UCPS Sued for Allegedly Violating NC Law with Early School Start Date

January 9, 2023

A lawsuit has been filed against the Union County Public Schools (UCPS) in North Carolina due to the chosen start date for the 2023-24 school year. Two parents and Honeysuckle Riding Academy, a horse riding business, are suing the school district, alleging that the start date of August 9, 2023 is three weeks earlier than what is allowed by state law. The Union County Board of Education (UCBOE) unanimously voted to begin the school year on this date, despite the fact that both options offered by UCPS to parents for input on the calendar set the start date as August 28.

Background on the Lawsuit

The UCBOE held a meeting on December 13, 2022 to discuss and vote on changes to the 2023-2024 academic calendar. Under the new calendar, exams will also be taken prior to winter break, and the school year will end on May 22, 2024. However, this decision was made despite a vote by UCPS in late 2022 to ask for parent input on calendar preferences, both of which set the start date as August 28.

Reaction to the Lawsuit

The lawsuit calls for potential misdemeanors and possible removals from office if the board members do not comply with state laws. Phil Berger, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate, stated that he favors flexibility in school district calendars but that the law is in place and should be followed. He added that the appropriate way to change the law would be for the legislature to pass a law modifying the calendar law, but that there is not currently support in the General Assembly to do so.

UCPS Response to the Lawsuit

When contacted for a response to the lawsuit, UCPS declined to comment. It is not clear at this time when a potential court date for this matter may be scheduled, as UCPS has not yet legally responded to the lawsuit.

Why this matters to you

This case may be relevant on a national level because it highlights the issue of school districts potentially disregarding state laws regarding the start date of the school year. While this specific case is taking place in North Carolina, it is possible that similar issues have arisen or may arise in other states. Therefore, the outcome of this case could potentially have broader implications and serve as a precedent for other states to consider when it comes to school calendars and complying with state laws. Additionally, this case may be of interest to people and organizations outside of North Carolina who are involved in education policy or advocate for the enforcement of laws related to education.

Key Takeaways:

1. A lawsuit has been filed against Union County Public Schools in North Carolina due to the chosen start date for the 2023-24 school year.

2. The plaintiffs allege that the start date of August 9, 2023 is three weeks earlier than what is allowed by state law.

3. The Union County Board of Education voted unanimously to begin the school year on this date, despite parent input setting the start date as August 28.

4. The lawsuit calls for potential misdemeanors and possible removals from office if the board members do not comply with state laws.

5. UCPS declined to comment on the lawsuit and it is not clear at this time when a potential court date may be scheduled.

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