Teacher posts photos of unfavorable conditions in classroom

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Mecklenburg High School teacher on Thursday posted photos to Facebook of her classroom that is crawling with bugs and has pipes with exposed mold on them and a wall covered in wires.

She said she has to use her own money to try to fix the problems in her classroom.

"I love those kids,” teacher Jana Johnson said. “My students are so smart. They are so bright."

Johnson is a lifelong educator and has taught at North Meck for three years.

She, along with thousands of other teachers, marched in Raleigh this week to ask for better pay and more resources in the classroom.

"The needs are great and I feel very strongly the needs are not being met," Johnson said.

She also posted photos on Facebook showing food and other supplies she purchased with her money to help students.

The post got the attention of district officials, who were moved to act.

"They sent in whole crews,” Johnson said. “They sent, like, the Army over there, so I got a huge response."

Judy Kidd, with the Classroom Teachers Association, said conditions in Johnson's classroom are not unusual and are symptomatic of how the needs of schools in North Carolina have been ignored for so long.

"I'm here to tell you that the facts, the true facts, do not support their bogus facts," Kidd said.

The last time the Health Department inspected North Meck was in 2016. The school got a grade of 73 out of 100.

Johnson said she has been personally assured by the deputy superintendent that the environmental conditions will be fixed.

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