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January 17, 2026

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day & Disappearing Civil Rights

What a difference a year makes. In changes that range from symbolic to
shocking, civil rights in the U.S. have experienced huge setbacks in the
past year. Civil rights have been rolled back at a rate that recalls the
rollbacks following the gains of Reconstruction after the Civil War.

We hope the civil rights setbacks we’re seeing now are temporary and, as
people realize how fragile our civil rights are, everyone steps forward to
protect them.

The civil rights rollback started on the first day of the new
administration. In January, Executive Order 14173 ([7]Ending Illegal
Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity) revoked the 1965
Executive Order 11246 ([8]Equal Employment Opportunity). The 2025 executive
order effectively removed anti-discrimination requirements for federal
contractors and ended the enforcement of programs designed to penalize
organizations that practice discrimination. In other words, although the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 remains the law of the land, the federal
government under the current administration is no longer enforcing it.

In April, President Trump signed Executive Order 14281 ([9]Restoring
Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy) aimed at narrowing civil rights
protections and reducing the use of disparate impact to “the maximum degree
possible.” Reducing the use of disparate impact in discrimination cases
means that those claiming discrimination will have to show explicit intent
to discriminate. For example, when state legislators gerrymander a district
by splitting a black community, plaintiffs will have to show that the
legislators explicitly intended to dilute the Black vote even when the
impact is obvious. See [10]NC senate districts 7 and 8 in Wilmington for an
example of this type of gerrymandering.

The April executive order also repeals several provisions of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and will alter the enforcement of the Fair Housing Act
(FHA) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The FHA and ECOA were
originally passed by Congress to prevent discrimination in housing and
lending; reducing enforcement makes it more likely that discrimination will
occur.

Civil rights divisions in the Social Security Administration and the
Department of Veterans Affairs have also been closed. Three civil rights
offices in the Department of Homeland Security were set to be closed in
April, but legal and public outcry amid the administration's aggressive
immigration enforcement actions [11]have kept them open.

The Department of Education has also sharply rolled back civil rights
enforcement. In March, the administration announced that it was eliminating
seven of the department’s 12 regional civil rights offices, [12]impacting
more than 6,000 open investigations. Offices in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland,
Dallas, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco were shuttered. The
offices in Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. are
still open.

The Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for
ensuring that all students have equal access to education, including
students from all racial backgrounds, students with disabilities, and
sexual assault survivors.

Not content with dismantling civil rights enforcement, the administration
is also attacking public knowledge about American history. The ironically
titled Executive Order 14253 ([13]Restoring Truth and Sanity to American
History) seeks to ensure that all “public monuments, memorials, statues,
markers, or similar properties within the Department of the Interior’s
jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that
inappropriately disparage Americans past or living, and instead focus on
the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people
(including persons living in colonial times) or, with respect to natural
features, the beauty , abundance, and grandeur of the American
landscape.”

It’s impossible to conceive of a true accounting of our nation’s history
that excludes disparaging content.

Even national parks are being used to signal the federal administration’s
remarkable shift away from honoring civil rights. Starting in 2026, the
list of days that offer [14]free admission to national parks no longer
includes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Juneteenth, both federal holidays.
Added to the list is Flag Day (also President Trump’s birthday) on June
14—which is not a federal holiday—among several other changes.

Although we no longer have free admission to national parks on Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day, we can honor his work by recommitting to the goals of
civil rights and high quality free, public education for all. Let's not
allow our nation to slide back toward the horrific post-reconstruction days
of unequal opportunity and rampant discrimination. It will take all of us
fighting to turn once again toward progress for more rights, more equality,
and more opportunities for all.

Top 6 in 2026! Legislative Priorities

Last week we introduced our TOP 6 legislative priorities for 2026 and
highlighted the first two. This week we focus on numbers three and four.
[15]See the full list of legislative priorities here.

3.Repair the teacher pipeline by increasing teacher base pay and restoring
and bolstering essential classroom, teacher, and student supports. Increase
pay for all other school personnel. Teachers are the most important element
of a high quality education for students. NC currently has lower salaries
than all of its neighbors and ranks as one of the lowest in the Southeast.
Reversing this trend to the bottom is essential to securing a quality
education for our children.
* Increase teacher salaries to the national average; reinstate
supplements for advanced degrees. Increase per-pupil funding to the
national average.
* Significantly expand the Teaching Fellows Program and recruit more
teachers of color.
* Increase supplements and/or pay for high-vacancy positions.
* Pay livable wages and full benefits to all school support personnel.
* Restore full-time teacher assistants for each K-3 classroom.
* Fully fund the class size mandates for grades K-3 and restore class
size caps for grades 4-5.
* Respect curriculum integrity and teachers' professionalism and
decision-making authority. Increase mentoring support and professional
development, especially for new teachers.

