CBC Editorial: Wednesday, May 9, 2018; Editorial # 8299
The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company

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In one week thousands -- even tens-of-thousands -- of teachers, school administrators, parents of students and supporters will be in Raleigh to press for greater respect for and funding of our public school system .

Legislators rarely have to face, eye-to-eye, those who are affected by the laws they pass. It is not comfortable. But it comes with the territory when legislators ask voters for the privilege to represent them.

The 170 members of the General Assembly need to understand one VERY important thing. These visitors are NOT THE ENEMY.

These fellow North Carolinians are coming to the state capital because they believe it is their job – and the legislature’s duty to fully support – our State Constitution’s guarantee of a “sound basic education” where “equal opportunities shall be provided for all students.”

The problem is that no one can rightly argue that the legislature is living up to that constitutional mandate.

The teachers have several questions to ask:

  • Why is it that North Carolina teachers earn 5 percent less, on average, than they did before the recession (when adjusted for inflation)?
    • Why do legislators force educators to wallow, year after year, in uncertainty by making school funding decisions at the last minute?
      • Why has pay stagnated for the most experienced classroom teachers?
        • Why has the number of teaching assistants been cut by 7,500?
          • Why are family health insurance premiums taking a bigger bite out of teacher pay checks?
            • Why is a new pay plan for school principals actually resulting in many seeing a pay cut?Why isn’t there money for basic classroom supplies and textbooks for students?
              • Why are legislators mandating cuts in students per classroom, but not providing funding to build the new classrooms the mandate necessitates?
                • Why is staffing for school nurses and counselors so far below industry standards?
                  • Why aren’t teachers compensated on the same basis, and at the same rate, as other professionals who must have similar education, training and credentials?

                    It is somewhat “arresting” when everyday citizens intrude and start asking questions – expecting to know what’s going on and why.

                    Rather than preparing for an invasion of the alien hoards, officials should treat the May 16 “Day of Advocacy and Rally for Respect” as an opportunity to hear directly from those at the forefront of the state’s most important mission.

                    If legislators don’t want to listen now, they WILL hear about it on Nov. 6. See you at the polls.