Opinion

Editorial: Koch's triumphant space journey and value of N.C.'s public education right

Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 -- The potential inheritors of astronaut Christina Koch's legacy must not be denied or shortchanged by failing to provide adequate classroom resources; proper facilities for leaning; an effective pipeline to put quality instructors in every classroom and properly compensated teachers and administrators in every North Carolina public school.

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CBC Editorial: Monday, Feb. 10, 2020; Editorial #8508
The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.
Christina Koch is back on earth from her 328 days in space aboard the International Space Station.

And we’re just over the moon.

The smiling exuberance she displayed as she was lifted from the Soyuz pod that returned her was the same we’ve witnessed throughout the firsts she achieved during her flight. We’d be negligent not to mention the top two:
  • Longest stay in space by a female astronaut and second-longest of any astronaut (Scott Kelly; 340 days).
  • First all-female spacewalk (not to mention the other five that didn’t get quite the attention).

She completed 5,248 orbits of the Earth, traveling 139 million miles (to the Sun and about half-way back).

It wasn’t just her skill as an astronaut, so-often on display, that made Koch’s journey standout. It was the enthusiastic desire to share the experience along with her ability to connect and communicate the joy she clearly felt each day and the knowledge she gained from each activity.

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She made us feel as if we were beside her – whether walking in space with Jessica Meir; playing baseball with fellow astronauts; eating space pizza; celebrating holidays; or playing scrabble on her birthday with her mates on the space station.

She brought her experience, live and unscripted, into public school classrooms and university lecture halls.

While there is much to remember about Christina Koch’s space flight, it is what got her there that NO North Carolinian should forget – and must be committed to sustaining.

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She is a product of our state’s public school and higher education system – Hunters Creek Middle School and White Oak High School in Onslow County, then on to the N.C. School of Science and Math (class of 1997), N.C. State University where she received her undergraduate degrees (class of 2001) and graduate degree in engineering (2002).

Koch is the embodiment of the kind of return she – and potentially every student – can receive from a fully funded quality public education in North Carolina. It isn’t an aspirational goal. A sound basic education for all is a constitutional right – a promise to every North Carolina child.
Even as Christina Koch readjusts to her earthly tether, here in North Carolina a judge and parties to the latest round of Leandro litigation are firming up a plan to make sure the state makes good on its promise.

The various factions involved in implementing the solution – our governor; state board of education and most significantly legislature – should keep the example of Christina Koch in mind.

The potential inheritors of her legacy must not be denied or shortchanged by failing to provide adequate classroom resources; proper facilities for learning; an effective pipeline to put quality instructors in every classroom and properly compensated teachers and administrators in every public school.

Our aspiration must be to live up to the optimism of the final observation Christina Koch tweeted as she departed from outer space:

“What will I miss? The exquisite beauty of both the planet Earth and this marvel that its amazing people created.”

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