Why a grassroots movement,

and what can you do?

Prior to passage of the School Calendar Law in 2004, the vast majority of school systems across North Carolina were opening their doors very early in August. Parents' and teachers' pleas to have a more traditional school calendar as an option were being ignored and/or ridiculed. That's why the grassroots non-profit, Save Our Summers - North Carolina formed, and why it took the matter to the General Assembly. Be sure to Click Here for a more complete historical record of SOS-NC.

As the law has been challenged every year since its passage, the president of SOS-NC has been there to advocate for educators, parents, and other concerned citizens who have needed, not just wanted, the option of being able to attend a school with a more traditional calendar. Their arguments were, and still are, valid and solid, and can be found at this link.

In 2013, the calendar law was tweaked to provide more flexibility, which school systems and administrators had been requesting for years. Changing the attendance requirement from "185 days" to "185 days OR 1,025 hours of
instruction" was a major boon to NC school systems.

The mandated school start and end dates changed as well, with the law currently reading as follows: "Start date no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and end date no later than the Friday closest to June 11 (unless a
weather-related calendar waiver has been approved, year-round school, charter school or cooperative innovative high school). If waiver is approved the start date can be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 19."

Provisions are even in place now to grant start and end date waivers to qualifying low-performance schools (Restart Schools).  In 2017, the NC State Board of Education voted to allow 19 schools to take advantage of this option.

Our state now has choices so that families can decide what is best for their particular situation. Save Our Summers - NC is simply about preserving a more traditional school calendar as one of those choices. But the School Calendar Law remains under attack. Opponents and their lobbyists are pushing the narrative to legislators that this is a "local control" issue. But there is no
guarantee that, given the chance, school systems would not return to abusing their power contrary to any laws on the books or the desires of parents.  We maintain that "local control" starts and ends at the grassroots level (that's SOS-NC's foundational principle) and not with administrative bureaucrats.

What can you do?

• Be involved with your children's school life in every way possible.  Become a constant voice and a presence.
   
• Attend your local school board meetings when calendar issues are discussed and make your feelings known, if necessary.  In doing so numerous will become a part of the record so that board members cannot claim ignorance about your desires.  Remember, you ELECT these representatives, and they should respect your perspectives.  You don't have to be adversarial, but you have the right to be heard.
   
• Talk with neighbors, friends and colleagues about this issue.  Many are not even aware that a traditional school calendar is threatened.  There are numerous options typically available for families to consider for children's education including magnate schools, year-round schools, schools with block schedules, charter schools, middle-colleges, partnerships with community colleges, etc.  Our advocacy is simply for the continuation of an attendance pattern that has existed for better than a century because, demonstrably, it shows positive impacts upon not only education but also on countless other aspects of child development, family life and society in general.
   

Remember that there absolutely is a law regarding a traditional school calendar in existence.  It's a legal thing that has already been thoroughly discussed, vetted and ultimately PASSED.  There have been alterations.  But in the end it is a very disturbing pattern for school systems to simply ignore the law.  Imagine the chaos if rules within schools were violated...with impunity.  It's unconscionable that those entrusted with this vital part of the educational process would be so cavalier about obeying the law, but that's exactly what has happened. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Just as an example, the Carteret County Schools Board of Education adopted a calendar for the 2024-25 school year that would have started classes Aug. 13. But they were sued, and Superior Court Judge William D. Wolfe issued an order declaring the calendar to be void.

Mitchell Armbruster, an attorney for the plaintiffs, had this to say: “All we asked for in this case was that the school district be required to follow the law, a law which the school board openly admitted they were violating,” Armbruster said in a statement. “We shouldn’t be teaching our children that it is OK to violate the law.”

So, we would urge you to CONTACT your own state representative and senator and voice your concern about this.  To make that as easy as possible, here is a link to use to identify these persons and then obtain emails and phone numbers.  Like school board members, these folks represent you and have pledged to listen to your concerns.  They are getting the perspectives of school systems;  let them also hear your desires.

Find your representative and senator here: 

https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators  (will open in a new window)