McCrory, Civic Leaders Attend Triangle Educational Forum

Durham, NC – Gubernatorial candidate and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) joined church, school and civic leaders from across the state Tuesday evening to address equal opportunity in education at a public forum featuring a town hall style question and answer session.

The event, themed "Parents and Children First," provided an opportunity for community leaders to discuss parental school choice as an equal rights issue. The event was sponsored by Partners for Educational Freedom in North Carolina ("Partners").

Addressing a predominantly African-American crowd of nearly one thousand, McCrory wasted no time in pledging his support to families who want to break free from the "control and power" and "status quo" of an educational system that cannot meet the needs of every child. Citing the state's drop out rate among other factors, he stressed the importance of creating a competitive North Carolina through educational initiatives designed to meet the state's economic and job needs.

During the town hall session, participants had the opportunity to ask the gubernatorial candidate about his ideas for public policy to expand educational options in North Carolina. McCrory clarified his stance on vouchers, favoring specialized programs for at-risk and special needs students. "It's time to try some new things," McCrory told the energized crowd. "And that new thing is choice."

McCrory's participation in the event demonstrated the sharp contrast between his views supporting a broadened role of parental school choice within the state's educational system, and those of his opponent, Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue (D), who declined an invitation to speak at the forum. Perdue has stated her firm opposition to permitting parental choice even within small portions of the system, such as the special needs community.

Calvin Henderson, president of the Pitt County NAACP, was one of many other civic leaders who spoke at the event. Speaking only as "a long-time civil rights activist" and not on behalf of the NAACP, Henderson did not mince words about the role of North Carolina's next governor in shaping educational policy. "To our next governor," he declared, "we are challenging [you] to endorse and support school choice."

The event concluded with the surprise award of two K-12 tuition scholarships in the amount of $2500 each to local families. Scholarship recipients were selected based on academic and financial need.

Susan Johnson of Youngsville, an award recipient whose two sons attend Friendship Christian School in Raleigh, shared a heartfelt testimonial describing her family's struggle to care for four special needs children on a fixed income. "Without Friendship Christian School, my kids would not be where they are today," said Johnson. "We live only by the grace of God."

Darrell Allison, President of Parents/Partners for Educational Freedom in North Carolina presented the awards. "This disproves the notion that parental school choice is dangerous to working and middle class families," Allison said. "When you look at the 14 states that have parental school choice, the vast majority of the families that benefit are the working poor and middle class."

Other event participants included school officials, church leaders and students from charter and private schools across the state.

About Partners:

Partners for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, fulfills an essential component of the mission and vision of the state's parental school choice movement by concentrating efforts on public policy at the state and local levels. Partners shares office space, staff and organizational infrastructure with Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, which it reimburses for proportional salaries and expenses.