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Going to school, State Port Pilot



Your recent story and photo, headlined “Taking Legislators to School,” focused on a visit by State Senator Bill Rabon and Representative Charlie Miller to Southport Elementary School. Hosting the event was Brunswick County Schools Superintendent Dale Cole.


In his remarks, Superintendent Cole said: “I am thankful to have state leaders that support public education and are willing to give their time to hear directly from us about staff and student needs.”


It’s a shame constituents have had no opportunity to interact with these GOP legislators in public settings, like town halls or forums. Sen. Rabon and Rep. Miller might have heard very different remarks in such circumstances. That’s because it would be hard to find two members of the North Carolina Legislature who have done more damage to our state’s public school system than these two. Please remember:


  • North Carolina ranks 45th in the nation in per-pupil funding, now $3,000 behind the national average per student.


  • According to the National Education Association, NC ranks 33rd in teacher pay.

  • NC has been in violation of its own constitution concerning public school funding since 1997, when the state’s Supreme Court ruled that the legislature was denying 1.5 million public school students their constitutional right to a basic education.


  • The court has upheld that decision four times since its original verdict. Even so, state legislators have yet to appropriate the necessary funding mandated by the court.


  • Fully funding schools, explained Frenchy Davis, CEO of the Foundation Builders Academy Childcare Development Center, would provide critical resources like smaller class sizes, better teacher training, and modernized school facilities.


Rabon and Miller have both voted against measures to bring public school funding into compliance with the court order. In Rabon’s case, as long ago as 2017, he voted to block HB13, preventing consideration of a funding bill in the Senate unanimously approved by the House.


These two legislators have doubled down on their opposition to public schools. In 2023, Rabon sponsored SB 406 and Miller sponsored the corresponding HB 823, “Choose your School, Choose Your Future,” pumping state money into private school vouchers, further depleting the public school budget.


We may all agree that legislators should take the time to visit public schools. But that doesn’t automatically make them heroic figures who support public education.


Shelley Allen, Ph.D.

Chair, Brunswick County Democratic Party


 
 
 

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