Beaten up by a student?

Imagine being attacked by a student, and getting beaten so savagely that you are permanently disabled. Under current law, you are entitled to full pay for injury or disability caused by a student or if you’re helping a student or other person.

But a bill that is headed to the House of Representatives would limit your pay to workers’ compensation. That’s just about two-thirds of your salary. In most cases, full pay would be limited to one year.

You might never be able to return to the classroom, or to hold any other job.

That doesn’t matter to the lawmakers who passed HB 165 out of the House Education Committee. They believe that because disability pay is sometimes abused, the dozen or so teachers who are severely injured each year should all be punished.

This is just one more mean-spirited attack on teachers who have already been cruelly assaulted.

We can stop this bill on the floor of the House, but only if you let lawmakers know how wrong it is to threaten the livelihood of educators who have already suffered enough. Please send a message to your representative, and tell them to vote NO on HB 165.