The boards of both Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Guilford County Schools voted to close school on May 1 so teachers can attend the education rally in Raleigh. The GCS board voted unanimously to close school while the WSFCS board voted 7-2.
There are five major requests that they will have to the North Carolina General Assembly: social workers, counselors and nurses to meet national standards; a $15 minimum wage for all school personnel, a 5 percent raise for teachers and administrators, and a 5 percent cost of living adjustment to retirees; Medicaid expansion for the health benefit of all students and teachers; restoring state retiree health benefits that were eliminated; and restoring compensation for advanced degrees.
Maybe I’m being a curmudgeon, but the N&R reports “GCAE members in the audience broke out in cheers when the votes were announced.” If teachers believe in the causes for which they protesting and causing school shutdown, I get it. But this is nothing to cheer about.
