Johnston County Public Schools to close May 16 due to teacher's rally

Johnston County Public Schools will be closed to students with an optional teacher workday on May 16, following suit of several other districts in the region.

Wake County Schools, Durham Public Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have also decided to close that day.

The closures are due to a planned teacher's rally.

Thousands of teachers are expected to protest at the General Assembly in Raleigh when lawmakers reconvene for the legislative short session.

Nearly 800 Durham teachers have pledged not to come to work on May 16 and instead travel to the Raleigh to lobby the legislature for what they say are desperately needed new state dollars for underfunded school systems.