WRAL News Poll: Race for state schools superintendent remains a virtual tie

The race to oversee North Carolina’s public schools remains a statistical tie, and many likely voters remain undecided, according to an exclusive WRAL News Poll.

Democrat Mo Green leads Republican Michele Morrow 40% to 38% in poll figures released Tuesday. About 22% of likely voters are undecided.

The results, pulled from surveys with 676 likely November voters, fall within the credibility interval of 4.9 percentage points. A credibility interval is similar to a margin of error but takes into account more factors and is considered by some pollsters to be a more accurate measurement of statistical certainty.

In March, Morrow led Green 41% to 40%, with 19% of likely voters undecided.

In Tuesday’s poll, Green leads among voters under 50 years old and among women, while Morrow leads among voters 50 and older and among men.

The superintendent of public instruction oversees hundreds of employees and education initiatives. The officeholder is responsible for recommending policies and academic standards updates to the State Board of Education, which votes on them. The department manages the distribution and tracking of more than $13 billion in state and federal funding. The superintendent can also set priorities for the department and push lawmakers for changes.

The new poll, conducted in partnership with independent pollster SurveyUSA from Sept. 4 through Sept. 7, asked additional questions about the race that showed statements made by Morrow have prompted at least some voters to switch their preference to Green, a career school system administrator.

Morrow is a former nurse and a homeschooler who beat incumbent Republican Superintendent Catherine Truitt. Morrow has never sent her children to North Carolina public schools but says she’s running because of concerns she hears from her neighbors and friends about the quality of public schools.

Morrow has faced criticism for brash social media posts, calling schools “indoctrination centers” and urging people not to send their children to them. She’s also promoted numerous conspiracy theories, called for the assassination of many Democratic leaders and philanthropists, and called for the use of military intervention to keep former President Donald Trump in power on Jan. 6, 2021.

Morrow wants to re-evaluate North Carolina’s acceptance of more than $1 billion in federal funds for schools. She wants to reduce non-academic programs. She questions whether North Carolina schools need any more resources and wants a third-party audit of budgets that would evaluate each expense. Morrow also prioritizes school safety through more police officers in schools and increasing communication between schools and families.

Green is a former superintendent of Guilford County Schools and administrator in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He is a lawyer by training and first began working with public schools as a lawyer for them in Charlotte. Green is running on increasing respect for teachers, advocating for more resources, teaching students good character and improving academics by focusing on offering services that can meet the varying needs of each student. He lists parents and community support and safe, secure learning environments among his top priorities.

About 14% of Green voters said they switched from Morrow to Green after learning that Morrow called for military intervention to keep former President Donald Trump in office in 2021 and has called public schools “indoctrination centers.” About a quarter of survey respondents said those actions made them more supportive of Morrow and about a quarter said those actions made them less supportive of her. The biggest percentage — 36% — said those actions had no effect on their vote.

About 8% of Green voters said they switched to Green after learning that Morrow supports cutting North Carolina off from federal school funding. About 23% of survey respondents said that position made them more supportive of Morrow and Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who also supports cutting off federal funding. About 29% said that position made them less supportive of the two candidates. About a third of respondents said it had no impact on their vote.

Morrow had taken issue with following federal rules attached to the funding but now only says she wants to look at reducing federal funding, which would still require the state to follow many federal rules.