INDIANAPOLIS, IND. - Thousands of teachers wearing red have surrounded the Indiana Statehouse for a rally calling for further increasing teacher pay in the biggest such protest in the state amid a wave of educator activism across the country.
Teacher unions says about half of Indiana's nearly 300 school districts are closed while their teachers attend Tuesday's rally while legislators gather for 2020 session organization meetings.
Math teacher Angela Cooper says she traveled with more than 40 teachers from far southern Indiana for the rally. Cooper says she's worried that low pay is causing many new teachers to leave for other jobs.
Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and leaders of the GOP-dominated Legislature have avoided direct criticism of teachers, but don't expect to take action on further boosting school funding until at least 2021.