001I call this special called meeting of the Pitt County Schools Board of Education to order. Um, as of to note, as right now, we have six um and myself of our board here um for this meeting today. Um, I invite uh Dr. Lassiter to share um this new business item for us to discuss. Good >> There she is. Good evening uh Madam good morning or afternoon, rather, uh Madam Chair and to the board members. Uh very quickly, Pitt County Schools have been monitoring um staff absences for Friday, May 1st. And uh at this time, we see that there are a higher number of teacher and bus driver absences than usual um than what we would expect uh on a regular day. Um and we expect additional absences between today and May 1st. Uh we taken
002steps to expand our substitute teacher pool and develop a plan to utilize central office staff to support classroom coverage. However, as of this morning, uh there are nearly 500 staff absences, including 200 unfilled substitute positions. Uh this volume of absences exceeds our planned capacity to uh have to additional coverage for our schools, uh which raises concerns about our ability for to provide consistent, comprehensive supervision for students throughout the day. So, at this time, I am recommending to the board that um Friday, May 1st be an optional work day. Okay. Where before we take up this discussion, we're going to have any questions. Are there any questions for Dr. Lassiter about this information that he shared? I have one question. With um how Tell me about how um this impacts safety of our students in the
003building. Not just instruction, we know instruction will certainly be impacted by substitutes, but what about their um their safety of being in the building with that many um teachers out? Well, with that high number of staff being out in particular schools, um it gives pause to being able to appropriately supervise them. Um you know, when the teacher's not there, things can happen sometimes. >> Okay. Okay. And you have a question? Yeah, but what about the impact and safety of the students that are home with no one able to look after? Is that taken into consideration? This was not a planned work day. It was it's the day that has come about as a result of so many teachers being out. Correct. >> had a several teachers say that I'm not going to Raleigh, Well, but
004I'm just taking Oh, but I want to ask him I want to ask him a question about >> Yes, sure. But I'm just, you know, not going. So, has it been addressed about the safety of the kids, parents having to find uh people to look after their kids? What about that? >> So, a lot of socio-economic kids, those kids will be home by themselves. So, we're trying to give parents as much advance notice advanced notice, uh which is why we're sharing that information today just as if there were um an other another event that we try to give parents advanced notice as much as we can so that they can make preparations. So, we uh Today is the day where we decided where we would make sure that we have all the leave forms looking
005at the request and give parents advanced notice. Any other questions? How many would you normally have on a on a Friday this time of year out? Um Good afternoon. Uh so So, typically um on a Friday, um we may have maximum around 200 um typically um being absent with subs and we're able to fill the majority of those. Um but [clears throat] that's significantly higher being up towards 500. Any other questions? I do. Yes, Benji. Um Not discussion, just questions right now. We'll come to discussion. Well Well, I'll just discuss. Uh we're going to hold discussion till after the motion. >> what I'll do. I'll just hold it till >> Okay, perfect. Thank you, Benji. >> Well, I got a lot I want to discuss. Okay. Is there a motion to take any action on
006the information shared? Amanda. Uh I'd like to make a motion to alter the 2025-2026 calendar to make May 1st an optional teacher work day. I second that motion. Okay. Um motion by Amanda, seconded by Mary. Now for discussion. Go, Amanda. Um so, I just want to address um because obviously, you know, there's the safety issues of trying to fill um all of these positions uh on that work day um on Friday. But, I think what's really important to remember is that we all know our teachers are overworked and underpaid, and I know we have all as a board worked so hard to try to support them in every way that we can. And one of the things we have repeatedly said to teachers is speak up, let your legislators know that you are not properly
007funding North Carolina's public schools. They are doing that. They are using their voice. They are speaking up. And I think the least we can do is support them uh in that. Uh Worth's point is is well taken. There will be families who are going to be upset about this. But, ultimately, I believe that this is the moral thing to do and the right thing to do. I got you. Thank you. Yes, Worth. You know, right at the time that we are cutting positions and uh are concerned about losing positions to the public, then they see, well, here teachers are taking off on a day not scheduled for what um has been presented in CAE is pushing. And uh the legislators won't will not even be up there. You know, I mentioned earlier that this could
008have been on a Saturday. And the same message could have got across because the legislators are not going to be up there Friday, nor will they be up there on Saturday. I support the teachers. I know that they uh are overworked, underpaid. But yet, I also my number one um thought is that here we are also getting close to testing, end-of-grade testing, end-of-course testing, and then they're going to lose a whole instructional day. Uh and and here we are, as we've talked, we're asking the county commissioners for extra money, but yet we're we are going to close schools for this event. Uh I disagree with it and I will be voting against it. Any other discussion? Yes, Benji. Has the NCAE been recruiting in the schools to get teachers to go? I'm not aware of
