Just a few short years ago, North Carolina was being held up, from within its borders even, as a bad example of public schools.
Rallies and campaign speeches cited pay for teachers who could and would leave for greener pastures. The change to allow more charter schools, and thus more choices, was another painful poke at the system.
“How can they do this?” many have asked of our state lawmakers.
We’ve since moved down the road a bit and we’re no closer to resolving the arguments that go back and forth, mostly marked by political party. In fact, it’s doubtful those arguments will ever cease.
There’s passion on both sides, those that wish to see no harm done to our public schools, and those that wish for opportunities for our youth through choices of schools. Invariably, it comes around to money — for to have either and to have them do well, it will take plenty of green.
We won’t suggest one better than the other; all families are unique. We do support choices. In fact, we like the words of Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
She said, “Is it moral to tax families, compel their children’s attendance at schools and then give them no choice between teaching methods, religious or secular education, and in other matters?
“Is it consistent to proclaim that meanwhile, America is a nation that prides itself on competition, consumer choice, freedom of religion, and parental responsibility?
“I can’t presume to know what my uncle would say about the current debate over school vouchers and choice, but I know what principles he taught and I know that he not only preached but also practiced them.
“Martin Luther King Jr. and his siblings were products of private and public education. In turn, they educated their children in both public and private schools and impressed upon my generation the importance of faith and family in effective schooling. The issue is not what families choose, but rather that they be allowed and empowered to do so.”
Surveys about the education system in North Carolina, we believe, are likely to be favorable toward their sponsor. That’s just been the pattern.
What we’ve experienced is seeing choices be good for children. We’ve also seen how the voucher system, or opportunity scholarships as they’re called, can fiscally hurt public school systems.
Teachers have gotten pay raises every year for half a decade in North Carolina. Granted, they had a good amount of ground to make up. Are they worth still more? Absolutely.
And that’s an element of the equation.
We don’t have the magic solution today. But we do have hope, a desire to see the model of public schools be enhanced and remain available to all while the school choices we’ve seen yield significant success stories continue to flourish.