Viral post encourages NC teachers to call out of work these 2 days. What we know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Viral social post urges NC teachers to use leave Nov. 7 and Nov. 10 to protest.
- No organizer has claimed credit; Wake NCAE warns major actions need formal organizing.
- Past sick-outs and 2018 and 2019 rallies provide context for short-notice walkouts.
Rumors have swirled on social media that North Carolina teachers may call out of work on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10 to protest issues such as the lack of a state budget.
A viral social media post has caused teachers to talk all weekend about the walkout possibility. It’s unclear who is organizing it and how many of the state’s more than 90,000 educators will take part.
The News & Observer looked at what’s being said. Here’s what we found out.
Who is calling for a walkout?
North Carolina teachers will use leave on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10 to send a message that “public education matters,” according to the social media post.
As justification for the callout, the circulating post cites “no passed state budget, educational funding cuts, dramatically increased health care costs” and “no raises for veteran staff members.” The post says teachers are being asked to do more with less.
“This is not days off — it’s time to stand up,” according to the viral post. “To demand respect, fair compensation, and resources our schools desperately need.”
State lawmakers left Raleigh last week without passing a comprehensive state budget that includes new school employee raises, The News & Observer previously reported.
North Carolina ranks 43rd in the nation in average teacher pay and 39th in beginning teacher pay, according to the National Education Association.
No one has taken public credit for the post.
“It’s an anonymous post,” Christina Cole, president of the Wake County chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators, said in an interview Monday. “If it was Wake NCAE or NCAE, we would make that very clear.”
A spokesperson for NCAE said Monday the group is aware of the viral post but doesn’t know who originated it.
What’s the inspiration for the call-out?
An inspiration for the call-out post could be last week’s sick-out by hundreds of Union County teachers. The 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.
Organizers have said they’ll hold another protest on Nov. 7 if the school board doesn’t approve the pay increase on Nov. 6.
Another potential source of inspiration is the mass protests on May 16, 2018 and May 1, 2019 that drew thousands of teachers to downtown Raleigh. So many teachers called out of work that most school districts across the state canceled classes those two days.
Additionally, some schools in Durham were closed for several days in 2024 because so many employees called out sick amid the district’s budget crisis, The N&O previously reported.
Wake NCAE downplays walkout
The post has become so widespread that Wake NCAE put out its own post on Monday downplaying the walkout. Wake NCAE said it would take a serious organized effort such as joining NCAE to bring about change.
“Our union, led by workers, is the only organization in the state that’s building a serious movement towards change,” according to the Wake NCAE Facebook post. “Big serious actions aren’t generated by viral social media posts.”
Wake NCAE said it took months of action to organize the 2018 and 2019 rallies in Raleigh and weeks of work to bring out about the Durham school closures in 2024.
“It takes lots of organizing, much more than a social media post,” said Cole, the Wake NCAE president.
How many teachers will call out?
Nov. 7 is a Friday and Nov. 10 is a Monday. Public schools are required by state law to be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.
Cole said Fridays and Mondays typically have more teachers off than other weekdays.
Cole said it’s unclear how many teachers will call out those two dates even though the event isn’t being organized by NCAE.
Is a teacher walkout a good idea?
There’s been considerable debate in teacher Facebook groups about whether to call out on either or both days.
Some teachers have questioned participating when they don’t know who is organizing the walkout.
Some teachers have questioned doing it on such short notice that they say it won’t give families and schools enough time to prepare.
Even if teachers do call out, Cole was skeptical of how successful it would be given the lack of organization.
“Tactics like this should be done with clear demands and strategy like, what are we asking for?” Cole said. “And will calling out do the thing we want it to do, and if that gets the General Assembly to pass the budget, I don’t think that’s going to work.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
