By Staff Report
Alabama Political Reporter
From the Office of Representative Merika Coleman
Montgomery, AL – State Representative Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) is urging the members of the Alabama Senate to support a bill that will provide a $5,000 salary supplement to teachers who become certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
“The state promised this money to these teachers, and we need to keep that promise,” said Rep. Coleman. “These teachers invested their own money into getting nationally certified, and they have earned this supplement to help recover their expenses.”
Rep. Coleman sponsored the original legislation to provide the salary supplement. Last month the state House of Representatives passed another version of the bill after Rep. Coleman collaborated with the bill’s sponsor. The bill must now be passed by the state Senate.
“Democrats and Republicans came together in the House to do the right thing and pass this bill. Now I am asking our Senators to do the same,” said Rep. Coleman. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about promises. The state made a promise, and we have to keep it.”
Rep. Merika Coleman was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2002. She is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Miles College and a former Adjunct Instructor of Government at Lawson State Community College. Rep. Coleman has also served as the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Bessemer and Lawson State Community College. Rep. Coleman received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication and her Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
