Columbia, S.C. The teachers took the day off to call for senators to not pass a massive education overhaul bill and take the proposals up in smaller parts. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey Collins)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The teacher group whose rally last year brought 10,000 people to the South Carolina Statehouse is planning another school day rally later this month.
SC for Ed announced its plans for a March 24 rally on social media Friday, a day after the state Senate passed a massive education bill the organization said ignored the needs of teachers.
Teachers calling for smaller class sizes, an increase in the money the state gives school districts and fewer standardized tests have been ignored, SC for Ed said in a statement.
The organization asked teachers who plan to come to the rally to ask to take a personal day as soon as possible so their school district can plan for their absence.
Several school districts had to close for the day last May because so many teachers took the day off for SC for Ed's rally. The grassroots group of teachers was found online less than two years ago.
After passing the education bill Thursday, several senators gathered for a news conference where they asked teachers to read the bill before saying nothing was done and promised to keep working to improve education.
The House passed its own massive education overhaul bil l in March 2019, and the two chambers will need to work out their differences.