Equality of Pay
Data as of 2/13/2016
A regular complaint of the African-American community during the years of segregation was the unequal level of pay between white and “colored” teachers. One of the ways they approached this issue was through the legal system through lawyers and court decisions when the system resisted fairness. Another approach was the use of the petition, a direct, hand signed request for change sent directly to either the School Board or the Superintendent, which doesn’t mean the petitions always worked; but it is clear from the record that the teachers were determined to try any legal approach possible — for fairness
- March 6 1926 petition to the Superintendent of the public schools and the School Board asking for equity of pay, and the memo denying the request. 1926 Petition for Equal Pay Source (LCPS Archives, Petition Files)
- White teachers had their own problems over salaries as well, and also used the petition process. An undated petition, probably in the 1930’s by five white teachers threatened resignations if an inequity in pay between grade school instructors at Aldie and high school instructors was not properly addressed. Source (LCPS Archives, Petition Files)White Instructor petition over pay.
