Source: Editorial Board
Fresh on the heels of Republican legislators passing a bill this week to spend another $463.5 million on private school vouchers, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction candidates Mo Green (D) and Michele Morrow (R) will face each other in a debate on Saturday morning.
On Monday, state Republican lawmakers agreed on legislation to put nearly half a billion dollars more into the Opportunity Scholarship program, which funds private school vouchers that allow wealthy families to send their children to private schools on the taxpayers’ dime and at the expense of public school funding.
North Carolinians need to be aware of what’s happening to our public schools, our educators, and our faculty and staff – and the fact that Republicans are responsible for it.
The candidates voters will choose from couldn’t be more different.
Republican primary voters shocked the party by choosing Morrow over the incumbent state superintendent Catherine Truitt. Now, they are stuck with Morrow, a right-wing radical who attended the Jan. 6 insurrection, wants teachers to carry guns in classrooms, is laser-focused on banning books and weakening curriculum requirements, called for the televised execution of President Barack Obama and Gov. Roy Cooper, wants to put security cameras in school bathrooms, would reject $1.67 billion in federal education funding for our state, called our public schools “socialistic indoctrination” centers, and has referred to educators as “groomers.”
On top of her disqualifying statements and beliefs, she also has no public school experience and her children don’t attend public schools in North Carolina and never have.
Green, the Democratic opponent, has decades of experience and a proven track record of getting things done for students, parents and educators.
Green has worked at two of the largest school districts in the state – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Guilford County Schools. While serving as superintendent in Guilford County, Green developed the district’s first-ever strategic plan that increased graduation rates, student achievement on test scores and scholarship dollars for graduating seniors. He also helped lower the dropout rate and conducted listening and learning tours called “Mo Wants To Know” where he met face-to-face with parents and the community to discuss how to improve the school district.
Green is also keenly aware of what makes a school district successful – hardworking and adequately compensated educators. Green turned down at least $100,000 in county-level pay raises as superintendent, refused his yearly 3% raise every year, and even submitted a budget proposal for the 2012-13 school year that gave everyone in the school district a raise except for himself.
State superintendent races don’t often get too much attention, especially in presidential and gubernatorial election years, but considering how poorly Republicans have handled public education in North Carolina, this is one of the most important races on the ballot this fall and anyone who cares about the type of education their children receive should do what they can do ensure this contest doesn’t fly under the radar.
Giving control of our state’s multi-billion-dollar education budget to a MAGA extremist like Morrow will spell disaster for our public education system.
It would be hard to imagine anyone less qualified to be a state superintendent than Michele Morrow or anyone more qualified than Mo Green.
Saturday’s debate will be hosted by the NC PTA and Public Schools First NC and moderated by WUNC’s Jeff Tiberii. It is a virtual event that the public can watch via livestream and is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
You can register here to get a link to watch the debate.
