RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina teachers union launched a “Week of Action” this week that includes “walk-ins” and other protests to demand lawmakers increase education funding to save union jobs.

“During National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 8-13, 2017), NCAE, as part of its Schools Our Students Deserve Campaign, will hold a statewide Week of Action,” according to the North Carolina Association of Educators’ website. “Activities will focus on the two campaign goals adopted by the NCAE Board of Directors – passage of HB 13 to save the jobs of more than 4,500 arts, music, PE, and world language teachers, and to increase per-pupil funding to at least the national average.”

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The schedule of activities include “walk-ins” on Monday, followed by an “Advocacy Day” on Wednesday, when “educators are going asked to take a personal day to visit legislators at the General Assembly,” according to the site.

The union plans to conclude the Week of Action with Legislative Forums on Friday and Saturday.

NCAE members framed the discussion as a fight for student needs, rather than a campaign to save union jobs, and perpetuated the union myth that money equals success in education.

“Our students deserve more,” Durham Association of Educators member Nicholas Graber-Grace told WTVD at a walk-in at Holly Grove Elementary School on Monday. “As a teacher, I know that I cannot meet all of my students’ needs when North Carolina is 43rd in the country in per student spending. The state has consistently failed to provide the funding that we need to do the best by our children.”

At the Holly Grove walk-in and others, the union encouraged supporters to “Wear Red for Ed” as they gather outside of schools before class to demand state lawmakers “fully fund” schools. The teachers, of course, don’t discuss what “fully fund” actually means.

Most of the morning is spent waving protest signs with catchy slogans while badmouthing state leaders for allegedly shortchanging schools.

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“These budget cuts hurt our children,” Holly Grove PTA president Crystal Rogers said. “As a parent, I want my child to have all the energy and all of the knowledge that her teacher has to offer her without having to strain against budget cuts and not having the resources needed.”

In Durham County alone the NCAE scheduled at least six different walk-ins for Monday, with numerous others throughout the state. The union posted videos and pictures from several of the events to its Facebook page.

The images showed numerous young students toting hand-drawn protest signs, some reading “Support our Schools,” and “HB 13 is only a temporary fix! We need more funding!”

The main objective of the NCAE campaign is already moot, as lawmakers passed HB 13 in late April.

The legislation essentially delays scheduled class size reductions for a year to avoid layoffs of P.E. and music teachers to hire more classroom teachers.

The NCAE called the bill “a short-term, stop-gap measure” and insisted lawmakers still must “fully fund” schools by increasing per-pupil spending. That message was echoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who blamed Republicans for school funding issues as he signed the legislation into law, the News & Observer reports.

“While this legislation addresses immediate concerns, the failure of legislative Republicans to properly fund our schools has risked the jobs of educators and jeopardized our children’s future,” Cooper said. “It’s imperative that we quit kicking the can down the road.”

Aside from money, the NCAE Week of Action also calls on state leaders to eliminate the state’s A through F school accountability system.