Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Are Closing On May 16th

CHARLOTTE, NC.– Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are closing on May 16th. At least 2,000 teachers plan to skip school and join a rally in Raleigh demanding higher pay, more resources, and safer schools.

“Telling them how important it is to put education first in North Carolina,” that’s the message CMS teacher Melissa Easley has for North Carolina lawmakers. She’s been teaching in the CMS district for 6 years.

“We want quality teachers, we want resources, we want everything we can do to give your students the best education possible,” says Easley.

Easley will be joining over 2,000 CMS teachers who are heading to Raleigh when the North Carolina General Assembly convenes on May 16th. CMS Superintendent Dr. Clayton Wilcox announced on Friday the district doesn’t have enough substitute teachers to fill all the absences.

“I’m designating May 16th as an optional teacher workday, and that CMS schools will be closed for students,” says Dr. Wilcox.

The movement started with teachers in West Virginia, then spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado, and Arizona. Arizona’s governor signed a budget Thursday giving teachers there a 20% pay hike. North Carolina teachers are taking notice. They want higher pay, more resources, and safer schools.

“Better pay keeps qualified teachers and high-quality teachers. I’ve been in the district long enough and teaching long enough to see good quality teachers have to leave,” Easley says.

Dr. Wilcox  says he understands and supports the initiative, “I do believe that our teachers are not fairly compensated today, given the stress and the workload they’re asked to carry.”