FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) – Arkansas teachers say they feel directly targeted by a new piece of legislation from the state capitol.

Senate Bill 341 prohibits collective bargaining for public employees, like teachers.

“If they are walking off the job, they are walking off the job that is basically tax payers,” said state Senator Bob Ballinger (D-District 5) who proposed this bill. “If they are opposing something their employers do, they are actually opposing the tax payers.”

Anna Beaulieu is the President of the Fayetteville Education Association. She said she finds this legislation to be an attack on teachers- and unnecessary.

“The fact that our schools were open every day and you had teachers there teaching students throughout this whole pandemic- it’s functioning the way we want it to function right?”

Beaulieu was one of the many northwest Arkansas teachers peacefully protesting re-opening schools for in-person classes amid a pandemic.

“I have a lot of difficulty understanding why we would need legislation to keep educators from advocating for public schools, public education safe and fair working conditions,” Beaulieu said.