009NCAE recruiting in the schools of teachers to go to the event. >> that NCAE has been recruiting in the schools to get to get them to go? I'm not aware of principals sharing with me that they were recruiting to go to this event. However, NCAE has recruited um in the county. They They recruited in the school? To for membership of NCAE. Um The General Assembly Worth made a good point. The General Assembly is not going to be in session that day. Why Why they choose Friday the 1st? Why is that such a special day? I had some teachers come to me Friday evening >> [clears throat] >> and told me uh That's That's several of us going to We're not We're not coming Friday, but we're not going up there. They're just going to take
010the day off. And And look, there's nobody that supports teachers more than me. I was one. I have supported getting their local supplement from 5% to 10% when that uh runs out, hopefully we'll go with an another 10% down the road cuz they deserve it. But, we also don't need to to uh give uh kudos to bad behavior. And bad behavior is a bunch of teachers getting together for the sake of on a Friday to make it hard for us to have a general day of school. And you can say all day long, well, if we do have it, we won't they won't learn nothing. Well, do you learn anything on the last day of school? How about the day before Christmas? But, we we we we we at least are as a board if
011we try to hold school on Friday, hold school on Friday, at least we say we we hear you. We've been out there working with the General Assembly. We've had legislative day. We've invited the General Assembly members in to talk to them about this. We've had good working relationship with them. We've talked to our teachers about it. We've had open session with them on these days that you created this year. We we brought in all of that. We've been just as transparent as we can. Now, let's go to school on Friday and work and show the General Assembly that our first mission is to teach kids. Cuz all they're going to do is make the General Assembly mad. And you can say all day long, "Well, that shouldn't affect what they do." All of us are
012human. Thank you, Benji. >> I'm not in favor of it, and I'm not going to vote for it. Thank you, Benji. >> uh if I wasn't plain enough, I'll say it again. Thank Mary, and then Justin. I would just like to share a thought. For the safety of our children with that many teachers not in the building, and probably not enough people to be subs in the buildings, I see this as a necessary to let this day be a work day. Uh our kids, as a former educator who worked with people on Fridays when a lot of teachers weren't present, it's hard, you all. It's hard because our kids have a tendency to not behave like they would if the teacher were there. And with that many teachers being out of the building, whether they
013decide to go and take the day off, that's their prerogative. That's their day. I have no problem with that. I remember during that time, I took that day off, and I went. But that was my choice. I think they have a choice. I'm thinking safety for our kids first. I hear the legislator may not be there, but they're going to hear it on the news. They haven't done a lot of the things that they should be doing. So, guess what? We said, "Go see your legislator. Write your legislator." They're getting out there protesting. That's their right. I think that if we're not giving them permission to What we're saying is we want to look out for our prole class, our babies. That's what I'm thinking about. So, I will vote for that day to be
014a work day for that reason, mostly because I want our kids to have safety on Friday. Justin. How many teachers do we have? About throughout Pitt County, 1,700. About 2,000? 1,500. Okay. 1,500, that makes it even worse. I was thinking 2,000. Um You've got over 25% of your workforce calling out for something that is important to them. That's not including the ones that haven't called out yet. As Mary said, the safety is important. You're you're talking about maybe 300 subs in in uh schools that don't know all the policies, don't know all the safety procedures if something happens. I I really think it's a an absurd um excuse me. I'm trying to get my stuff together without elevated heart rate here. I think this is a uh um discussion that's uh we shouldn't even be
015having. I mean, that we we preach all year that we want to hear you. We want you to stand up for yourself. We want you to do what you think is right, and they're saying that this is what's right. This is This is what we want everybody to hear and what we're saying. And now we're saying that it shouldn't be a work day. Um I mean, I it just it baffles me. If if I'm going to protest a business, I'm not going to do it on a day where everybody's off, and it's just a a march around Raleigh. If I'm going to protest the church, I'm not going to protest it on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I'm going to do it on a Sunday when that's their biggest day of the year. Uh um I
016I just think back in 2020, I mean, we were out we were out of the classroom for months, and it wasn't a problem for anybody other than parents and teachers that were trying to Zoom and teach the kids. And now we're worried about giving them one day uh uh being out of the classroom, being able to say what they want to, being able to hold signs that they want to, being able to walk where they want to. And I just I mean, it I don't know. It just baffles me, but I'm going to vote yes for it without a doubt. I've got teachers that have came up to me. I've had high school students come up to me and say, "Hey, this is this is huge. This is important for the teachers that have expressed
