February

28, 2017

African-American Democratic Members Education Statement

We stand here today joining our voices for a simple yet powerful statement: We are here to extend our
support for educational options for ALL North Carolina families and students.

We stand today to be a voice for the voiceless. Far too often, families and children are left out of the
education decision-making process.

With that, our support for educational options for all North Carolinians includes parental school choice
as a complement to our unwavering support for quality education institutions across our state, including
traditional public schools, public charter schools, private schools, and home schools.

Make no mistake, the bedrock of strong communities starts with our schools, and we are here to ensure
that EVERY CHILD receives the best education possible, regardless of his or her zip code or family
income.

As supporters of education, we stand for:

North Carolinas 1.5 million students enrolled in public schools, and the approximately 100,000 public
school teachers who serve to educate those students every day across our state. We must do more for
our public schools, and we stand committed to doing just that.

As supporters of education, we stand for:

North Carolinas public charter schools, especially those with the mission to provide educational
programs aimed at serving socio-economically disadvantaged students across our state, where we see
more growth of these kinds of public schools in the 40 counties that still dont have one.

As supporters of education, we stand for:

North Carolinas Children with Disabilities Scholarship Grant, where families whose child qualifies under
this private school program will be provided the resources to find the education that fits their needs.

As supporters of education, we stand for:

North Carolinas Opportunity Scholarship Program, which is providing educational options to nearly
6,000 low-income families.








In closing, and in the spirit of Black History Month, this coalition understands that in North Carolina you
cannot talk about education and education reform without talking about race and politics. It is our hope
that by uniting together in support of education for all and for all quality educational models, that we
begin to bridge the gaps that have far too often hindered us -- black versus white students, Democrat
versus Republican, and traditional schools versus non-traditional schools.

We have come too far and tackled too many challenges to leave a generation of children behind. Today,
together, we stand for these children and we will fight for them by any means necessary educationally.