Bev Perdue and Pat McCrory debate on education

Two days ago, when I informed my co-workers that I would be skipping the first few hours of work on Friday for a gubernatorial forum on public schools, most people just nodded politely. One woman, with a bit of a sneer, said, “Why do you care about public schools? You don’t even have any children.” I smiled sweetly and informed her that ironically, although I have no children, I helped pay for their education, and therefore have an interest in how the schools are run. She didn’t say too much after that.

What I witnessed at the SAS campus in Cary yesterday morning were two intelligent people with two fundamentally different opinions on how to run North Carolina’s education system. I have to give Bev Perdue some credit – this is the best I’ve seen her in any of the debates. Don’t read too much into that statement. She bombed the last two debates, making such embarrassing gaffes as telling us that including vocational training for mechanics, electricians, or plumbers in our high school was lowering our expectations for our children.

I noticed that Perdue didn’t make that same mistake during this debate, but I also noticed that her argument against Pat McCrory’s vocational training in high school proposal was rather empty. Could it be that her only reason for disagreeing with McCrory’s plan is that she thinks people who work with their hands are second-class citizens? If that’s not it, she didn’t give this blogger a reason to think otherwise.

Both candidates seemed fairly relaxed, and perhaps that was what made the biggest difference for Perdue. In the other debates, she has seemed nervous, uptight, and almost jittery, and maybe that’s due to the fact that she’s a one-issue candidate. She knows her education platform, and there’s no denying that, even for someone as pro-McCrory as myself. However, the question remains – which candidate has the best plan to reform the North Carolina public school system?


PERDUE'S PLAN

Bev Perdue has been pretty open about her plan to raise teacher salaries across the board and work on offering free community college tuition to high school graduates. When asked how North Carolina would pay for free community college tuition, Perdue responded that we would pay for it “the way we’ve always paid for education in North Carolina.” She did not elaborate further, so the assumption there is that our taxes will be raised to cover the cost.

Perdue stated that she is pleased with the current system of testing children and basing teacher raises on the outcome of the test results, but perhaps it is time to review the current testing system and also judge student performance on other diagnostics.

When asked if she had a plan to lower the dropout rate, Perdue stated that the key to keep kids in school is beginning education earlier (pre-K) and focusing on diagnostic assessments to make sure every kid remains on grade level. She stated that giving every child the opportunity to go to college would also lower the dropout rate. She also told us that she would stress the importance of education to parents and remind them that their kid will not just be competing with Americans, but with kids from China.


MCCRORY'S PLAN

Pat McCrory laid out his plan that the key to lowering the dropout rate is to offer more options for students. “Not every child in North Carolina wants nor needs a four-year college degree” has been one of his talking points since the primaries, and during this debate, he referred to the idea that all kids need a four-year degree as “elitism”.

He stressed his desire to match education policy with job openings, and said that we need more representation from the business community on the state board of education. Along those same lines, McCrory thinks that we should treat our schools like a business, and therefore pay teachers as the market would – since we have a great need for science and math teachers, people willing to teach math and science should demand a high salary, as should teachers willing to work in schools in lower-income areas.

He also stressed letting the local government have more of a say in their schools, whether how long a school year should last, or how a school bond could be best spent in their community (construction, technology, programs, etc.).


COMPARISON

Local involvement

Both candidates have valid opinions on how to change the NC school system, but only one truly appeals to the best interests of the community and the future of North Carolina. Pat McCrory’s common sense approach to letting the local government have more of a say in their schools is a plan that I’ve been hearing citizens espouse for years. If we don’t think the federal government should be able to judge all schools the same across the nation, why do we think the state government should be able to judge all schools the same across the state? Different areas have different education needs. Conversely, Perdue states “that responsibility rests with the governor”. She seems to have this idea that she will be able to visit every school system in the state and will be able to determine how to best education their kids in one meeting.

Education & Economy

McCrory’s plan to get the business leaders involved is another plan with great potential. As I told my co-worker, we are all paying for the public schools, so we all have an interest in how they work. North Carolina’s economy relies on our future workers, and business leaders would best be able to determine what future skills our children will need to find a job when they graduate. McCrory looks at education as a team effort between the private and public sectors – Perdue sees it as a competitive “every man for himself” system, as witnessed by her remark that our children will be forced to compete against each other as well as children across the world.

Drop-out rate

Finally, Bev Perdue’s plan to lower the drop out rate by making sure students stay on grade level just doesn’t hold water in the real world. High schoolers don’t always drop out because they just aren’t good at school. I had several friends in high school who were very intelligent and made good grades, but quit because they didn’t have any desire to go to college. They preferred to quite school at 16 and go directly into the workforce, usually construction of some sort. McCrory understands that not all kids need that four year degree and that our workforce always needs skilled workers, and he offers hope for those students who don’t have any interest in higher education.

Both candidates stressed using “common sense” in our education policy, but only one actually illustrated how to do so. I think Pat McCrory’s common sense education policy will lower the drop-out rate and make North Carolina’s public school system one of the most effective in the nation. Bev Perdue's ideas just represent more of the same -- centralized control over the education system, unrealistic testing expectations for students, and higher taxes for NC citizens. As someone with a real interest in our state's education system, I know who I'll be voting for. How about you?

