Some NC teachers walked out on Friday in protest. It could happen again soon.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Some North Carolina teachers staged callouts Nov. 7 over pay and budget.
- Absences forced class combinations, alerts to parents, but no district closures.
- Union leaders did not endorse walkouts; organizers plan further actions and lobbying.
Some North Carolina teachers walked out Friday to protest working conditions, a situation that could occur again Monday and in the coming weeks.
An anonymous viral social media post encouraged North Carolina teachers to call out of work on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10 to protest issues such as a lack of a state budget and new pay raises. While the total number of teachers who participated is unknown, enough did call out of work to cause some schools to send parents letters warning about potential disruptions.
“I’m beyond proud of the schools/teams that drove the point home and walked!” Wake County teacher Jennilee Lloyd said in an email Friday. “It starts with a few and builds. I’ve seen posts from (Wake County), (Charlotte-Mecklenburg) and (Johnston County) so far that a large part of staff from some schools chose to walk.”
Lloyd said teachers are talking about adding a callout on Nov. 17. It could have bigger numbers due to more time to plan.
Lloyd said she’s not the person who created the original social media post. But she surveyed teachers around the state to see how much interest there would be in a walkout.
Friday isn’t the first time teachers have walked out this fall. Hundreds of teachers called out of work on Oct. 22 amid demands that the school board OK a $1,000 annual pay increase that has already been funded by Union County commissioners, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. The pay raises were approved Thursday.
Response from state’s largest districts
The Wake County school system said some schools saw higher than normal teacher absences on Friday. But the district said some schools which had anticipated large numbers of absences wound up having fewer than expected.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system didn’t directly respond to a request from The News & Observer about teacher absence levels. Instead, CMS said that all schools are operating as normal Friday.
“Our priority is ensuring that each CMS student has access to high-quality instruction every day, and that all teachers and staff feel supported and empowered in their important work,” CMS said in a statement Friday. “We are grateful for the tremendous impact our educators make in the lives of students across our district. Every teacher’s presence and engagement are critical to our mission of providing Endless Possibilities for every CMS student.”
The Johnston County school system did not immediately respond to The N&O’s request for comment.
Wake is North Carolina’s largest school district. CMS is the state’s 2nd-largest district. Johnston County is North Carolina’s 7th-largest district.
Teacher unions not endorsing walkout
The walkouts are taking place without the official backing of teacher unions such as North Carolina Association of Educators and the American Federation of Professional Educators in North Carolina. NCAE organized prior walkouts such as those in May 2018 and May 2019 that resulted in schools closing across the state when thousands of teachers marched on Raleigh.
Local chapters of NCAE have discouraged teachers from participating in the November walkouts, saying successful change requires more than a viral social media post.
A graphic began appearing late last month on social media accounts, including on teacher Facebook groups, saying educators need to take a stand with a walkout. The graphic pointed out that veteran teachers aren’t getting state raises this year and that net pay will drop next year due to increases in State Health Plan costs.
Lloyd said that the posts got so much attention that she decided to survey teachers to see how much interest existed. Nearly 3,000 teachers responded that they were interested in calling out on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10.
“We’re very tired and just being pushed to the brink,” Lloyd said. “I’ve heard teachers are going to food banks right now because they can’t afford to put food on their table.”
In the end, Lloyd wound up not recommending that teachers participate in the walkout. Lloyd, who went to work on Friday, formed a new group called NC Teachers in Action to lobby for change.
A third of teachers absent at one school
Ahead of the walkout, some schools sent parents letters warning that they might have to take steps such as combine classes and use substitutes to cover for absent teachers.
One of the schools that sent a warning was Rolesville High School. According to Wake, 46 of Rolesville High’s 126 teachers were absent Friday. Wake said it’s unclear how many of the 46 teachers are absent due to the walkout or for other reasons.
Despite the absences, Wake County said no schools closed on Friday or are planning to send students home early.
Durham Public Schools said teacher absences were not abnormal on Friday. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools said it was business as usual Friday.
The union representing state Department of Health and Human Services workers also called on DHHS staff to call out of work to show solidarity with teachers. DHHS did not immediately respond to The N&O’s request for information Friday on DHHS absences.
School board member: ‘Takes courage’ to walk out
While it’s unclear how many Johnston County teachers walked out, school board member April Lee told teachers she understands why. Lee is the former president of the Johnston County chapter of NCAE and now teaches in a neighboring district.
“I want to take a moment to acknowledge the teachers and staff who are calling out of work today and Monday,” Lee said in a Facebook post on Friday. “I know it takes courage to do what you are doing.”
Lee said state lawmakers need to act now to provide higher pay because it’s reached a tipping point where some teachers feel like immediate action such as a walkout is the best course of action.
“While I believe we need a more organized, directed, focused action than what these days may bring, please know that I understand why,” Lee said.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM.
