Publisher's note: The author of this post is Barry Smith, who is an associate editor for the Carolina Journal, John Hood Publisher.
Teacher union insists it had no role in planned walkout
RALEIGH The state's largest teachers group - the N.C. Association of Educators - is saying that it is not connected to a proposed Nov. 4 walkout in North Carolina's public schools, intended to show disapproval of education policies enacted by the General Assembly and Gov. Pat McCrory.
However, a website does link the
Wake County NCAE to what is called a "walk-in" on Nov. 4. Moreover, the website of Guilford County Schools also urges supports of a Nov. 4 walk-in at GCS. The walk-in, where events were scheduled to urge higher pay for teachers and more spending on public education, was to take place before and after the school day Monday, or in some cases, during the school day Monday morning.
The Associated Press and WRAL-TV reported Oct. 24 that the NCAE planned the event.
"It's about getting parents, educators, administrators, elected officials and everyone together in a school building having conversations about the challenges and successes are in our public schools," NCAE president Rodney Ellis said in the Oct. 24 report.
A page on the NCAE's website titled "Walk-In On November 4" included a "tool kit" for organizers, including this statement:
"At NCAE, we're excited that caring and committed educators from across North Carolina are prepared to take action to protect and transform our public schools for the sake of all children. ... NCAE, therefore, calls on all Wake County educators to "walk-in" on November 4. At a time when the governor and General Assembly are abandoning our students, we choose to stand up for our kids and the future of our communities."
By Oct. 30, however, that page had been taken down. Visitors to the page found a message reading, "Oops ... Page not found."
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake, issued a joint statement Oct. 30 critical of the walk-in.
"We are deeply disturbed the NCAE is encouraging teachers to turn their backs on their classrooms and leave their students in the care of strangers who may lack formal training and background checks," the Berger-Hunt statement said. "Things have reached a new low when a teachers union is willing to abandon its core responsibility and jeopardize student safety for its own gain."
Hunt said Thursday he was glad that changes would be made in demonstration plans so that they won't affect class time.
"It's totally inappropriate to take school class time to be used for political purposes," Hunt said. "They changed that, so I'm happy now. If they do it after school hours and it doesn't impact the students, I think it's fine."
It is illegal in North Carolina for public employees to sign contracts with government units or strike.
A website called Organize2020.com, called on the state's educators to "walk-in" Nov. 4. It said events were planned in Durham, Wake, Guilford, and Buncombe counties.
It called on educators to work with PTA organizations and other education supporters. It provided petitions calling for higher per-student spending, hiring more teachers to reduce class size, and restoring teacher assistant positions in grades kindergarten through third grade. Supporters were instructed to send completed petitions to the Wake County NCAE address.
A parent at Lacy Elementary School in Wake County said she received an email from the local PTA asking for volunteers in the classroom so that teachers could participate in the walk in
"It sounded a little sketchy to me, so I just Googled 'teacher walk in,'" said Michelle Douglas, whose two children go to the school. She said she found out that the walk-in was an effort sponsored by the NCAE.
Douglas has two children at Lacy Elementary School. She said she is a "room mom. My job is to support the teachers and coordinate when we need volunteers."
"I let the PTA know that this was inappropriate," Douglas said. She said it was clear to her that the walk-in was an NCAE event.
"They are not hiding the fact that this is a very political event," Douglas said. "They make it clear that the purpose of this event is to smack down Gov. McCrory and the legislature."
Douglas said she also found it troubling that the event would be transmitted to television sets inside the classrooms.
Robert Grant, principal at Lacy Elementary School, did not return a phone call seeking comment. Nor did the NCAE.
Carolina Journal did get a response from Debra Horton, executive director of the North Carolina PTA. "We certainly support educators; we want them to be the most highly qualified and the most valued to stand in front of the students," Horton said. "But we are not an official participant in their program on Nov. 4."
Horton said local school PTAs had a lot of flexibility. "Some of them could have decided locally to be a part of it," Horton said.
The Guilford County Schools Web page and Twitter account also sought to drum up support for the Monday walk-in.
"You're invited! Walk-In Day is Monday, Nov. 4," read the headline on the Guilford County Schools Internet home page. A second page said, "Wear red for public ed and visit any GCS school before 10 a.m. to show your appreciation to our educators."
Guilford County Schools Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green did not return a phone call seeking comment on the Web page or planned activities.
