A Day Without a School

At least two public school districts cancelled classes Wednesday in response to "A Day Without a Woman," which has spawned protests and rallies nationwide as part of the greater International Women's Day effort to "highlight the economic power and significance" of women. School districts in Alexandria, Virginia, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City, North Carolina, together reported that some 700 staff members had requested the day off, including teachers, bus drivers and cafeteria staff. The North Carolina closures weren't to support protestors, said the district's spokesperson. "We did this because we knew there weren't going to be enough people to safely run our schools."

Elsewhere in the country, some educators are using the national spotlight to draw attention to local issues. Philadelphia public school teachers planned to picket before school to publicize the five years they have gone without a raise.

Los Angeles Times (03/08/17)