NATCHEZ &045;&045; The $2 billion education bill that passed the House on Tuesday is good news and bad news for Natchez-Adams School District teachers.

In order to fund 8 percent teacher pay raises and fully fund public schools, the bill proposes taking $15.9 million in classroom supply money for the overall budget.

&uot;As much as I know that teachers need a pay raise, we are here for the kids,&uot; said Aquetta Butler, a fourth-grade teacher at McLaurin Elementary.

&uot;If we aren’t given that money to buy those supplies that will hinder their education,&uot; she said.

School supply money from the Educational Enhancement Fund goes to buy everything from manipulatives, puzzles and computer software to ink cartridges for classroom printers at Frazier Primary School.

Frazier teachers said they were given about $500 this year to make purchases for the classroom. Under the bill each teacher would receive around $100.

&uot;If our supplies are cut, it is going to make a big impact on our teaching,&uot; said Agnes Davis, a Frazier kindergarten teacher.

Vicki Watts, also a kindergarten teacher, said she uses hands-on manipulatives, bought with school supply money, to teach introductory reading and math skills. &uot;We don’t introduce a skill unless we can do it with hands-on materials,&uot; Watts said. &uot;This is giving a message to parents and to children that they aren’t worth the money.&uot;

Frazier teachers also expressed worries that if the money was taken away this year it would never be put back into the fund. &uot;I really feel sorry for the new teachers,&uot; Watts said. &uot;I remember walking into an empty classroom. We are set up already, but this is going to discourage a lot of new teachers.&uot;

Frazier Speech Pathologist Lisa Johnson said she already spends a lot of her own money to buy things for the classroom.

&uot;If you are going through a store and see something you could use, you just pick it up,&uot; she said. &uot;Because you know there isn’t any money left.&uot;

In addition to the $15.9 million that would be taken from the K-12 school supply fund, House Bill 1696 proposes taking Department of Education funds and eliminating 21 positions.

Bill 1279, which passed the House in February, has many similar provisions, including the school supply cut.

Johnson said she did not understand why the legislature was even looking at cutting any educational funds. &uot;I thought that money was already set for the raises,&uot; she said. &uot;They promised that to us four years ago. It should have nothing to do with school supplies.&uot;