CMS Board votes to cancel classes on May 1 ahead of planned teacher protest in Raleigh

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Friday made a last-minute calendar change. The Board of Education unanimously approved May 1st as a teacher workday during an emergency meeting.

The move comes as thousands of educators across North Carolina plan to head to Raleigh next Friday to push for better pay and more funding for public schools. CMS says there are nearly 2,000 unfilled absences for May 1st. Leaders say the number of absences makes it difficult to safely operate classrooms across the district.

School Board chair Stephanie Sneed says, “We tried to make sure the decision was made in enough advance notice, to ensure that students have, arrangements can be made for appropriate childcare.”

We caught up with a parent shortly after the school board canceled classes for students next Friday. Parent Angelica Garnett says this is a situation the whole community needs to get behind. She says, “It’s something that I absolutely support. Because we all need to show up. They need to give us the opportunity to use our First Amendment rights and speak truth to power. And to let them know this is something that matters to all of us.”

Teachers will try to pressure lawmakers into passing a budget that favors education. Teachers say they have not had significant pay raises at the state level since 2024. Districts statewide are dealing with vacancies.