School leaders in a popular coastal tourist area are not giving up their fight against the tourism industry and North Carolina’s school calendar law.
Last week, a state judge sided with three local tourism-related businesses in declaring Carteret County’s plan to start classes on Aug. 13 illegal. In response, the school board unanimously decided Thursday to appeal the decision and ask for a delay to prevent the ruling from taking effect.
The call comes as the start of the next school year is only two months away. School board members said they may consider revising the calendar when they meet again in late June.
“Carteret County is not the only county that has adopted an illegal calendar,” said school board member Dana Mull. “We happened to be the only ones against whom a lawsuit is currently being filed.
“Our goal is not to adopt an illegal calendar. Our goal is to have a calendar that meets the needs of our students and staff so that students come first.”
A quarter of NC districts defy the calendar law
Carteret County is home to popular summer tourist beach areas such as Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Emerald Isle and Morehead City. Located about 150 miles from Raleigh, Carteret County is flooded with visitors during the summer months.
It is also one of 29 school districts cited in a recent state report for being in violation of a state law that requires classes to start in late August. Statewide, a quarter of North Carolina school districts plan to ignore the school calendar law for the upcoming school year.
“I am disturbed to see that the board members continue to ignore their oath to follow the law,” Mitch Armbruster, a Raleigh attorney representing the companies, said in an email Thursday. “That is unacceptable behavior for our elected officials.
“However, it is their right to appeal, which I hope will end in a statewide appeal decision that will stop all illegal calendars in the state once and for all.”
Lawmakers are not backing away from calendar legislation
State lawmakers have regulated school calendars for two decades, after the tourism industry raised concerns about the start of classes earlier in August.
The state’s traditional public schools cannot open earlier than the Monday closest to August 26, or close later than the Friday closest to June 11. The calendar law does not apply to private schools, charter schools, year-round schools and early colleges. secondary schools.
The Senate has not acted on several bills passed by the House of Representatives over the years to change the calendar law.
“They don’t even get to vote on it,” said school board member Travis Day, making the money hand gesture by repeatedly rubbing the tip of the index and middle fingers with his thumb.
“It feels like we’re being held hostage. There is a small group that determines what we can do.”
The district had tried to argue in court that the calendar law violated the state constitution.
Companies will fight the attraction
In December, the Carteret County School Board unanimously approved a calendar for the 2024-2025 school year, which would run from August 13 to May 22. School leaders cited academic benefits such as allowing high school students to complete fall semester exams before winter break.
Day said they tried to adopt a calendar that was sensitive to the concerns of the tourism industry while still meeting academic needs.
“Unfortunately there is no movement whatsoever in the tourism sector,” says Day. “I think this really hurts us. That is why so many counties and so many school systems across the state have chosen to defy the calendar law.”
In April, the owners of Atlantic Beach Surf Shop, Marsh’s Surf Shop and Sanitary Fish Market & Restaurant filed a lawsuit to block the calendar. The business owners said that the loss of income due to the shortening of the summer season would be significant.
According to a state report, Carteret County ranked 11th out of the state’s 100 counties in tourism revenue in 2022 with $695 million.
Armbruster, the companies’ attorney, said they will oppose the request for a delay because it is without merit.
“In the meantime, the court’s order means that the district does not have a calendar, but cannot start school until August 26,” Armbruster said.
