We have new
information about how North Carolinians are viewing education in our state. A
WRAL-TV news poll showed that 66 percent of respondents say that K-12 education
receives inadequate funding. This same poll also showed that 51 percent of
respondents think North Carolina lawmakers should increase teacher pay by up to
10 percent.
Education emerged as
the most important problem facing our state in a recent High Point University
Survey Research Center poll released March 2. North Carolinians surveyed by
High Point University indicated that although the economy was the most
important problem at the national level, education was the most important
problem facing the state (35 percent of the respondents). The economy came in
second at 13 percent with health care tied for third alongside government
ineffectiveness at 10 percent. Other concerns included taxes, the size of the
state budget, transportation and infrastructure, policing/law enforcement, and
immigration but these other items were in single digits.
This ranking of
concerns signals an opportunity for those of us in education. There is support
for change and attention to public schools and for better funding to support
K-12 education.
Tomorrow is the
primary election day, and, as always, I encourage all North Carolina voters and
you to cast your votes in the primary and general elections for the candidates
of your choice. Freedom doesn’t exist unless we exercise our rights, and it is
our right to vote. I heard this quote recently, and felt that it is an
important idea to share as we participate in this election cycle.
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