Sylvia White: Funding education must be priority

As a teacher all my adult life, I just can’t fathom the logic in our state government’s massive slashing of student and teacher needs. It’s like asking a gourmet chef to produce an exquisite meal out of inferior or missing ingredients, then griping when the food turns out subpar. Of course, as in our current education system, the chef is then blamed because the food didn’t meet expected standards.

After reading the May 14 Notable Numbers, my anger turned to sadness, the kind that made me weep. The mentor teacher program, which helped young, talented teachers navigate the system and create effective lessons, has been cut completely, hanging those understandably nervous novice teachers out to dry.

The nonpartisan National Education Association reveals that North Carolina now ranks 43rd in per-pupil spending with teachers taking home a paycheck this year that is $10,000 less than the national average.

It’s time for responsible, caring residents to buckle down and do some homework of our own, a research project. Investigate the voting record of every elected official responsible for our education system. Then go to the polls and vote for the advocates of our children and their teachers. The future of our state and children depends on that assignment.

This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Sylvia White: Funding education must be priority."