Map of District 49
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An Issue Important to Us All
As a former teacher and Franklin County School Board member, I have
made education a priority because I see how the economy, quality of
life, and the future of our children in District 49 depend on the
strength of public education and other educational opportunities.
Because the young people in our public schools today will be our
leaders in the future, our schools must join with their families,
churches, and youth organizations to instill in them a strong sense of
right and wrong. Growing a great crop of North Carolina citizens
is a job for us all.
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Two-Way Communication About Education in Our District
I have had numerous meetings with citizens in our
District, in which we have shared information regarding state and local
educational issues. For example, as a means of staying informed about
education in Roanoke Rapids, I work closely with the school board
members and staff on issues such as retention and recruitment of
teachers. Former superintendent John
Parker characterized me as "a good listener," which is essential
to my role as your Representative.
(Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald, August 18, 2004)
I also visit Weldon City schools, Halifax County schools, Nash County
schools, and, of course, Franklin County schools. As a former
Franklin County school board member, I follow carefully the fine work of
the current school board (under the leadership of Chairman Paige Sayles) as it grapples with increasing enrollment in our fast
growing county.
I strongly supported the $53 million bond issue on the May 2008
primary ballot in Franklin County. |
Promoting Quality Teaching
In the 2005 session, I co-sponsored a bill to give our teachers a 5%
increase in pay. The budget approved by the Legislature included
a smaller raise, but I will continue to press for better pay because
it will help us recruit and retain excellent teachers. In 2007, the
budget provided a 4% raise to public school teachers.
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When classes come to visit the General Assembly in Raleigh, I like to
give the students copies of a fun book about the Legislature. If you
click the image to the right, you will find links to the online version
of the book, as well as other resources of interest to students,
teachers, and parents.
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Funding Without Higher Property Taxes
We need to find ways to help counties pay for new school facilities
without the higher property taxes that are now the only option for
rural counties like ours. I am advocating that the state assume
a larger role and was pleased to see that Halifax and Warren counties were
included in the recent Leandro funding provided by Gov. Mike Easley.
Franklin County is also eligible for additional funding in a later
phase.
The Education Lottery Bill passed in the 2005 session provides new money
for smaller class sizes, capital construction, and scholarships.
Having considered all the arguments for and against the lottery, I
supported passage of this bill as did a majority of North
Carolinians.
Schools and Colleges in Our District
Charter schools, private schools, and home schools represent a small
but important percent of our school-age children. I am always
glad to support measures that help provide a quality education for all
young people. I encourage parents and professionals to
stay in touch with my office on educational issues. I love seeing
young visitors on field trips to the General Assembly.
We are fortunate to have three fine institutions of higher
education in our District--Halifax Community College, Vance-Granville
Community College, and Louisburg College. I am proud to be a
member of the Board of Trustees of Louisburg College, a private
liberal arts college that has served our area for more than two hundred years.
Community College funding for classes, such as the bio-processing
program at Vance-Granville Community College campus in Louisburg, is
key to jobs in the new technology era. I supported increased
funding for Community Colleges in the 2005 and 2007 Legislative budgets, and
helped restore funding for the Small Business Center program, which
provides technical aid to small start-up businesses--of growing
importance to District citizens.
The Franklin Times
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