Top executives of Red River United, a teachers union, complained Monday night to the Red River Parish School Board that teachers are not getting all they are entitled to from a sales tax passed back in 1974. The superintendent and board members expresses disbelief of union claims.

Jackie Lansdale, head of Red River United and Wanda Flores, parish chapter president, presented complaints of teachers they say they represent. Lansdale told the board “teachers in Red River Parish were calling her that they weren’t getting their percent from sales tax collections.” Lansdale adds “teachers got only 12 percent, instead of 20 percent.”

Another complaint from the teachers, says Lansdale, is “that not everyone is getting pay raises. And teachers are required to take part in workshops outside of the workday and not being compensated for it” adds Lansdale.

Neither Lansdale nor Flores presented the board with any specific complaint filed by a teacher. And they did not say how many teachers were complaining. But Lansdale questioned the board’s intent in their spending priorities. A spokesperson with the teachers union, Brooke Harvey, told The Journal they did not have specific figures on the number of teachers in the parish that are members, saying “a lot, maybe about half, I think.”

Later during the meeting board member Cleve Miller said he was disappointed in the information Lansdale had presented. “We have gone overboard to do what we are supposed to do” said Miller. He added that he “feels any unhappy employees should have come to the board.”

Valerie Cox, Chair of the School Board commented “some things were based upon what teachers said…some were not factual.” Cox says she thinks the board has gone over and beyond for it’s employees.

Superintendent Allison Hughes expressed disbelief in a large group of dissatisfied employees. Hughes saying “maybe two or three, but I don’t believe there is a large group of unhappy employees.