In January, I wrote in these pages that coordinated teacher “callouts” are not protected protest — they are illegal work stoppages under North Carolina law. Robert Luebke of the John Locke Foundation’s Center for Effective Education agreed, while adding an important qualifier: “I do sympathize with teachers. Having no budget places teachers and school districts in very difficult positions. The blame for that is on lawmakers. If lawmakers would do their job, and teachers stick to doing theirs, we’re not having this conversation.”
On Friday, thousands of teachers walked out at the NCAE’s “Kids Over Corporations Rally” in Raleigh. At least 20 school districts across the state canceled classes because they could not safely staff schools. In New Hanover County, which kept schools open, 325 substitute positions were requested. About 200 substitutes and 100 central staff employees filled in for teachers who called out.
In the four months since I first wrote on these callouts, the law has not changed. And North Carolina still does not have a state budget. Both facts matter…