Dare, Currituck Schools to Stay Open During Raleigh Rally

Among the thousands of teachers and students expected to rally in Raleigh Wednesday for better pay and working conditions will be about four dozen from Dare and Currituck counties.

So far, an estimated 38 of the state’s 116 school districts are closing for the rally on the first day the General Assembly reconvenes, according to The Raleigh News and Observer. Many are from large metroplitan areas and represent close to 1 million sudents.

Dare and Currituck county schools will remain open, but as smaller districts, teacher absences will have a bigger effect.

Dare County Schools Superintendent John Farrelly said he is aware of eight teachers planning to take the day off for the rally.

“We support our teachers in their efforts to improve salary and working conditions in the state of North Carolina,” Farrelly wrote in an e-mail.

The school system’s policy requires a five-day notice to take an instructional day off and teachers are not required to provide a reason.

In Currituck County, about 35 teachers and students are headed to Raleigh.

“We are not encouraging or discouraging participation in the event,” Superintendent Mark Stefanik wrote in an e-mail. “The decision to participate or not is a personal one left up to each teacher.”