CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Raleigh wasn’t the only city in North Carolina where teachers gathered for better working conditions and an increase in pay.
“We’ve had enough, and we’re not going to settle for subpar conditions for our children or for ourselves,” said Elena Brown Richardson, organizer of the Charlotte rally.
Local teachers who wanted to take part in Wednesday’s march in Raleigh but were unable to make the trip gathered at First Ward Park in uptown Charlotte Wednesday morning.
PHOTOS: Local teachers support Raleigh march at uptown park
Several hundred teachers united to show their support and solidarity with educators statewide. Teachers said they want more support, resources, and funding to be more successful or competitive with other states.
“We are just demanding that they value our students and educators, families to give every child an equal shot at being successful in life,” Richardson said.
Most of the educators gathered in the park were from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, but teachers from other districts across the area joined in the demonstration.
“We are just demanding that they value our students and educators’ families and to give every child an equal shot at being successful in life,” said one teacher at the rally.
Teachers said Wednesday is just the beginning and a number of volunteers were helping people register to vote in November’s election in an attempt to make their voices heard with their ballots.
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“I’ve heard that teacher is the biggest profession, and that if they all voted the same way, can make a huge change,” said Alexandra Lewis, a fourth grade literacy and math teacher.