Experience dictates we should read polls with a grain of salt. Therefore, with shaker in hand, I read the latest Carolina Journal Poll on North Carolinians’ satisfaction with public schools.

The headline of the January 22-25 poll proclaimed, “Majority of North Carolinians Dissatisfied with Local School Education.” It reported that 55.2 percent were dissatisfied with public education, 33.3 percent were satisfied, and 11.5 percent were unsure.                                               

This poll interviewed 606 likely voters. 62.8 percent were aged 50 or older and 71.6 percent said they weren’t even parents. With 2.6 million children under the age of 19, any poll of just 606 is far too small a sample. And when a majority of them don’t even have children, red flags should be raised.   

60.8 percent support Opportunity Scholarships (vouchers), down from 67.3 percent in January 2023. But 27.2 percent opposed vouchers, an increase of 5.1 percent. Support for Charter schools dropped from 68.7 percent to 59.9 percent. 

24.0 percent said each k-12 child should receive $20,000 or more in per capita funding from the state, federal or local governments. Currently, each child receives $12,143 - $2,472 in federal funding and $9,671 in state funds. Our funding is the lowest in the nation and some $5,000 less than the national average. 

Face it! This poll isn’t accurate. Carolina Journal says it has only a 3.97 percent margin of error. We question that claim.

Perception is reality. Our General Assembly has raised doubts about traditional public education, especially since COVID, and has gone full ahead in promoting private school vouchers– schools in which we have little idea what they are teaching. 

But we can’t dismiss the reality that there is public dissatisfaction nor just blame it on lawmakers. Whether the poll is accurate or not there are many disenchanted with our traditional public schools. It behooves us to ask questions. 

Why do so many lack faith in our schools? What is so attractive about private or charter schools? Is it more than just race? Are our teachers not properly prepared or effective? How about curriculum? And what needs changing to restore confidence in our traditional public schools and improve student outcomes?

The first imperative is that public education SHOULD NOT BE POLITICAL, yet it has become a political football. Education is too important for partisan pandering.

Can we also agree on the purpose of education? Former House Speaker Joe Mavretic summed it up well, saying, “the purpose is to graduate good citizens who have the skills needed in the marketplace and the ability to enjoy a good life.”
 
For years we’ve seen warning signals that changes are needed. NAEP, the nation’s accepted report card lists North Carolina as 40th among states in reading and slightly above average for fourth and eighth grade math. COVID cannot excuse the reality that our education outcomes aren’t what we desire.

We need some significant changes in public education in order to slow the flight from public schools. This will mandate that we slay some of the sacred cows that have evolved over time. Otherwise, traditional public schools will end up populated by special needs and lower socioeconomic students. 

One such sacred cow is acknowledging that one teacher cannot perform miracles in a classroom filled with some students who learn quickly and want more, some who learn at a little slower pace and others with special needs that require considerably more attention. This is no recipe for excellence.

It is also clear that many of the rules and regulations by which public school educators must conform need reforming. It begins by getting our legislators and boards of education to give traditional school educators the same flexibility as they permit charter, private or home schools. We cannot expect public schools to excel playing on an unlevel playing field.

 Commensurate with that freedom must be accountability. Without putting total dependence on student test results, most principals and parents know the good teachers from those not so good. We need a zero-tolerance mindset on mediocrity or poor performance, but administrators and teachers must also have assurance that when they make appropriate decisions they will get support from administrations, school boards, and parents. We need to remove unruly students from the classroom, eliminate bullying, improve academic quality, reduce class sizes and adequately fund public education – especially paying teachers more. And yes, we need more parental involvement.

Public Education needs some champions. Not many years ago our business community was the loudest advocate for our schools. Is their silence due to a fear of reprisal from lawmakers, from disapproval of the education academy or just a lack of leadership among their own ranks? 

And unquestionably public education needs better PR. We frequently hear the problems, but seldom get the good news.
 
We cannot give up on public education. And giving vouchers is essentially acknowledging we are unable or unwilling to fix public education’s problems. 

Aren’t we better than that?

Tom Campbell is a Hall of Fame North Carolina broadcaster and columnist who has covered North Carolina public policy issues since 1965.  Contact him at tomcamp@carolinabroadcasting.com