Pitt County Schools is among about 15% of districts across the state closing Friday as thousands of educators are scheduled to march in Raleigh to demand more funding for public schools.
The county’s Board of Education on Monday approved an optional teacher workday after learning of some 500 staff absences planned for the end of the week. Neighboring Edgecombe County Schools followed suit on Tuesday, and Nash County on Wednesday. Both cited the large number of anticipated staff absences as a reason to close schools.
By Wednesday, nearly 20 of 115 school districts across the state had announced plans to close for the day on Friday. Participating districts dotted the state map from Asheville to Greenville and ranged in size from Whiteville City Schools, with about 2,000 students, to Charlotte-Mecklenburg, with nearly 150,000…