Wake County GOP Calls for Constructive Negotiations for Teachers | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:


    RALEIGH: The Wake County Republican Party today called on the North Carolina Association of Educators, the Wake County School Board, and the General Assembly to engage in constructive discussions about teacher pay and school resources, while cautioning that the May 1st Teacher's March would not serve the best interests of teachers and students.

    "Republicans believe that teachers should be paid fairly and be given the resources they need to be successful in the classroom. But this march hurts the poorest families of our state. It forces working families to find child care or take a day off. It takes a lunch away from a child who needs it," says Darren Eustance, Chairman of the Wake County Republican Party.

    As of April 30th, 33 public school districts and two charter schools had announced they will close for the day. These closures will deny over 750,000 students a day of learning.

    "We have an opportunity to have a real discussion about what teachers need: better technology, fewer tests, more freedom to teach to the individual student, and more. It's a critical discussion that teachers, parents, and lawmakers could be having. But it won't happen by closing down schools, costing students a day of class, or by ignoring the real progress that has been made over the last five years."

    The Republican-led General Assembly has raised teacher pay for the past five consecutive years. The NEA's numbers show that that the average teacher salary in North Carolina is almost $54,000, which is second in the southeastern United States. Teachers are expected to get another pay raise in this year's budget.

• Contact: Justin Fawson
•     pr.wakegop@gmail.com