Editorial: Truitt decries politicization of N.C. schools even as she dodged a tough stand

CBC Editorial: Thursday, May 9, 2024; #8929

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company

Republican Catherine Truitt could have been talking as much about herself earlier this week as she criticized other state leaders and politicians for “using education to appeal to their respective bases.”

It was Truitt who enthusiastically embraced legislative leader’s advocacy for private school vouchers – now reaching $500 million while remaining mum as average teacher pay in the state is now projected to drop to 41st in the nation and it ranks 48 in per student public education spending.

Truitt is the incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction who lost the March GOP primary to homeschooling parent Michele Morrow. Morrow has attacked the state’s public schools as “indoctrination centers,” called for the abolition of the State Board of Education and seeks video surveillance systems in classrooms to monitor teachers.

Truitt wrongly sought to lump advocacy of the remedies prescribed in the 25-year-old state Supreme Court Case known as “Leandro” in with the various “buzzwords and catchphrases” aimed only to make “great soundbites, social media clicks and attack ads.

“Buzzwords don’t allow for leaders to articulate their plan for platform. The use shortchanges us on the opportunity to hear about whether leaders have a credible chance of executing a coherent, long-term vision – a real and strategic roadmap that requires tackling tough issues,” she said in her remarks before the Public School Forum of North Carolina’s “Eggs and Issues” forum.

The Leandro Supreme Court case was, in fact, a very real discussion and investigation into the status of public education throughout North Carolina and whether the state was, as its constitution mandates, providing every child with access to a quality education.

As a result of that investigation and determination of the facts – reached in three separate decisions -- was that North Carolina has NOT adhered to its constitutional mandate. The court then, in an objective, credible and meticulous manner, developed a multi-year plan to make sure every school and every classroom had the resources – qualified teachers, support staff to assist and making sure all students had all support and tools needed to be effective learners.

The court developed and mandated the Comprehensive Remedial Plan to put in place, in every school, those tools and resources.

Yet Truitt failed to endorse the plan and, in fact echoed the politicians leading the General Assembly and thwarting implementation of the program. She even took a pot-shot at it in her remarks Tuesday.

After reciting a litany of initiatives – including “the science of reading and workforce readiness she’d promoted during her term as superintendent, she decried the Comprehensive Remedial Plan from the Leandro case.

“None of these things were in the Comprehensive Remedial Plan. And none of these things were the type of actions that will ga lot of clicks on Twitter or Facebook,” she said.

Playing the politics of the legislative leadership, she missed the point and she, as much as anyone, should know it.

The Comprehensive Remedial Plan isn’t about dictating what is to be taught in classrooms – but assuring every school and every classroom had qualified instructors to teach the curriculums and courses and every school had the necessary resources so students are most able to learn them.

She seemed determined to lump all current politicians dismissively as unwilling to do the work, answer the important questions, take the challenging stands to truly advocate for public education. There is a clear difference in this election for state Superintendent of Public Instruction between Mo Green, a former school superintendent with a long resume of public education advocacy and the dismissive antipathy of Michele Morrow. Truitt should have had the determination of her rhetoric and said made the contrast.

But as Truitt bemoaned the politicalization of public education she displayed her own culpability.

Freed of the anchor of election-year incumbency, she chose still to take to the political soap box and dodge the tough stands.

Through her own term in office Truitt, like those she seems now to decry, chose partisan political loyalty and obedience over the futures of North Carolina’s school children.

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