WS Chronicle

To the Editor:

When neighborhood teachers say they have fewer textbooks and supplies and no assistants to help teach kids this year, believe them.

North Carolina children are going back to school full of optimism this week, but educators and parents are anxious, worrying about crowded classrooms and aging buses. Teachers are demoralized by low pay and little incentive to get more training.

This is the work of North Carolina legislators and a governor who increased class size, cut classroom supplies, and left high-mileage buses on the road. They cut public schools so they could give tax breaks (to) the wealthy and out-of-state corporate shareholders. Millions more will go to vouchers for private schools.

However, most North Carolinians believe our children’s education should be a priority, not an afterthought. You shouldn’t have to make up for a state budget that short changes schools. While we work to set the state right, I encourage all of us to help fill these gaps.

Ask a teacher or parent you know how to help with classroom supplies, books or athletic equipment. Help local PTAs with fundraisers. Volunteer in a school if you can, and ask if you can help out as a reading coach, a test proctor or a mentor. I and many others volunteer weekly in a local school, and educators are always grateful for help.

Thanks in advance for your help and for fighting for public schools.

Roy Cooper,

N.C. Attorney General