NC teachers group unhappy with legislative budget proposals

The North State Journal—The North State Journal
N.C. Association of Educators President Mark Jewell speaks during a press conference about teacher pay on Wednesday

RALEIGH — Leaders of N.C.’s largest teacher lobbying group will keep pressing for more public education funding because they say their pleas during a Legislative Building rally last month were ignored.

The N.C. Association of Educators held on Monday outside a Raleigh school the first of several news conferences across the state as part of its “Truth Tour.”

NCAE President Mark Jewell says competing House and Senate Republican budget proposals left out sufficient funds for hiring more school social workers and nurses, for across-the-board teacher and support staff salary increases and for expanding Medicaid. Thousands of teachers pressed these items during the May 1 rally.

Jewell says he’s more optimistic NCAE ultimately will be heard, because ally Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper now has more negotiating leverage with his veto stamp.