CHARLOTTE, NC. — Melissa Easley left CMS for a job outside of teaching in January. She says primarily because of the pay and lack of time with her family.
“I was working seven days a week 13, 14, 15 hour days. I never saw my children,” Easley says.
A CMS spokesperson tells WCCB since August 1st, 524 teachers have resigned or retired from CMS. We’re told there are 93 more separations currently pending through the end of this calendar year. CMS has 9,205 active teachers.
“Teachers are burnt out; teachers are tired; teachers are getting all the stuff put on them.”
Margaret Marshall represents District 5 on the CMS Board of Education. She says teachers have less support to handle vacancies.
“We have not had the substitutes picking up those jobs, saying yes, I’ll be there at the school when called. I think for many reasons, probably for Covid reasons,” Marshall explains.
She’s hoping the state takes action to raise teacher pay.
“Our teachers have not had a raise since July of 2018 because we’ve had a budget impasse, and I think some of them are looking at that as a reason too.”