Heidi M Przybyla

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A major Washington suburb is canceling all public school classes this Wednesday on International Women’s Day — a statement about women's rights in President Trump’s backyard.

More than 300 staff members in the city of Alexandria, Va., have requested leave on the day that the leaders of the Women’s March on Washington are planning a series of protests and strikes to highlight their continuing concerns about Trump’s policies on civil, human and reproductive rights. It is dubbed it “A Day Without a Woman.”

“This is not a decision that was made lightly,” Alvin Crawley, Alexandria superintendent of schools said in a statement notifying parents.

“We have been closely monitoring requests for leave on March 8, including communicating with school leaders and our education association. The decision is based solely on our ability to provide sufficient staff to cover all our classrooms, and the impact of high staff absenteeism on student safety and delivery of instruction. It is not based on a political stance or position,” said Crawley.

The female civil rights leaders who organized the Jan. 21 Women’s March on Washington a day after Trump’s inauguration are encouraging women across the country to hold walkouts, rallies and marches on Wednesday to highlight the economic power of women.

The goal is to call attention to economic injustices including lower wages and gender discrimination. Women who can’t participate are being encouraged to wear red. "Many women in our most vulnerable communities will not have the ability to join the strike, due to economic insecurity. We strike for them," organizers note on their website.

North Carolina district

While it’s unclear how many public school systems may actually cancel classes, at least one other district in North Carolina is also canceling classes on Wednesday. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City school district is 75% female

“It shows the power that women have collectively,” said Carmen Perez, a Women’s March national co-chair and the executive director of The Gathering for Justice. “We are sending a clear message on the economic impact that women have in the United States and globally," she said.

Read more:

Women's march could quickly fade: Column

Protesters plan march to pressure President Trump on Tax Day

A Day Without a Woman: What you need to know

The events come a week after Trump’s first address to Congress during which a large number of female Democratic lawmakers wore the color white, which represents women's suffrage. The first women's day was in 1909 (but in February) when 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York demanding improved pay, shorter hours and voting rights.

While the Women’s March leaders have been organizing local gatherings and encouraging people to attend town halls and rallies since Trump was inaugurated, the Day Without a Woman is their biggest event since the march on Jan. 21. While Trump has been trying to modify his tone, said Perez, the concerns that women have remain the same. “Even if he changes his tone his presidency is still dangerous for a lot of marginalized communities,” said Perez.

Contributing: Susan Miller