By By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
May 18, 2001
Several teachers attending the Lauderdale County School Board meeting Thursday were pleased to learn they will receive their May paychecks next week.
County schools superintendent David Little said checks would be cut May 24, the last day of school.
A memo to teachers dated May 15 said teachers would be paid this month on May 31, not on the last day of school.
According to Dr. Lauren Wells, president of the Lauderdale County Federation of Teachers, no explanation had been given for the delay and many teachers were upset about it because they are accustomed to receiving monthly paychecks on the last regular school day of each month.
Wells said many teachers had made plans to deposit their check on the 24th and "head out of town" for the Memorial Day holiday. She said the delay would have created a hardship for some.
She added that she lobbied for teachers to receive their checks on the 24th through petitions sent to each of the county schools and phone calls to board members and the board's attorney, John Compton, citing that state law requires teachers paid monthly to receive their checks on the last regular school day of the month.