One of Jackson County’s state legislators said he was impressed with the number of educators who attended a rally Tuesday at the Statehouse.

Thousands of teachers and supporters marched on the state’s capitol building in an effort to support school funding, teacher pay and standardized testing on the legislature’s 2020 planning day as more than 130 districts closed across the state for the rally. Locally, only Crothersville Community School Corp. closed.

"It’s great to see them share their concerns, and it’s good to see them get organized and voice their concerns," District 69 Rep. Jim Lucas said.

But those numbers and concerns may not make much of a difference during next year’s session, the Seymour Republican said, because it is not a budget year.

Lucas said he respects teachers, but he is unsure that more funding would solve issues.

"In all my years in state government, I’ve always heard that they need more money, but no one has yet to give me a number of how much is adequate," he said.

Lucas said kindergarten through 12th grade gets more than half of the state’s budget, 40% of property taxes and $1 billion in federal funding. The state also put $1 billion in pensions, he said.

Lucas, who sits on the House education committee, said the legislature also put more than $760 million more in education funding during the 2019 session.

He said he did hear from many teachers who shared concerns with him about funding, pay, classroom size and more. Lucas said salaries for teachers are decided at the local level, so the state cannot do much about teacher pay unless they take it over.

"Nobody wants that," he said.

One teacher, RaeAnn Wintin of Seymour, gave Lucas a stack of letters that she and other teachers wrote him.

"I have read some, and I absolutely will read them," he said.

Lucas said he also gave the Seymour educator his business card and cellphone number. He said he hopes others will reach out to him to discuss education.

"I think it’s sad that many think that the rally was their only outlet to talk to their legislators because I give my cellphone number out to anybody," he said. "I told her to call me, set up an appointment with a group of teachers and I will meet with anyone on any day. I’ve always been open since the day I started serving in government."

Lucas said he did have conversations with some educators and advocates that ended abruptly.

"It was sad that I had professional adult teachers who walked away from me yesterday in frustration," he said. "That solves nothing, and we have to keep a calm head. We’re doing this because education is important."

Lucas said he also felt some people were very partisan in their approach to the rally.

"I don’t like the implication that Republicans hate public schools because we don’t," he said.

Lucas said he also heard of concerns about the shortage of people entering education. Many districts have reported difficulty filling positions each school year and receiving less and less applicants.

He said he has concerns about the shortage, but it’s not just limited to education.

"There’s a doctor shortage, a nursing shortage, a police shortage and talk to any business owner because, there’s a shortage everywhere," he said. "They don’t have a monopoly on the shortages."