017to us how important this day is and how important it is to get up to Raleigh." And I know some students that are going with them, high school students that are taking a very big interest in teaching, and they are going with them to protest the pay, the budget, and all I don't know. I You know, I'm not a verbally as educated as a lot of the comments. I just think it just baffles me that this is even a discussion. James, Amy, do you have anything Yeah. Um I I agree with supporting this decision. After all we've done, the meeting we've had with our legislators, the times we talked with them, >> [snorts] >> nothing's changed. Still no budget. I support the teachers. Um it would be nice if they, even though they represent us,
018only have one vote. And every time that this has been brought up, still there's been no change. They're not supporting paying the teachers what they deserve. And if we're going to stand behind our teachers, we can't stand behind them one way and then don't stand behind them another. We got to stand behind our teachers. Even after today, even after they go there, still those that represent us only got one vote. And if they really want to make a difference, then they need to approve a budget. They need to start looking out for the teachers as they say they want to do. I I think it's a shame that we're the only state in 50 states that don't have a budget. That's embarrassing. But even though uh I understand where Worth and Benji's coming from, but
019we as the board need to support our teachers. We've been supporting them. I understand what Benji's saying. Uh having legislators come, but they're speaking up. They're doing what we asked them to do. We've asked them to do that. And so, I strongly support the decision. Amy, do you have anything to add? Yeah, actually I I was curious when we asked when the question was asked why May 1st. Um so, I Googled it. So, it says May 1st celebrated globally as International Workers' Day. By wearing red and organizing on this day, teachers are connecting their fight for public education to the broader labor movement. So, it's it's about the day as well as um the time that they're going. So, I I've listened to what everyone said, and I I agree about safety of our kids,
020but I think the kid the safety of the kids is worse off if we have them in school when there are not enough people to watch them. And we even have bus drivers that are outside. We might have issues with some of the kids even getting to school. So, it's yes, we need to support our students. They're always our first, but their teachers are the the ones who take care of our babies as well in the classroom. And I feel like we need to support them, not only verbally, but we need to show it with action as well. We'll have one more chance for any additional comments. So, we'll start with Worth, and then Benji, and then one last and then Amanda. The only thing I'd say is uh I know that the teachers are
021important, but what's more important is the education of those kids. That's number one. And um when I when I think about that, what message are we sending? How many surrounding counties uh are taking the day off? Name them. I'm sure there's a list that long. There's a I know Chatham >> I asked surrounding, none at this time. >> None at this time. You know, we lost how many students this past year that went to private school? Was it 300? Whatever Well, we've lost Aaron came up with that uh earlier. I can't remember that exact number. Is Aaron back there? Aaron Bowling. 317. >> [laughter] >> 317 students, and we're projected to lose more students this coming year. That Folks, the public out there is getting tired of these these things. They see what's going on
022in our public schools, and they're losing faith in private schools, home schools, uh the charter schools. Uh all of that is pulling kids out of Pitt County schools. And I see this as if if another issue comes up, what are we going to do? Give them another day off later on? We've got to We've got to make sure that we have some controls. That kid needs to be in that class and needs to be taught. We're all talking about end of grade test and that we need to use all the instruction that we can use from bell to bell, but yet we just take off take a day off and and you can't give me any surrounding counties that's doing the same thing. So, that's all I have to say. Thank you for recognizing. Yes,
023absolutely. Thank you. Yeah, I want to follow up on something Amy said. I'm glad she said that. International Labor Day. When we celebrate Labor Day? September, ain't it? >> [clears throat] >> Then we give teachers Labor Day? Yes. That's what I thought. And and and and and and and [clears throat] going up there to to them when they're not even going to be in session that day. Not even going to be in session. And James, I don't think that we've ever opposed teachers being marched, rallied, protested, put out signs, whatever they want to do. I I mean the one of these people. But if they if they really want to show that they've got the kids intentions first, do it after school. Go on up there after school. Thank you, Benji. We'll get to Amanda
024so we can head to the vote. Um so, I just two two responses. One, um the legislators do not need to be looking out their windows and seeing the protest for the protest to be effective. It is I've been to this before in full disclosure um and it's filling the streets with red. It is a positive positive event. It's about supporting public education. And uh just a second point, if we are worried about somehow offending or upsetting the legislators in Raleigh through peaceful protest, then I think we have much bigger problems than one day off of school. And that's all I have to say. So, I'm going to we're going to call for a vote now. Motion by Amanda, seconded by Mary. All in favor, please raise your right hand. Five. All opposed? Two. Motion
025carries um with five to two vote. Okay. And now motion to adjourn this special called meeting. Motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn by Worth. Second. Seconded by James. Any discussion? All in favor, please raise your right hand. Seven zero. Motion carries um this special called meeting is adjourned.