Matt Lococo: From a Teacher’s Perspective

Across North Carolina, and especially in small rural districts, teachers and school leaders are facing a level of uncertainty and strain that is becoming unsustainable.

The North Carolina General Assembly has yet to pass a full state budget. As a result, school districts are again trying to plan for the future without clear answers about funding, staffing, programs or resources. At the same time, there are growing questions about the future of federal education funding and the role of the U.S. Department of Education.

For small rural districts like the ones in our region, that uncertainty is not theoretical. It affects real decisions about jobs, classrooms, student services and the support systems that schools depend on every day. Questions about teacher allotments, multilingual learners, professional development, Exceptional Children services and program support have created a level of instability I have not seen since the COVID shutdown in the spring of 2020.

I write this as a teacher with 20 years of experience, a master’s degree and firsthand knowledge of what it means to raise a family on a teacher’s salary. My thoughts are my own and do not represent any school system, board of education, school or organization I am employed by or connected to.

This is the context behind the May 1 education rally in Raleigh.

For many educators, the rally is not about left-wing or right-wing politics. It is about stability, respect and the ability to do the job we were called to do. It reflects a growing frustration among teachers who feel that the system they have committed their careers to is becoming harder and harder to sustain.

I understand that some people have concerns about the rally, including questions about its organization and timing. I share some of those concerns. I will not be there in person because of items on my schedule that I cannot miss.

But I support the reason behind it.

Something has to be done.

We cannot continue to function this way. Districts are looking at the possibility of laying off teachers, cutting program support and reducing resources while still being expected to meet the mandates placed on them by the state. In rural districts, these challenges are magnified because there is less room to absorb uncertainty. Smaller districts depend on consistent funding and stable staffing to serve students well.

At the same time, veteran teachers are feeling the strain in very personal ways.

As a teacher with 20 years of experience, I have seen very little meaningful salary growth in recent years outside of the rural supplement added in 2021. Since I began working in my current position in 2018, we have gone through hurricanes, a pandemic, inflation and economic uncertainty. Those things affect teachers the same way they affect everyone else.

Gas, housing, taxes, groceries and health insurance have all become more expensive. For veteran teachers, the financial reality is becoming harder to ignore. Many new teachers are entering the profession making significantly more than veteran teachers made when they started, while those who stayed, gained experience and carried schools through some of their hardest years are still struggling to feel valued.

That is not a complaint against new teachers. They deserve to be paid well. But veteran teachers also deserve to see their years of service, experience, expertise and commitment reflected in their compensation.

This has real consequences for schools.

Experienced teachers are the ones who know how to handle difficult classrooms, support struggling students, mentor younger teachers and build relationships with families. They carry institutional knowledge that cannot be replaced overnight. When those teachers retire earlier than planned or leave for other careers, schools lose more than a position. They lose wisdom, stability and trust.

That is why this moment matters.

The educators supporting the May 1 rally are not all the same. There will be Republicans, Democrats and Independents. There will be teachers from different religions, backgrounds and communities. There will be new teachers, seasoned teachers, retired teachers, parents, administrators, school board members and school staff.

They may not agree on every political issue. They may not even agree on every part of the rally. But they are united by a shared reality: the current situation is not sustainable.

Teachers and school leaders are not the enemy. Neither should every elected official be treated as the enemy. But the system is failing to provide the stability, clarity and support that schools need. Calling attention to that failure is not disrespectful. It is necessary.

Public education has always depended on people willing to serve their communities. Teachers do that every day. They did it during hurricanes. They did it during the pandemic. They did it when classrooms changed overnight, when students needed meals, when families needed help and when schools became one of the few consistent places many children could depend on.

That commitment is still there.

But commitment alone cannot carry a system indefinitely.

Teachers are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for the ability to do their jobs effectively. They are asking to be compensated fairly for their experience. They are asking for clear funding, stable support and the professional respect that should come with serving children and communities year after year.

I still believe in public service. I still believe in the right of citizens to address their government. I still believe that America is strongest when people can speak up, even when that makes others uncomfortable.

On Friday, I will be at work. I will also be wearing red in support of my fellow teachers and educators who are exercising their right to assemble and advocate for their students, their profession and their communities.

Rural educators are reaching a breaking point.

Right now, too many are asking a painful question: Can we afford to keep doing the work we were called to do?