Meaningless

By Linda Daves
Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

For Mike Easley to be given the “America’s Greatest Education Governor’s Award” just proves what the NEA really stands for. Let’s just call this award what it is: Politician Most Beholden to Teachers’ Unions and Special Interests. When one-third of North Carolina students are failing to graduate high school, it is reprehensible that the Governor is gloating about his “successes.” Gov. Easley’s term has no doubt been a boon to teachers’ unions, but it has been a disaster for North Carolina’s children. What are the criteria for giving out this award anyway? With the abysmal graduation rate here in North Carolina, I would hate to see what the situation is in the home state of the runner-up.

It is time to look at new ideas like lifting the cap on charter schools so that parents have more choices in their children’s education. It is time to think about raising teacher pay for those teachers who volunteer to teach the most at-risk students. It is time to consider expanding vocational education so that students can learn skills that will help them get a job instead of merely getting frustrated with the curriculum and dropping out. It is time for fresh vision and a renewed commitment to excellence in education in North Carolina. Over the past eight years, that is a test that Democrats have consistently failed.

With Bev Perdue only offering more of the same for fixing the problems facing our state’s public school system, there is a clear choice in the race to become the next Governor. Those who refuse to protect the status quo, those who reject placing the interests of powerful unions over the interests of our children, and those who believe that we can do better will choose Pat McCrory as our next Governor. He will be an Education Governor to truly make us proud.

America's Greatest Education Governor?

Under the Dome blog
July 2, 2008

Gov. Mike Easley is going to Washington D.C. on Thursday to get some love from the nation's teachers.

Easley will receive the inaugural "America's Greatest Education Governor's Award" from the National Education Association "for his achievements in transforming North Carolina's public school system." He will get the award while receiving the cheers of 10,000 delegates at the NEA's 86th annual Representative Assembly.

It beats being in Raleigh to answer questions about the budget and his wife's overseas travel costs. …

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