Teachers and workers within the rural Iowa district the place a lethal college capturing happened earlier this 12 months might get bonuses if they do not stop their jobs below a brand new invoice accredited by lawmakers and despatched to the governor.
The Jan. 4 assault at the highschool in Perry, Iowa, about 40 miles northwest of Des Moines, killed sixth grader Ahmir Jolliff, fatally injured the highschool’s principal, Dan Marburger, and injured six others. The invoice permits the varsity district in Perry, Iowa, to spend $700,000 of native tax {dollars} on bonuses for workers through the upcoming college 12 months.
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The capturing started within the cafeteria as college students have been gathering for breakfast earlier than courses resumed after winter break. The 17-year-old scholar, Dylan Butler, who opened hearth additionally died of an obvious self-inflicted gunshot.
FILE – Police reply to Perry High School in Perry, Iowa., Jan. 4, 2024. Teachers and workers within the rural Iowa district the place the lethal college capturing happened might get bonuses if they do not stop their jobs below a brand new invoice accredited by lawmakers and despatched to the governor. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, file)
Rep. Carter Nordman, a Republican, mentioned that representatives from Perry and Iowa’s college board affiliation approached lawmakers in regards to the problem with workers retention that had confronted different colleges dealing with related tragedies.
This method was a fast and environment friendly approach of permitting Perry to deal with workers retention regionally, Nordman mentioned, though “no amount of money” will change what occurred. It will probably be as much as Perry to allocate the bonuses; the invoice signifies any district worker is eligible, not solely these working at the highschool or center college the place the capturing happened.
“The reality is that it did happen, and this is one way that Perry could hopefully say to teachers that: ‘We support you, we’re here for you, we want you to continue to be a part of this community and teach here,’ ” Nordman mentioned.
The invoice would additionally waive state necessities on the size of Perry’s college time period. The college district canceled courses on the center and excessive colleges, which share the cafeteria, and the close by elementary college for a number of weeks because the group mourned and the district addressed security considerations.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/iowa-lawmakers-pass-teacher-retention-bonus-district-january-shooting
