By Emma Loura
The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school district has seen a shortage of paraeducators in recent years, and one veteran of the job says it may be because they’re underpaid.
Ashley Wilcox, a 13-year para for USD 383, said during public comment at Wednesday’s school board meeting she was paid $12 per hour.
“I know the importance of paraeducators because we have the children, we have our hearts, we have empathy, we have ethics,” Wilcox said. “We want to see the growth as much as the parents and the teachers do but I can go to (Raising) Cane’s — I looked it up while I was standing there — and earn $16 an hour passing out chicken nuggets.”
