Hundreds of Cumberland County educators are expected to join teachers from at least 13 school districts in Raleigh on May 1 for the “Kids Over Corporations March & Rally,” as calls for increased investment in public schools continue statewide.
By Wednesday, the impact of that turnout was already being felt locally.
The Cumberland County Board of Education voted during a public hearing at J.W. Coon Elementary School to cancel classes for students on Friday. The district converted the day into an optional teacher workday after a surge in staff absences raised concerns about whether schools could safely operate.
Under the approved calendar adjustment, students get the day off on Friday, while teachers and school-based staff have the option to work. To make up for the lost instructional time, May 22—which was the last day of the school year—will now be a full instructional day, and the last day of school was shifted to May 26, which is the day after Memorial Day. The decision received sharp criticism online, with nearly 400 comments on a social media post announcing the calendar changes.
The rally, hosted by the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), is expected to draw thousands of educators, parents, and community members to Halifax Mall in Raleigh from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
District leaders said they spent days monitoring staff absences and substitute coverage as the date approached. The county received more than 800 requests from staff members for the day off on Friday and filled about 62% of the absences, according to Ruben Reyes, associate superintendent for human resources. That meant hundreds of classrooms could be left without a teacher or coverage.
“We have been overwhelmed with the amount of substitute requests,” Reyes said.
‘We Have Significant Concerns’
School district officials said the volume of expected absences raised serious concerns about whether schools could safely function with limited staffing. The school system was also running short on substitutes to cover classrooms for teachers attending the rally, Reyes said.
“Based on the amount of faculty that we’ll have, we have significant concerns regarding the ability to maintain a safe and orderly school environment on that day,” he said.
Cumberland County Association of Educators President Tonya Washington said local participation in the rally is already expected to be significant.
“The amount given yesterday was 600,” Washington told CityView on Wednesday before the board voted to cancel classes on Friday. She was referring to the number of educators who signed up or expressed interest. She added that more teachers may have joined since and that more than 200 substitute positions were reported unfilled ahead of Friday.
Adrienne Kennedy, a Cumberland County substitute teacher, said she supports the rally but ultimately chose to remain in the classroom.
“I stand with the NCAE and every educator marching in Raleigh on May 1st—this is not politics for me. This is survival,” Kennedy said. “But with the end of grade testing approaching and a documented substitute shortage across Cumberland County, the most responsible act of advocacy I can offer today may be to stay in the classroom.”
“Local advocacy and Raleigh advocacy must move together—not one at the expense of the other,” Kennedy added. “Because someone has to make sure these children don’t lose another hour of instruction.”
For educators, the decision to attend—or stay—has been shaped by both urgency and reality.
Manzell Spencer Jr., a Cumberland County teacher, said he submitted personal leave to attend the rally, which he is hoping leads to meaningful change.
“My hope is that this moment leads to real action, not just more conversations, and that lawmakers make a true investment in the next generation of leaders in this state by ensuring every child receives a sound basic education,” Spencer said. “Our students cannot afford for us to keep waiting.”
Others educators said the challenges inside schools make participation more complicated.
“Many want to take off but do not trust enough will take off in this county to make a difference,” said Constance Keener, a Cumberland County teacher who initially decided not to attend.
“It’s not enough support for me to take the day off,” she said, adding that testing schedules and workload pressures also factored into her decision.
Keener said district-level action—like making the day an optional teacher workday—could help signal support for educators.
“The county making it a teacher workday like many other NC counties will show the county stands with their teachers,” she said.
Following the board’s decision Wednesday to convert Friday into an optional workday, Keener said she is now considering attending the rally, depending on child care availability.
In November, a statewide teacher walkout fell flat in Cumberland County.
