STATESVILLE, N.C. — Iredell-Statesville Schools will not close on May 1st for teachers to attend a rally in Raleigh.
In a statement, officials with the Iredell-Statesville Schools’ Board of Education say, “Closing school for a rally, regardless of the message being delivered, will cause an unnecessary hardship for working parents.”
The North Carolina Association of Educators has decided to hold a rally in Raleigh on May 1st to address a list of its concerns with the General Assembly.
The Board of Education says they support every citizen’s First Amendment right to petition his or her government and will grant teachers the day off from work to attend the rally, if properly requested according to school system policy, provided that adequate coverage is available for their classrooms.
The Board of Education says they have no plans to close school on May 1st because May is “a critical month to prepare students for end of grade tests.”
The statement also says, “Working parents depend on the system’s published school calendar to make their childcare arrangements during school holidays and work days. However, the Superintendent is sometimes forced by weather and other natural events to cancel school for the safety of students and staff, which burdens families to make last minute arrangements.”
Officials say closing school for a rally, regardless of the message being delivered, will cause an unnecessary hardship for working parents.
The Board of Education also says they “stand behind our teachers and the work they are doing every day in classrooms to educate our children.”
