With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North Carolina’s Mount Rushmore of Education Governors.
While the Governor set a bipartisan tone in his State of the State speech last night, he set out a clear challenge on education to Republicans who control the legislature.
He challenged them to significantly raise teacher pay.
“Let’s make starting teacher salaries in North Carolina the highest in the Southeast. And let’s reward experienced teachers who stay in the classroom.”
He challenged them to feed hungry kids: “Let’s provide every North Carolina student a free school breakfast.”
He challenged them to fix schools that are “overcrowded or use trailers or have old, leaking roofs and broken heating and air conditioning.”
He proposed a $4 billion public school bond: “if you’re not sure about it, let’s let the voters decide.”
He challenged legislators to protect students’ mental health by providing more social workers, counselors, and psychologists.
He agreed with Republicans on one thing: “Classrooms should be cell phone-free zones.”
He said, “Too many kids are bullied. They need and they deserve a seven-hour break from the unrelenting pressures of phones and social media.”
He sharply disagreed with Republicans on vouchers.
“We should not be taking money from our public-school kids to pay for wealthy parents sending their kids to unaccountable private schools, to the tune of $7.5 billion over the next decade.”
It was a bold agenda, worthy of Hunt and Sanford.
It was fitting that Hunt’s daughter, Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt, sat behind Governor Stein and introduced him to the joint session.
North Carolina is fortunate to have another Education Governor.
Now we need an Education General Assembly.
