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This article is part of 麻豆精品鈥檚 EDlection 2024 coverage, which takes a look at candidates鈥� education policies and how they might impact the American education system after the 2024 election.

This article is part of 麻豆精品鈥檚 EDlection 2024 coverage, which takes a look at candidates鈥� education policies and how they might impact the American education system after the 2024 election.

A moderate from an elite world versus a MAGA-backed veteran. 

An attorney general versus a lieutenant governor. An ardent supporter of public education versus a skeptic who called educators 鈥溾�� and wants to strip schools of federal funding. 

North Carolina鈥檚 governor race, dubbed the its final moments. But in the aftermath of several scandals and increasing political fanfare, the swing state known for nail-biting election days is almost certain to elect Democrat Josh Stein over Republican nominee Mark Robinson.

In late September, as polls were already showing a slight lead for Stein, reported Robinson called himself a 鈥淏lack Nazi鈥� and posted 鈥渟lavery is not bad鈥� anonymously on a porn site. Once his cheerleader, former President Donald Trump has since gone silent about Robinson and has not been seen with him in public, even while campaigning in North Carolina. In recent weeks, Robinson has taken to of Trump.

鈥淭he expectation is with everything dragging Robinson down, Stein should have a good night,鈥� said Michael Bitzer, North Carolina elections expert and politics chair at Catawba College. 

But beyond the controversy that鈥檚 encircled Robinson 鈥� who has kept education debates centered on eradicating the presence of 鈥減olitics鈥� and 鈥渋ndoctrination鈥� in schools, and 鈥� educators and students across the state told 麻豆精品 their top concerns are school safety and mental health, teacher pay and recruitment, and school funding. 

Their worries reach beyond the gubernatorial race, as the future of who will determine state education policy is in limbo. The state superintendent race is , with Democrat and former large district superintendent Mo Green holding a tiny lead over far-right candidate and homeschooling advocate, , who praised 鈥減atriots鈥� outside the White House during the January 6 insurrection.

But whether the next governor is Stein or Robinson, the state leader will also appoint individuals for , subject to confirmation by the assembly. At least in March 2025, and five of Cooper鈥檚 picks have yet to be confirmed. The agency is in charge of policy, including credentialing criteria and what textbooks get used statewide. 

鈥淓lection day has got everybody a little nervous in the education world in North Carolina,鈥� said Patrick Greene, president of the statewide school leader association and principal of Greene Central High School in Snow Hill, a town just over an hour鈥檚 drive southeast of Raleigh. 

鈥淚 think a lot of us are trying to get people to understand that the implications for this race go beyond party lines,鈥� Greene said. 鈥淲e need to do a better job of being advocates for people outside of the [education] world to understand how these policies directly affect them, their children, their communities.鈥� 

There鈥檚 a strong chance North Carolina鈥檚 next governor will also in the state legislature, where lawmakers have repeatedly overridden current Governor Roy Cooper鈥檚 vetos to push through of laws including a 12-week abortion ban, restrictions on sports and medical treatments for transgender youth, and limitations on classroom discussions about gender 鈥� moves condemned by the . 

鈥淭hose of us who are boots on the ground need progress. We would love for the General Assembly and whichever gubernatorial candidate and state superintendent candidate wins to find some common ground 鈥� let’s get some stuff done,鈥� Greene said, advocating for , teacher prep expansion and 鈥渁ll the things we want to do to make schools as good as they can be, rather than more and more rhetoric each time and blaming each other.鈥� 

Stein鈥檚 top priority as governor, according to , is to improve public education. He has also supported to address the youth mental health crisis, and wants to expand support and access to community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The two education issues Robinson and Stein have some alignment on are raising teacher pay and expanding career and technical education. The question of how to afford educating the state鈥檚 most vulnerable populations, however, is another matter.

鈥榃e need more than we鈥檙e getting鈥�

Both Robinson and superintendent candidate Morrow have pushed to expand school vouchers, which would send more public funds to private schools. Governor Cooper called the effort the .鈥�

Educators are also anxiously tracking the state supreme court as it wades into a , in which parents argued the state formula denied quality education to their impoverished, often rural areas. 

Today, the state where more residents live in rural areas ranks , more than $4,000 below average.聽

The vast majority of North Carolina children are educated in public schools, with a little over . Similar trends held true in Arizona, another swing state where a recent revealed low income families were not accessing the voucher programs marketed to them.

鈥淸Families] have options and they’re still choosing us,鈥� said Greene.

Further worrying education advocates, for the states鈥檚 schools. 鈥淚f I had my way about it, they鈥檇 send the check and I鈥檇 say, 鈥極h, no, you can have it. I don鈥檛 want your money. Your money comes with too many rotten obligations. We don鈥檛 want it.鈥欌��

Last school year, North Carolina received more than , which went predominantly to low-income schools, students with disabilities, career and technical education, and health programs like nutrition, mental health care and substance abuse support. 

鈥淭hat’s scary in the world of the people who legally are bound to provide that. We don’t know where the resources would come from,鈥� Greene added. 鈥淨uite honestly, we need more than we’re getting, I think like a lot of states that are predominantly rural.鈥� 

Legacies of 鈥榟ateful rhetoric鈥� 

Following in Trump鈥檚 footsteps, Robinson originally appealed to voters with a compelling personal story. He grew up a poor child in Greensboro, had faced multiple bankruptcies, and was a furniture-maker-turned lieutenant-governor in his first political bid after brief virality for a speech . 

Despite threats to preserving quality education for poor students, those with disabilities and LGBTQ youth, North Carolina students interviewed by 麻豆精品 are eager to vote and share optimism for the future.

鈥淲ith all of this really extremist speech, I get to see firsthand how students my age are two things: either unmotivated to vote or talk about politics at all, or they’re really motivated because they’re frustrated and angry,鈥� said Tai Stephan, 18, a first year student at the University of North Carolina and child of educators. 鈥淭hey’re educating themselves, they’re voting, they’re talking about things and to anyone that’s unmotivated.鈥� 

Voting for the first time, Stephan said he is supporting candidates promoting equality and safety. His campus is one of several universities acting , including ending 59 staff positions. People 鈥渟o beyond angry鈥� are acting to change the policy they believe to be unjust, hosting teach-ins, speeches and considering lawsuits, risking possible disciplinary action. 

鈥淭hey’re so frustrated that it goes beyond their educational prestige. It’s really scary to see a lot of groups at risk for losing the oasis they have in within schools鈥� It shows that a lot of minority students are being attacked via legislation and where our country is moving if we don’t get out and vote.鈥�   

For Evan Keith, 18 and a senior at Forest Hills High School in the southern, central North Carolina town of Marshville, it鈥檚 been difficult to see his peers feel discouraged by politics, with many thinking 鈥渆ven if we vote for a certain person, not a lot will change.鈥�

At a time when educators and students are also fueling charges to curb the prevalence of school shootings, a Stein governorship feels like a safer choice.

鈥淚 hope that our governor, whoever it is, will really push to make safety a top priority, and mental health, as [they] really do affect everything: grades, performances on tests, and job confidence with our employers,鈥� said Keith, also a first time voter this November. 

While it remains to be seen how Hurricane Helene recovery, early voting has yielded a. 

Education advocates are urging voters to to 鈥渄o their homework and find the person that’s gonna help kids the most,鈥� said Greene. 鈥淎nd if they don’t know, talk to somebody who works in education, because usually we’re happy to tell you.鈥�

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