B-CC Teachers March Today in Support of Salary Increases

B-CC teachers and supporters are planning to march today in support of a bill that would increase MCPS educator salaries. They are meeting at 2:45 on the front lawn of the school and will walk to the Fox News building in downtown Bethesda.

This comes on the heels of a protest held at a Montgomery County Council meeting in honor of teacher appreciation week. Police were called on county employees – including teachers, bus drivers, and other municipal workers – who were engaged in the sit-in.

B-CC’s union building representatives are organizing the march. Fox News has agreed to be present at the demonstration to interview B-CC staff regarding their ongoing salary struggle. 

“Unfortunately, it boiled down to this because I know how much this affects county residents, but that has been the only way the county has agreed to give us the raise and funding we need,” said B-CC Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) union representative Dan Janis, adding, “We’re gonna have no teachers next year if we don’t increase pay because they can make way more money elsewhere in the field they specialize in.” 

“We don’t want to seem greedy,” added Nina Hagan, another B-CC union representative, “but this wage increase is something we need and deserve.” 

The potential bill would increase property taxes by 10%, which would fund the 300 million dollars needed to increase teacher salaries.

MCEA has been advocating for a larger budget within schools to increase teacher salaries. The step salary plan for teachers has not been changed since COVID-19.

As a result, Marc Elrich, an Executive of the Montgomery County Council, proposed a 10 cent per 100 dollar property tax increase for all homeowners in Montgomery County. The vote is happening on May 17, where 6 out of the 11 council members will need to be in favor of the proposal for it to pass. 

Tattler reporters will be on the scene to cover the march in Bethesda this afternoon.