Jackson advocate., 1950-01-07
NEGRO TEACHERS BACK MISS
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
TEACHERS SALARY PLAN
Biennial Fund OF S9,6OO,OOO
Basis Of Proposed Plan For
EQualiZing Teachers Salaries
Say Operation Of Schools By Boards Would
See Greater Equality In Use Of School Funds


AS Governor Fielding L. Wright,
addressing a joint session of the
Legislature here today in his "state
of the state" message called for
Legislation providing for the equali-
zation of teachers salaries and re-
moving any discrimination based
upon race, a statewide survey con-
Quoted by the JACKSON ADVO-
CATE, following its announcement
last week, revealed that the salary
plan proposed by the Mississippi
Education Association would be
endorsed and accepted by the negro
teachers of the state.
The Mississippi Education As
sociation is the organization of
white teachers who was first to
reject the previously proposed
salary plan the basis of which
would be ratings arrived at after
an examination based on National
Teachers standards. The negro
teachers of the state followed in
rejecting the plan.
The basis of the plan as propos-
ed by the MEA is the allotment
by the state of an emergency bien-
nial fund of S9,600,0O for equaliz-
ing teachers salaries for both rae
es, with the final fixing of saIar-
les, with some limitations, left to
the counties.
The entire plan as proposed by
the MEA, to be presented to the
State Legislature which went into
session here this week calls for
a total biennial appropriation of
S56,200,000, which includes $37,-
100000 for support of schools to be
divided equally between the per
capita and equalizing fund, &c.
100000 for special emergency adj
justment fund for the equalizing of
teachers salaries, and S9,600,000
for long range building program.
The allotment of the S9,6OO.O0O
emergency fund woul1 be based
upon the newly adopted teacher
certification plan which will not
be put in force until the 1852
school year. Allotment of the fund
will be based on the length and
quality of training with the fol-
lowing scale of fixed salaries. Type
A, Masters Degree, S2,4O0, B
Bachelor of Arts $4,000, c, three
years Of college $1,50G, Glass d
two years of college $1,000; Class
E one year of college 500; Glass
F, High School or below S400.
The MEA Plan also called for
the operation of negro schools, as
well as white schools by the Coun-
ty School Board under county
unit system. The plan also asks
that maintenance funds for all
school districts of both races be
provided by the state legislature.
Sentiment among negro teachers
revealed enthuiastic endorsements
of the plan to have the negro
schools, as well as white schools.
operated as a unit by the County
School Board. 1t was pointed out.
that even with the present funds
available, negro teachers would get
a more equal distribution of the
money allotted for teachers salaries
If the negro schools were operated
by the County School Foards.
The announcement of the MEA
plan is reported to have created
somewhat of sensation through
out the state and as the 1850 reou-
lar session of the State Legislature
assembled here Tuesday, the plan
was reported in some quarters %
being already dead having been "a
ceived with GOODNESS both bv fbo
Governor and leaders of the leo.is
lature.
However, in his "state of tho
stat" message to a joint session
of the legislature Tuesday after
noon, the Governor failed to toto
definite stand of the MEA mr.
posal. Instead, he pointed to tbo
teachers rejection of the statew;ao
salary schedule based on tro;r
ing, experience and qualificat;on
1t is now necessary, the Cow
nor said, to prepare another rle
The Mississippi Education Assoo,.
ton, he said, has worked ona "a Ia
Proposals will be submitted ou''
bracing their ideas. e'h-
Il recommend that l,p;sl...
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