School board chair: ‘Thriving public schools are good for all of us’ in NC | Opinion

In most aspects of American society today there seem to be forces trying to polarize us and tear us apart. As chairman of the Wake County Board of Education, I’ve seen this up close and personal.

I grew up in Wake County, graduated from our public schools and sent my children to them. I know firsthand that our schools provide a great education that’s widely respected around the country and helps draw thousands of new residents here each year.

This used to be almost universally agreed upon. Republicans and Democrats had different ideas about education policy or how to fund public schools, but no one ever doubted or diminished their importance. We might prioritize different reforms, but everyone recognized that strong, successful public schools in North Carolina were important for a strong, successful communities.

Today, there are a lot of threats to public education, mostly around inadequate funding, but also in public confidence. I’m not here to debate the critics, though my simple message is likely to draw challengers. My purpose is to try remind everyone of the important role our public schools play in communities across our state.

No matter what type of education makes sense for your family or friends, thriving public schools are good for all of us. And we can be positive about that without disparaging other options.

Local Democratic and Republican school board members from around the state who serve with me on the North Carolina School Boards Association can all agree that for just about any issue a healthy public school system is at the root of its success. The association has created a campaign to remind everyone of that.

Public schools create an educated, skilled workforce — with more financial literacy, job training and technical skills programs than ever before — to help create jobs and a stronger economy.

Public schools promote prosperity, with a solid education allowing students to achieve their full potential and gain access to economic mobility, making them more likely to earn better wages and salaries — and less likely to require government assistance, suffer chronic health problems or be incarcerated at taxpayer expense.

Public schools create character and good citizenship, developing students’ social skills and mutual respect, including for those different than themselves. This is essential to uniting us as a nation, helping every young American understand their rights and their responsibilities.

Let’s be clear: While promoting all of the opportunities available through public education, I also understand fully that some individual students may need an alternative educational environment that might only be available through a private or charter school option. I know many friends and neighbors who have had wonderful private school experiences.

But even if your children or neighbors don’t go to public schools, we all still need strong, effective public schools for everyone else who does go there so that we sustain a well-educated, innovative, civic-minded community.

Healthy public schools have been vital to the success of Wake County and North Carolina, and remain one of the top reasons families locate here. Everyone benefits from a strong public school system.

School board members across North Carolina want to remind you that public education does the public good. Let’s all keep in mind the important role our public schools play, and commit our continued support to them.