PENDER: Teacher pay raise? Beware of them Dems

Note to Mississippi teachers: If you really want a pay raise this year, lay off the rallying — or at least the rallying with Democrats. Work the phone lines, particularly to Senate Republicans.

One might think hundreds of teachers rallying at the Capitol for legislation would help said legislation. But in the strange world of state politics, Monday’s roof-raiser potentially hurt the cause for a pay raise.

Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn, leading the charge for the raise, said as much after the rally, which he did not attend.

The rally did increase the partisanship factor. And the teachers got used, or co-opted.

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