Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools decides to close schools May 16

CHAPEL HILL, NC (WTVD) -- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools decided Thursday that schools will close May 16 when teachers across the state plan a walkout to lobby lawmakers in Raleigh with a list of demands.

The decision comes a day after Durham Public Schools voted in support of closing schools that day and treating it as an optional teacher workday.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board also voted to make it an optional teacher workday.

Education leaders say although North Carolina teaching salaries have gone up slightly year-to-year, the state still ranks among the lowest nationwide in overall teacher pay with the total average salary just under $50,000 per year.

They hope a mass walkout will lead to changes in classroom conditions and education.