4.Promote student well-being and safety by creating safe and supportive
learning environments for all students and teachers. Students who don’t
feel safe or supported at school are less likely to attend. Student mental
health needs continue to grow and require more trained staff to support
both students and teachers.
* Increase funding to hire more professionals (school psychologists,
social workers, counselors and nurses) to nationally recommended levels.
* Provide better mental health services and access for all children and
families.
* Provide trauma-informed training for all school staff with an emphasis
on social & emotional learning.
* Support policies that ensure safe, secure, inviting, and respectful
schools for students and educators.
* Implement positive approaches to discipline such as restorative justice
programs.
* Keep guns off school grounds.
* Implement required violence prevention and threat-reporting programs at
all schools.

Join us on wEDnesdays for Public Schools

Our first wEDnesdays for Public Schools was a success! Very committed
public education supporters joined NCPTA and PSFNC at the NCGA on January
14. Many PTA members from around Wake and surrounding counties were joined
by representatives from several advocacy organizations. We’re already
looking forward to our next gathering on [16]February 11.

We will meet on the second Wednesday of the month (through April) in front
of the NCGA (Legislative Building) on Jones St. to speak up for NC’s public
schools!

Bring your signs and your friends and join us! [17]Sign up here.

11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

NC State Legislative Building at 140 E Jones Street, Raleigh
* February 11
* March 11
* April 8

Legislative and SBE Updates

The NCGA met this past week but did not make any movement toward passing a
2025-26 budget. They are scheduled to meet in Raleigh again on Monday,
February 9.

The [18]Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee meets on Tuesday,
February 3. You can find the meeting agenda and streaming information on
the committee website.

Check the [19]legislative calendar for more updates.

The NC Charter Schools Review Board met on Monday to review charter school
renewals. They approved renewals for [20]37 charter schools. Renewals
ranged from 3 years to 10 years. Notably, North Carolina's two statewide
voucher schools received 5-year renewals despite being chronically low
performing schools. [21]Recordings of their meetings are found here.

Voting Has Started for the NC Primary Election!

On Monday, January 12, North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections
started sending absentee-by-mail ballots to registered voters who requested
a ballot for the 2026 primary election.

This marks the start of voting for our March 3 primary election. Voters who
have already requested absentee-by-mail ballots should receive them in the
coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter can request, receive,
and vote an absentee ballot by mail.

Find more information at [22]Vote By Mail.

The absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 17. Election
officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot as
early as possible to ensure there is time to receive it and then send it
back to their county board of elections so that it is received no later
than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day – March 3.

In Case You Missed It

[23]For years, some rural N.C. schools have operated without psychologists

[24]NC likely won't have a new budget until at least April, as tax cut
impasse continues

[25]For years, some rural N.C. schools have operated without psychologists

[26]Ten Districts Awarded Nearly $200,000 to Expand Homebuilding Career
Programs

[27]Winston-Salem group fights poverty with education

[28]Following leaked messages, Republican House education chair (New
Hampshire) says publicly she favors politically segregated schools

Calling on Elementary Educators!

Jennifer Jones, doctoral student, is conducting a research study to learn
how experienced elementary teachers stay strong and keep teaching, even
when the job is hard. Many people know that resilience helps teachers stay
in the classroom, but we do not know much about how teachers describe
building it themselves. This study looks at two main things: getting
support from other people (social teams) and having a clear purpose in
life. By sharing their own stories, teachers will show how resilience helps
them continue making a difference for their students.

If you have at least 5 years of full-time teaching experience and teach at
the elementary level in a rural school in North Carolina, you may qualify
to participate.

Participation includes completing a demographic survey and taking part in a
60-90 minute Zoom interview and follow up meeting. Participants will
receive a $75 Amazon gift card.

[29]See more details here. 

Mark Your Calendar!

Multiple Dates, 7:00-8:30 pm: Resilience and ACES. Learn about Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACES) and resilience. Join us for this
award-winning, 60-minute film, Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The
Science of Hope. This documentary examines how abuse, neglect, and other
adverse childhood experiences affect children’s development & health
outcomes in adulthood. This powerful movie is a conversation starter and a
perspective changer.

[30]REGISTER HERE

All screenings are on Thursday and include time for discussion. Invite a
friend and contact us about setting up a private screening for your school
staff, PTA, civic group, church, or synagogue.
* January 22, 2026
* February 26, 2026
* March 26, 2026

Words to Remember

"I’m proud of what we’ve done together. But I’m far from satisfied about
where we are and determined to keep doing my little bit, I guess, to help
us keep changing things and improving things in North Carolina. And I know
you do it mainly through education."

— James B. Hunt, Jr., NC Governor 1976 - 1984 & 1992 - 2000

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit
focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents,
teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across North Carolina
to advocate for one unified system of public education that prepares each
child for productive citizenship.

[31]DONATE HERE

[32]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

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