Forsyth County educators march to the polls in support of public schools

On the last day of early in-person voting, a group of about 60 Forsyth County teachers, parents and a few school board members marched from Clemmons Elementary School to an early voting site at the local library, a few blocks away. 

They were participating in an event called Schools Vote Together hosted by the Forsyth County Association of Educators. Many attendees said public education is on the ballot this year. 

Samuel Tarleton, a teacher at Parkland High School, said public school funding is a major concern for him in this election. 

“In our constitution, it says that these kids should have a uniform education across the state, and that's just not happening," Tarleton said. "My kids at Parkland are not receiving the same education as other kids across the state.”

He’d also like to see the state increase pay for teachers with master’s degrees.

“While I do love teaching, and it is a noble profession, I love doing it, there's also only so much I can do with the pay I'm receiving and the respect I'm receiving as a teacher," he said. 

Jen Gallagher is an exceptional children’s teacher at Mount Tabor High School and a parent of a transgender child. She said she’s worried about the lack of support for public education as a whole, but also for LGBTQ+ students specifically. 

“I can't have my kid afraid to leave the house. I can't be afraid for my kid to find true love and happiness and be who they want to be," Gallagher said. "Like, they can't walk around in a potato sack and pretend to be somebody that they're not. It’s not fair.”

There are several races in this year's election that could influence the future of public education at the national, state and local levels. FCAE President Jenny Easter cited the Forsyth County Commissioner race as one of them. 

"We have to have people that are willing to figure out how to budget what we're missing from the state," Easter said. "But also know that, while it might not be their bottom line responsibility, that they also have to take the effort and go to the General Assembly and fight for that with us."

For North Carolina, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction will be another important race.

Democratic candidate Mo Green has worked in public schools for more than a decade. His opponent, Republican candidate Michele Morrow, is a nurse and homeschooler who says public schools, as they're currently run, are "dangerous" for kids. 

North Carolina Association of Educators President Tamika Walker Kelly had this to say:

"We have the choice to pick someone who wants to uplift and advocate for the role of public schools in our state, and someone who calls them places of indoctrination for eight hours a day," she said. 

Several candidates endorsed by FCAE attended the rally and march, including Green. 

The polls close today at 7:30 p.m. 

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.