NC Gov Cooper Declares State of Emergency for Public Education

Raleigh --- North Carolina Governor Cooper has declared that public education in North Carolina is facing a state of

emergency and he urges North Carolinians to contact legislators.

Public education is the bedrock of North Carolina’s success. Public education powers our workforce, builds our businesses, and boosts our communities.

Unfortunately, our public schools are under assault. The current General Assembly is considering extreme legislation that would cripple our public education system.

Governor Cooper is calling on you to contact your state legislators and ask them to protect our public schools in three ways:

1.  Invest in teachers and early childhood education, not tax cuts for the wealthy

North Carolina doesn’t need billions in personal tax cuts for the wealthy when public education has such critical needs. Once in place, the proposed tax cuts reduce state funds by nearly one-fifth. Tell your legislators to oppose additional tax cuts. 

 
Instead, finally give teachers a real raise of 18% over the next 2 years so we can keep good teachers and attract even more. 

 
Help parents work and children thrive by investing $1.5 billion in early childhood education to keep childcare centers open, to help more children attend pre-kindergarten and to hire more early childhood educators.  

 
2.  Use public money for public schools, not private academies

We should not use taxpayer money to send children of millionaires to private schools. Stop private school vouchers with no income limits. It will rob public schools of needed funding and sanctions discrimination. Instead, use public money for public schools. Tell your legislators to oppose Senate Bill 406 and House Bill 823. 

 
3.  Keep politicians out of the classroom, textbooks, and lesson plans

Keep partisan politics out of schools. Don’t force the State Board of Education into partisan elections or take away their authority and let education experts make curriculum decisions on what students learn. Tell your legislators to oppose House Bill 17 and House Bill 756. And keep culture wars out of the classroom; oppose Senate Bill 49 and House Bill 187. 

 
To contact your state legislators, here

Image Credit: WNCTimes