"Saving" Bristol Palin?

This is sick.

Saving Bristol

Basically, this guy (Doug Stanhope, real name?)is attempting to raise $25,000 "so that [Bristol Palin] can abort [her] child and move out of that draconian home."

My favorite part of the page is where he tells us how excited he is to have been the father of an aborted child. "I was once in a similar situation where I'd accidentally impregnated a girl and she had to make that same fateful decision that now faces you... We made the right choice and rather than end up bitter rivals in court battles over custody or support, we are great friends who high-five over our decision and have all the free time and disposable income that young mothers never know."

I'm aware that this is likely someone's poor attempt at a joke, but that crosses the line, even to a pro-choicer such as myself. An abortion is not something that you turn into an internet phenom or that you "high five" over. The decision to have an abortion should never be taken lightly, and it is attitudes such as this that push people even further to the right of this issue.

I'm glad to see that the potential father was able to effectively remove himself from such a situation, but I doubt this pinhead has any clue what kind of a toll the abortion may have had mentally on the mother. Nor do I think he cares too much, so long as he has his money.

Bev Perdue causes gas panic in Charlotte

Dear Bev,

As a pro-McCrory blogger, I would just like to take this moment to thank you for your interview yesterday on WBT Radio in Charlotte. Reading the transcript of your interview has made my weekend.

For those of you that missed it, I've provided a partial transcript (read: the best part) of Beverly Perdue's interview with Al Gardner:

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Beverly Perdue: “… this is a temporary price gouge, because that’s what it is, folks trying to get the most money they can get out of the limited capacity.”

Al Gardner: “You bet… just 30 seconds left. Who should do what about that?”

Beverly Perdue: “I think we all need to get out and get our, uh, get our gas tanks as full as they’ll let us do it during in the next 24 or 48 hours. And then we continue to watch what happens in the Gulf. Then, then the whole question becomes on Sunday to assess the damage. And from there we know what we have to do; I mean the country has this, we all know this, uh supply, this emergency supply that they can let go and this would be a time that the president and the Congress should have to authorize us using…”

Al Gardner: “But very quickly, Lt. Governor Perdue, if we’re urging everybody to go out and fill their tank right now in the next 24 hours wouldn’t that by definition create a panic?

Beverly Perdue: “Oh, oh I don’t mean that at all, and I didn’t mean to imply that. What I would do is to be very cautious about it not to overreact – if you need gas get some, but there is no need for anybody to rush right out because this is not going to be long term. Uh, the country has this supply that they’ve kept in waiting for this so I, uh, the truckers here, the folks who are on the road, find gas available, but what I was trying to say is don’t be concerned that you’re not going to be able to find it somewhere. It’s that there is still is a supply in this country; it’s not like last night while we were asleep somebody sucked all the oil out of the tanks all over the country. But it has been raised a buck and it’s really hard.”

**********

Uhh, which is it Bev?? Are we supposed to panic and fill up the gas tank of every vehicle we own, or are we supposed to be cautious and not overreact?

Yeah, that's the kind of leadership we need.

In contrast, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory made the following statement yesterday in regards to the potential gas crisis:

“Due to the reduced flow of gas supplies out of the Gulf Coast, the City of Charlotte has implemented a conservation plan for the city fleet of vehicles to curtail the use of non-essential vehicles this weekend. I encourage all citizens to also implement a fuel conservation plan to conserve fuel over the weekend and remain calm until the full impact of Hurricane Ike on the nation’s gas supply can be determined.”

How refreshing. And the Democrats think Republicans don't want change.

McCrory and Perdue clash on lottery -- and closing statements

Another question from a web-watcher -- Why do teachers always get a higher pay raise than other state employees?

Bev Perdue attributes that to the fact that we are short on teachers, and we have to work harder to keep good teachers. She's touting her endorsement by the teacher's UNION, for some reason.

Pat McCrory "want to say for the record that I have not been endorsed by the unions". He says that you can't base additional benefits and pay on how badly they are needed -- doesn't want to be selective and offer 20 year retirement to some employees and 15 years to others.

The candidates have been asked if there is anything they would change about the lottery. McCrory says that he would not pay the directors as much as they are making, they are making way more than any other state employee. He would completely re-vamp where the lottery dollars go since there is a huge discrepancy in where the money goes in the state. Apparently, Bev is for status quo :-X

Closing remarks:

Perdue says she has the experience and capacity to move NC forward, to help schools, help healthcare, will continue to work for NC -- one size does not fit all. Her work on military has been "fabulous".

McCrory says he is running for governor because he wants to change the culture of state government -- less corruption, wants to fix criminal justice system, create jobs, keep jobs here, let people trust state government and break the power elite. North Carolina government deserves a strong leader and he has the leadership skills and wants to take that leadership to the rest of the state.

