Teachers asking for more funding during 'Day of Action'

On Thursday, teachers, families, and the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities held walk-ins at several schools to advocate for more funding.

The main message from educators who have planned this walk in today is “public money for public schools.”

 The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators argues the state has fallen short in funding public schools, asking Orange County to pick up the slack.

“I’ve been to public school my whole life," said eighth grader Jay Christian. "My siblings have been to public school. My mom fought hard to bring us to Carrboro, to make enough money so we could afford to live here. And I want to continue to go to public school.”

The issue of state funding for public schools is a widespread concern touching other districts. It's especially significant in the CHCCS district, where they’ve had to cut positions because of the budget.

“If the general assembly is not going to do it, who’s going to do it," said Sally Merryman, a teacher at Smith Middle School. "And it’s awful that we have to ask the citizens of Orange County to find what the General Assembly won’t.”

In addition to restoring those positions, the school board’s expansion budget asked to restore masters pay and increase salary supplements.