The following are the questions and responses I submitted for the 2010 candidate questionnaire from the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE).
1. What are your top three priorities for public educating in North Carolina?
(a) Parental choice
(b) Reconsidering the construction and high priority of the NC Standard Course of Study
(c) Expansion and enhancement of vocational education
2. It’s estimated that K-12 public education will lose 3, 700 jobs for the 2010-2011 school year, in addition to the 2,400 jobs lost in the 2009-2010 school year. It has been suggested that additional cuts to teaching positions are necessary to balance the budget because 61% of the K-12 budget is personnel. Do you support using educators to balance the budget?
No. While personnel costs are usually the biggest expense for a business, there are many other ways to balance the budget that should be considered first.
3. Will you make it priority to fund the teacher salary schedule, as well as longevity, in 2010-11?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
Yes. Though I generally support reducing costs of public services, I don’t think teachers should be undercompensated.
4. Would you support full involvement and approval by affected educators in the development and implementation of any alternative compensation models?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
Yes. The salary model should provide merit based on teacher performance, not on student performance, in my opinion as a former teacher.
5. Will you support a salary schedule for teacher assistants based on their education and years of experience?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
Yes. I support reasonable salary schedules based on experience, as in the teachers’ salary schedule, though compensation based on educational achievement should be limited to what is reasonable for the position.
6. Will you support the continuation of a fully paid individual health care coverage for active and retired educators and state employees?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
No. I would like to see other options on the table, such as a health savings program or tiered choices, before I would support any one option.
7. Would you support an increase in the employer contribution to the N.C. Retirement System to 6.71% of payroll in 2010 and to commit to a full funding of the plan in the future to sustain TSERS retirement benefits in the future?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
The “cost of living adjustment” should be applied to salaries so that the retirement portion is naturally adjusted at the same time.
8. UNC funding has grown by 46% over the last five years, and recent reports indicate that non-classroom personnel within higher education has grown the fastest during this time. Would you support cutting non-essential programs and positions at the UNC System before cutting classroom services to North Carolina students in K-12?
No… not necessarily. Each individual position and program should be weighed against all positions and programs across the board before funding is reduced for any.
9. Would you support continuing to use the Teacher Working Conditions Survey to analyze what is working and not working in each of the state’s schools AND to provide funding to work to resolve these problems?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
Yes, but… While the survey offers important feedback about working conditions, it should not be the only tool used in determining funding.
10. Would you support maintaining the state funding for the Teacher Cadet program at the current level?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
No. While I enthusiastically support the program as an expansion of vocational education, I do not support it as a systematic recruiting program.
11. What steps would you take to reform the state tax structure in order to generate the revenue needed to fund a quality public school system and other needed services?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
I support the gradual move toward community schools funded on an individual or local level, independent of the state tax structure.
12. Do you oppose the use of tax credits, vouchers, and/or any use of public money for private K-12 schools?
[NCAE's explanation omitted.]
No. One of my priorities for schools is to increase choice for parents. Programs like these offer these choices with little impact per student.
13. Are there any additional comments you would like to make?
For more about my positions, especially for managing municipal growth and re-evaluating the role of public schools and the NCSCS, please visit by Website at GoLiberty.net.
