Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Dozens of red-shirted Springfield Education Association members looked on Tuesday as some of their members, including the union president, pushed for teaching assistants to get the same sort of deal — up to a five-dollar-an-hour raise — that paraprofessionals enjoy.

Union negotiations are ongoing; in fact, District 186 superintendent Jennifer Gill said she received a counterproposal from the union just Tuesday afternoon.

Amy Harris Long (pictured), stressing that groceries are often a luxury for her, said, “Does this board of education want to be known for channeling resources into the classrooms, where it directly impacts our students, or does the board hope to be remembered for pouring cash into administrative positions and a beautiful – but student-free – office building?

“The district’s actions have shown that teaching assistants are not valued.”

“TA’s have more qualification requirements than para’s,” said Patricia Larson. “My proposed raise would amount to fifty cents more per hour.”

SEA president Aaron Graves summed it up: “Teaching conditions are learning conditions.”

Tuesday’s meeting was another media misadventure, with at least two of the microphones — Gill’s and the public comment mic — cutting in and out repeatedly over the ninety-minute meeting. Board member Sarah Blissett asked that the company which sold the district the system be contacted first thing in the morning. It was only the latest series of malfunctions in the months since the board moved its meetings to the district’s new Fiat Avenue headquarters.

Ironically, Gill’s microphone kept cutting out during her presentation on a new course offering for the fall: American Sign Language.