The state of public school funding in North Carolina is under terrible threat with the legislature’s proposed private school voucher expansion schemes.
If the current expansion becomes law we will see HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars be moved from public schools into private hands. Governor Cooper is so concerned, he gave a special address yesterday outlining the direness of the situation and said “It’s clear that the Republican legislature is aiming to choke the life out of public education,” and went on to tell voters to “take immediate action and tell them to stop the damage that will set back our schools for a generation.”
This is why we have worked with our partners across the state to create HEAL Together NC. Heal Together is a coalition of organizations based in North Carolina, that are each dedicated to honest, accurate, safe and fully-funded schools. We are organizing against these deplorable bills that are making their way through the North Carolina General Assembly.
If this is something that YOU want to get involved in, well we want you to be a part of it. Every single one of us counts. North Carolinians who oppose the theft of public school dollars, who oppose book banning and bigoted legislation, who oppose efforts to censor curriculums and teachers— we are the majority. We just have to act like it.
Our work is to move in a formation that shows this to our school boards, to our friends and family, to our law makers, and at the polls.
You can find more from Governor Cooper in the press release that he put out here.
The GOP legislature is planning to choke the life out of public education, and you need to know what’s happening. Watch Gov. Cooper's special address on public education. pic.twitter.com/QVkXpLhDu2
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 22, 2023
There are two ways you can get involved in the fight to defend public education with us:
One, you can join us for the monthly Heal NC call on the third Thursday of the month (online!). This is held online and is a great way for you to learn more about the legislation moving and what you can do about it. Find the next call here.
Two, you can help build a Public School Strong team in your county and work with your neighbors to support students, teachers, and public education. Our next Public School Strong training is June 17th, online. You can register here
Public School Strong teams in Mecklenburg (left) and Ashe (above) attend their local school board meetings in May 2023.