Feb. 9, 2017
By Arthur Griffin
Last week, I attended the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum meeting. The guest speaker made several outlandish allegations without regard for the truth. I understand that the Republican members of the North Carolina General Assembly need a black face on some of its backward legislation, but what happened last Tuesday was simply crazy.
When Mr. Darrell Allison spoke, he acquiesced to the notion that you really don’t need a certified teacher in the classroom. And that education funding for vouchers really didn’t take money out of the general fund for public schools.
How can a person get away with such, um, “expletive deleted”? I understand that some of us are burdened by many day-to-day issues of survival. But to allow this kind of assault on public education is suicidal for the masses of brown and black children. And, it diminishes hope for a healthy democracy for ALL of us.
I get it. I understand that the North Carolina General Assembly needs to put a black face on its school choice campaign. I get it that the General Assembly needs a black narrative to continue cutting the public-school budget. I get it that the scheme that seems to work best in education today is to offer them choice.
Please don’t forget that the North Carolina General Assembly adopted Parental Choice in 1957 to support segregated schools. It’s no different today with school choice and vouchers.
Choice has consequences.
Here are just a couple facts, taken from the 2009 and 2016 “Highlights of the North Carolina Public School Budget.”
Schoolhouse Implications 2009 2016
Classroom Materials $58.77 $28.38
K-3 Student Funding $5,980.42 $5,604.59
Percent of the N.C. General Fund for Public School Appropriations:
1969-70 52.5%
2015-16 38.8%
And finally, what we all want for our children is their success and opportunity for each to reach their full potential. The guest speaker never mentioned or answered questions about how successful the African American children were doing under choice. Not one mention about how many students graduated with a diploma endorsement certifying receipt of a sound basic education.
I know that you are tired of fighting for justice. But I don’t see where we have the option to sit on the sidelines while our children’s future is threatened.
THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION. CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TELL THEM TO SUPPORT A SOUND BASIC EDUCATION FOR ALL NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS.
