Natalie Beyer: ‘Busy’ McCrory disrespected teachers

Regarding the June 15 news article “Educators march 23 miles for change”: Anticipating a conversation with Gov. Pat McCrory, teachers and parents marched over 20 miles to Raleigh.

Teachers slept on church floors and trekked through the tall summer grass in sweltering heat together. We compiled nonpartisan facts to share with our governor: North Carolina ranks 47th in the nation in per-pupil funding, which is $500 less than before the recession; students are going without textbooks and teacher assistants; and enrollment in UNC’s 15 schools of education has dropped 30 percent since 2010. We gathered stories about our students and their personal struggles.

The governor’s spokesperson claimed McCrory was unavailable but promised his staffers would meet with us. We arrived well before 5 p.m. only to find the doors locked. We waited and telephoned staffers, but no one emerged to talk. We knocked on every door to no avail while reporters documented.

I regret that the governor and his staff chose not to meet with these remarkable teachers and parents. They would have met some heroic North Carolinians and discussed how our students deserve more.

It is a shame McCrory didn’t even make time to listen. That decision reveals so much about this governor’s priorities and lack of leadership.

This story was originally published June 21, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Natalie Beyer: ‘Busy’ McCrory disrespected teachers."