Protest Planned Near LTHS Board Meeting

La Grange IL

22 February, 2022

8:36 AM

Description

LA GRANGE, IL — A protest is planned near Tuesday night's meeting of the Lyons Township High School board. And it's not involving those opposed to the school's mask mandate. Well, they might be there in force, too. But the scheduled demonstration is by the school's teacher's aides, who have been negotiating for a new contract since August. The rally is set to start at 6:30 p.m. near the main entrance of North Campus. The board meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at the campus' Reber Center auditorium. In an email to Patch, the union for teacher's aides said members would attend the board meeting and speak during public comments. The aides, known formally as paraeducators, have worked without a contract this school year. On its website, the school says it offered aides an 8 percent average increase in the first year of a four-year contract and 3 percent annual hikes in the remaining three years. The Lyons Township Paraeducators Association says the school's proposed raises come from a low point, contending local aides are among the lowest paid in the area. It also says the starting pay for an aide is $20,548, which is under the poverty line of $26,500 for a family of four.