North Carolina Public Schools Going without Basics: Educators' Stories Highlight Needs in K-12 Education

RALEIGH, N.C., June 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Halifax County high school English teacher Cassandra Mall had to rely on book donations from friends and family and spend money out of her own pocket to provide $2,000 worth of required reading materials for her students. Budget cuts from the General Assembly meant less money for necessary instructional materials. She also didn't have enough textbooks for her students; once again, budget cuts from the General Assembly meant there was no money to replace damaged, unusable textbooks.

This NCAE member attended the Fund Schools First rally at the NCAE Center on May 15 to make an urgent plea to legislators that North Carolina's K-12 public schools need their support.

"Please don't cut our budgets," she said at the rally. "We need the money so that we can have something to teach our students. We need these materials. We need the teachers."

"Mall's situation clearly shows how budget cuts are really hurting our students" said NCAE President Sheri Strickland. "Members of the General Assembly who support college sports with scholarship money for out-of-state athletes over books needed for academic success in high school should feel embarrassed. These are simply not the right priorities. Is her urgent message falling on deaf ears?"

"Cassandra Mall's story is the second in a series of  "Fund Schools First" stories that show how budget cuts hurt students. NCAE will release stories of educators during the month of June to highlight the needs of K-12 public schools in North Carolina. Stories will be added to the list regularly during the week.

NCAE is the state's largest education association, representing nearly 60,000 active, retired and student members in North Carolina.

SOURCE North Carolina Association of Educators