McCrory and Perdue clash on attack ads

The moderator is now talking about third party ads. The first one they're watching is the ad by the Alliance for North Carolina (which I have posted in this blog) attacking Pat McCrory.

McCrory tells us that the ad is right in that he is opposed to free college tuition -- passes the truth test "by about 1/3". McCrory has never run a negative ad, neither in the primary, nor in the general election. McCrory is quoting an ad by Perdue back during the primary calling for positive campaigning and pointing out that she attacks him -- calls him a "threat to the middle class".

Now they're showing the ad by the Republican Governor's Association against Bev Perdue (I'll have to post that later) calling her "Status Quo Bev". Perdue is ignoring the ad and telling McCrory that she is against "negative personal attacks", not the ones she is airing now, apparently (it's not personal to call someone "a real danger"). Perdue is now telling us that she has "broken every status quo" she knows by being a female and running for office.

When pressed to see if McCrory will ask the RGA to pull the "status quo" ad, he says the are forbidden from communicating with the RGA and called the ad "silly". He does ask that Perdue pull the ad calling him a "real danger to the middle class". She refuses to do so, because "that's not a negative ad". She now apparently has a new one that says McCrory is "too extreme" for North Carolina.

Moderator is asking Perdue what she would have done differently in the Easley adminitration -- she's pretty much just saying that she is not a part of the Easley administration. She wants to be more "hands on" than Easley is, and "there are things that I really, really would do differently". What does that mean, Bev?

McCrory and Perdue clash on illegal immigration

I had some technical difficulties for a minute, but I'm back.

There is a viewer question on how to support funding for "creative industries".

Bev Perdue says that creative industries are the future of America as well as North Carolina (WHAT?). She's praising the great opportunities we have with the SChool of the Arts and other places in NC, and she has "such a track record" of supporting arts. She says that we will see her "highly engaged" in art funding.

McCrory reponds that the arts are important, but they won't make a huge difference "if we don't have jobs". He wants to help the farmers and the manufacturers create jobs before we worry about the arts... we need jobs before we need arts. :)

The next question is on Sheriff Bizzell, a local sheriff that recently made some bigoted comments on illegal immigrants. Perdue states that the immigration system is broke and she will work to fix it (the room just said "yeah, right". She just said, "here in North Carolina, none of us are born here". WHAT? I'm pretty sure I was born in North Carolina.

Pat McCrory states that he will demand an immigration facility from the next US President. The closest one is in Atlanta and it puts a huge strain on our local sheriffs, since we have no place to deport illegal immigrants. We're putting too much of a burden on county jails right now. Jails are full of illegal immigrants who are breaking OTHER laws -- people who already broke the law coming into the country and are now harming NC citizens.

When asked if McCrory would "talk to" a sheriff like Bizzell who makes such bigoted comments, McCrory said he would, but ultimately he is an elected official and it is up to the voters to vote him out if he offends them. Perdue is basically responding that she would have spoken with Bizzell "before it got to that point".

McCrory and Perdue clash on education

If you have the chance to see this debate, I certainly hope you are. Perdue is fighting for her life over here -- interrupting McCrory every three seconds with her "EXCUSE ME.... EXCUSE ME!"

The moderator wants to know their education priorities. This is one of McCrory's strong points. He wants to get back to teaching the basics -- kids aren't learning basic math. Also wants to put a special emphasis on vocational training to train high school kids that don't want/need to go to college.

Perdue's answer is that we need to pay teachers more and "hold them accountable", and don't have a voucher system. She thinks we need to improve public schools, and letting people choose their schools do not do that. And she just said that adding vocational training "lowers expectations"! Wow... basically just dissed every plumber and mechanic in North Carolina.

Now she's saying that mechanics are "wonderful". WTF is this woman talking about?

McCrory responded that he stands by his voucher stance. Kids "ought to be given a choice". McCorry is pointing out that Perdue has supported vouchers for college students, and yet she's attacking him for it. He doesn't think vouchers should be given to EVERYONE, just a select few.

Perdue wants to give "free and public" education to everyone in NC, and the vouchers go against that. Apparently, being able to choose where your child is educated is too much like a free market system. The moderator is now asking "where the math comes from" that the state cannot afford to give vouchers to kids who want to go to private school. She says the figure that is quoted in her ads -- $900 million -- is based on what it would cost if EVERY student went to a private school. Because, you know, that would happen.

McCrory says she's just throwing things out that aren't true. He opposes vouchers for EVERY student, and he's calling her out for lying in her ads! He is for the concept but never said he would offer a voucher to everyone -- Perdue has made an assumption. He is now accusing her of being an elitist for thinking down on plumbers and others that learn a trade rather than get a four-year degree!

The moderator is asking McCrory how he wuold help the families of pour students in regards to education. He says that schools are not fulfilling the needs of everyone. He wants to offer selective scholarships to help kids get out of poverty and go to a school that is best for them. That is where the status quo needs to be changed.

Perdue says that "Smart Start" is a good way to help families struggling with poverty -- she wants to help parents understand how to help their kids. She going to create more government programs, basically.