Eight people arrested at child care rally in General Assembly

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) – Eight people were arrested during a “Deadline for Day Care” rally outside the North Carolina General Assembly building on Wednesday.

Organizers, advocacy groups and religious leaders came together to express their displeasure to state lawmakers over their alleged inability to provide adequate funding for child care centers across North Carolina that are still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This General Assembly has gotten out of control. And we went there today to say our children are worth it. Our children are the ones we want to fight for,” said organizer Rob Stephens. “And child care workers and teachers should not be left homeless. Because that’s exactly what’s happening,” he said.

Stephens was one of seven other defendants arrested for second-degree trespassing and violating Parliament rules.

The others were: Vaughn Wilhelm of Willow Springs, Emma Biggs and Rodney Sadler Jr. of Charlotte, Franklin Golden Jr. of Hillsborough, Ellen Canavan of Cary and Lucy Rodriguez and Karen Zeigler – both of Durham.

The group called on lawmakers to provide enough money to offset what it calls the “funding cliff” facing child care providers.

“If (protests) led to this, then we were willing to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience to make sure they knew,” Biggs said after her release from prison. “This is the first time in North Carolina that we’ve fought for child care like this. And we shouldn’t have to keep fighting for what’s ours. I know they heard us. I know they got a lot of messages from us. The question is whether it really touches their hearts and whether they’re actually going to show compassion.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Senate lawmakers passed Senate Bill 357, which provides $67 million in funding for child care centers through the Child Stabilization Grant. Any child care center that meets the eligibility criteria will be eligible to receive the funding if approved.

“In any reasonable world, I don’t understand why the leaders of the General Assembly of an elected democracy would not meet with the people they are entrusted with. It is the most vulnerable who we say are the most valuable,” Stephens said.

The eight arrested people must appear in court on July 31.