N.C. school district cancels classes for ‘A Day Without a Woman’ protest

A North Carolina school district is canceling classes Wednesday for the national “A Day Without a Woman” protest.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced this week that March 8 will be an optional teacher workday, which means schools will be closed to students.

Superintendent Jim Causby made the decision in anticipation of a high number of absences, The News & Observer reported.

“Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools values and supports its female employees,” the school system said in a statement Thursday. “However, the decision to close schools is not an endorsement of the planned demonstration. The decision is made solely to avoid operating school on a day when there are insufficient staff to provide instruction and basic school services.”

Jeff Nash, the district’s community relations executive director, said more than 300 staff absences are expected, The Herald-Sun reported.

“A Day Without a Woman,” inspired by the nationwide “A Day Without Immigrants” strike, is a political protest meant to demonstrate the “enormous value” women contribute to society, according to the official website. The protest, marking International Women’s Day, is being organized by the Women’s March on Washington and the International Women’s Strike groups. Protesters are asked to take off from paid and unpaid work, avoid shopping and wear red for the day.