MNPS Teachers Plan Sick-Out, March Ahead of Budget Hearing

Metro budget hearings are ongoing this week — the official schedule lists Wednesday as "Day 5," a phrase that doesn't inspire any kind of excitement unless it's in the context of Test cricket — and with MNPS' portion of the spending plan up for review Thursday, the group behind recent sick-outs plans a "Day of Action." That includes another sick-out and a march across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.

The school board requested funding for a 10 percent across-the-board pay increase for teachers and staff, but Mayor David Briley only included enough for 3 percent in his formal proposal, analogous to what other Metro employees are slated to receive, prompting the pushback.

The Twitter account @SickTeachers called for educators countywide to put in absences Tuesday afternoon for Thursday, and then, acknowledging the ruse, said once the malingering teachers "feel better," to make posters at 1 p.m. at Cumberland Park. The march is set to move from there to Public Square Park at 2:30 ahead of the budget hearing, which is scheduled for 4:30.

According to figures provided by MNPS, 960 teachers were out during the first sick-out May 3 (plus around 400 staff members), and 913 were out May 6. MNPS employs roughly 5,000 teachers.