By Phil Kirk

I am proud to enthusiastically endorse Mo Green for superintendent of public instruction. I have been an active Republican since I registered 62 years ago. While I have voted for some Democrats, I have  publicly endorsed only one and that was Dr. Mike Ward whose campaign was successful for was state superintendent. I am proud to endorse my friend, Mo Green, for this important office.

I am not a RINO (Republican in name only) Republican. I have been honored to serve as chief of staff for Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and U. S. Senator Jim Broyhill, all Republicans. I have served as state chairman of both the Teen Age Republicans and Young Republicans, in addition to being elected to the State Senate at the age of 25 and chairman of the Rowan County Republican Party at age 23.

Having served as chairman of the state board of education for six and one-half years, I believe I know the type of person whom we need as the state superintendent. The GOP candidate wants to abolish the state board of education which provides valuable input from the general population.

We need a champion for public education in this statewide position. Mo is that person. His opponent has encouraged parents not to send their children to public schools! By the way, I do not view the fact that the Republican candidate home schools her five children as a negative. My youngest daughter home schools her three children and I am very proud of her and them. They all work very hard. I believe she would say this does not qualify her to lead a complex department such as the Department of Public Instruction.

We need a person with experience in managing a huge bureaucracy. Mo has served as superintendent of Guilford County Schools and No. 2 in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. His opponent also flunks this one big-time.

We need a person who has the ability to be an effective member of the Education Cabinet, which represents every level of education in our state.  Again, Mo is experienced working in a collaborative way with other leaders. Again, I respectfully don’t think the Republican candidate possesses those skills.

We need a person who can work effectively with both parties. Mo has proven that he can while his opponent has no record of accomplishment in working with many in the Republican ranks much less with Democrats.

While I support some of the positions taken by both candidates, voting for Mo Green is an easy decision for me for many reasons, only a few which I have stated above. I urge you to visit websites for both candidates. Mo ranks first in every category which is important to the success for all children in our traditional public schools and our charter public schools.

Finally, the Republican candidate has embarrassed Republicans like me because of her outlandish statements which have been publicized across our great country. Please consider Mo Green for state superintendent of public instruction.

Phil Kirk lives in Salisbury.