Teachers March for Higher Pay, More Funding

0:00It's April 30th. This is Durham News Today, driven by AI. Thousands of teachers are set to march in downtown Raleigh this Friday for the North Carolina Association of Educators Kids over Corporations Raleigh. They're pushing hard for higher teacher pay, more public school funding, ending private school vouchers, and keeping the corporate income tax in place. The group wants per pupil spending bumped up to $20,000 by 2030, which would top the southeast. A RISU report ranks North Carolina 46 nationally and both per pupil spending at about $13,680 and average teacher pay around $60,000. That's well below the national average, and they're calling for at least a 25% raise across the board for school staff. Meanwhile, private school vouchers have exploded to over 106,000 students getting nearly $587 million. Now open to all families. Republicans see this as key school choice, while the NCAE wants it gone, and corporate tax

1:02breaks redirected to schools, claiming $3 billion. Out from rate cuts heading to zero by 2030. Teachers face tough odds with the Republican-led General Assembly, which has boosted education spending yearly but boxed big changes like vouchers, or bargaining rights ban since 1959. Teachers also hit fair election maps, free meals, and taxing the wealthy more. Budget talks are heating up, with House and Senate leaders close on teacher raises, aiming for top-southy starting pay near $50,000. This rally amps the pressure as lawmakers hash out the final deal.