Asheville City schools will close next Wednesday May 16th, becoming the latest district in North Carolina to shut down as teachers plan to rally that day at the state capitol in Raleigh for better pay, working conditions, and education funding. The General Assembly convenes the 16th in Raleigh for its annual session. The teacher rally is being organized by the state's association of educators.
In a statement released Tuesday, Asheville City schools superintendent Dr. Denise Patterson said "due to the anticipated high number of leave requests and the limited number of available substitutes" classes would be canceled for the day. Advanced Placement exams scheduled for May 16th will still be administered that day. To make up for the class time lost on the 16th, school days will be extended 18 minutes each day the following week.
Asheville City schools join many larger districts in canceling classes for the rally in Raleigh. On Monday, the Wake County Public School system announced it would close on the 16th. It's the largest public school district in the state. Last week, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Durham County, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, and Guilford County schools all announced they would close as well.
