By Douglas Byrd

As a retired public school teacher, I have a continued interest in what is happening in the education system locally and statewide, including the candidates running for the N.C.  superintendent of public Instruction this year. I was surprised when the acting Superintendent Catherine Truitt, who I think does an admirable job, lost the Republican primary to Michele Morrow. Ms. Morrow’s Democratic challenger is Mo Green. When you compare her experience and agenda with those of Mr. Green’s, there really is no choice come November. 

Mo Green started his career as a lawyer, then became involved in public education as an administrator and superintendent of Guilford County schools. He then became executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (a non-profit charitable organization). Michele Morrow has been a nurse and homeschool teacher. 

I’m not going to go into Mo Green’s beliefs and agenda for the future because they are normal, sane and accentuate the positives of public schools in North Carolina. I would, however, like to talk about Ms. Morrow’s beliefs and agenda.  

Some of her past social media posts lay bare her character and beliefs. As by reported CNN and others, in past posts she espouses the notion of assassinating President Obama and President Biden, as well as targeting other prominent Democrat politicians, including Governor Roy Cooper. They also report she posted various QAnon conspiracy theories, espousing that celebrities drink the blood of children, that China had thousands of troops in Canada and Mexico getting ready to invade in order to help Joe Biden get sworn in as president.

One of the videos on her campaign page accuses her opponent, Mo Green, while at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, of funding various groups that lead to the destruction of family safety, funding that gets rid of school resource officers, funding  “anti-government groups” involved in the riots that ensued after George Floyd’s murder and funding groups that are allowing illegal immigrants into the state. All of which are extremist rhetoric and unfounded. Her delusional beliefs have no place in the office she seeks. 

Looking deeper into her campaign website information, you’ll find she espouses the notion that the curriculum in North Carolina schools is “racially divisive” and “sexually explicit,” eluding to her belief that “Critical Race Theory” and “Social Emotional Learning” are being taught in our schools. Ask any superintendent, principal or teacher across the state (or across the country, for that matter) and they will tell you that is just not true. Apparently, she thinks she has the experience and expertise to dictate what books should be available to students and how African-American history/literature should be taught in our schools.

Speaking of dictating, she wants to abolish the state board of education. It “sets policy and general procedures for public school systems across the state, including teacher pay and qualifications, course content, testing requirements and manages state education funds.” She wants that power all to herself. 

Imagine someone with such an agenda being superintendent of North Carolina Public Schools. I really don’t believe that Michele Morrow is a proponent of public education as it has been and as it is today. I believe she wants public education to transform into something her and her “movement” can control in order to force their vision on everybody.

Instead of voting for someone with a (D) or (R) or (I) behind their name, vote for the person with the most experience, the most integrity, and the one who cares most about North Carolina public school educators and their students. Especially if you are a public school educator, or a parent they serve.

Douglas Byrd lives in Salisbury.