“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
Public Taxpayer Dollars For Public Schools
A perspective from Allen Buansi
It’s no secret: public schools are struggling. We are now well into the school year, and schools have been hit hard. The latest hit to our schools comes in the form of HB 10, a bill that just became law over Governor Cooper’s veto.
HB 10 diverts nearly half a billion taxpayer dollars from public schools to private schools. Our public schools have been chronically underfunded over the past couple of decades, and they are reaching a breaking point. Ultimately, our kids are paying the price.
Public schools are the center of our communities. They are where we gather for football games and other sports, parent teacher conferences, fairs, festivals and the list goes on. One of my top priorities at the General Assembly has been pushing for investments in public schools and in our children. Not all my colleagues agree. Republican legislators time and time again push to siphon your taxpayer money away from public schools to fund private school vouchers for the wealthy.
At the very beginning of the year, our school system in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, had to cut over 80 positions due to a budget shortfall of $ 5 million, hurting our teachers, staff and children. That’s because when Republican lawmakers go big to support wealthy families attending private schools, it means fewer resources for our public schools here and across North Carolina.
Our constitution guarantees the right to public education for every child, but thanks to funding decisions like these, North Carolina ranks near the bottom in per-pupil spending and teacher pay.
Our public schools should not be on the chopping block year after year. We should not settle for politicians who abandon our public schools. Our public dollars are for public schools. Let’s act like it.
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
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