NPE Action endorses Rodney D. Pierce for NC House of Representatives, District 27 – Halifax, Northampton, Warren.
The Network for Public Education Action is proud to endorse Rodney D. Pierce for NC House of Representatives, District 27 – Halifax, Northampton, Warren. Rodney knows the challenges facing his district’s public schools because a classroom teacher and a parent of current students in the Halifax, Northampton, and Warren County Schools. Rodney has been a public advocate for racial equity in classroom content and curriculum, resources, and teacher workforce. Rodney’s main goal is to provide resources for students, teachers, and administrators in accordance with the Leandro Plan.
Rodney’s positions on testing, charters, and vouchers are all in line with those of NPE Action.
Here’s what Rodney told us.
Testing: “We need less testing. Standardized testing should not be used to calculate school grades. We should be using growth more to measure the effectiveness of a school. Additionally, standardized testing is typically biased in its terminology as test creators are not diverse and students from generally poor counties and districts are punished because they don’t have the resources to receive an equitable education.”
Charters: “I’m not a general fan of charter schools as their boards are appointed and not elected, meaning there is no accountability to the public or voters. Locally, they have a bad habit of sending kids to other schools at the end of the school year so the test scores of the charter school won’t go down.”
Vouchers: “I am not in favor of public money being used for private education. If a parent wants private education, they need to pay for their child to go to private school. It reminds me of the efforts of White parents doing the same during desegregation/integration.“
Rodney’s opponent in the primary is 20-year incumbent Democrat Michael Wray. Wray voted to expand the voucher program even though four of the superintendents he represents signed a letter with 15 other superintendents from northeast North Carolina asking legislators to not expand the voucher program. Two of the school districts he represents, Roanoke Rapids Graded School District and Halifax County Schools, both adopted resolutions saying not to expand the voucher program. He voted for it anyway.
NPE Action urges North Carolina public education supporters to get out the vote for Rodney D. Pierce in the Primary on March 5th.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. Authorized and paid for by National for Public Education Action, PO Box 227. New York, NY 10156. 646-678-4477.