New Hanover County Schools reject rally-related calendar change

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Board of Education voted down a proposed calendar change that would have allowed teachers to attend a planned rally in Raleigh on May 1.

The decision comes as districts across North Carolina consider how to handle the North Carolina Association of Educators’ “Kids Over Corporations” rally, which is calling for increased public school funding.

At last week’s board meeting, Superintendent Christopher Barnes proposed moving a scheduled teacher workday from Monday, May 4, to Friday, May 1, the day of the rally. Several districts across the state are making adjustments in anticipation of higher teacher turnout, with Guilford County and Chatham County schools opting for an optional teacher workday. Wake County schools already had May 1 scheduled as a teacher workday.

In New Hanover County, however, the board voted 6-1 against the calendar change. Board member Josie Barnhart was among those opposing the proposal.

“We approve a calendar every single year for the Board of Education and parents all over plan their days and this is the expectation for teacher work days, we have holidays, and different breaks, and things like that, so the idea and concept of two weeks in advance to stop a workday to basically allow political protest, I don’t think that’s fair to our families, and to continue to honor that commitment is important to make sure we have reliable schools for our kids,” said Barnhart.

WWAY reached out to Superintendent Christopher Barnes for comment on how New Hanover County Schools would handle a possible increase in teacher absences on May 1 and what the plan moving forward would be. We have not heard back yet.