NC Superintendent of Public Instruction 2024
NOTE: You may vote for one. Candidates are presented below in the order they appear on your ballot.
Reason for my Endorsement: Green is solid for public schools. Morrow shouldn’t be let anywhere near them.
Maurice (Mo) Green (Democrat)
https://www.facebook.com/MoGreenforNC/
Green began his career as a lawyer in private practice after doing two United States judicial clerkships. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree, both from Duke University.
Green trails behind him a distinguished career in education: Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation from 2016-2023. Prior to ZSR, Green served more than seven years as superintendent of Guilford County Schools. Before that, he joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in 2001 as general counsel. In 2006, he was named chief operating officer and later moved into the role of deputy superintendent.
Green has vast experience in North Carolina public education. He is known for his listening and learning tours, titled “Mo Wants To Know.” He says “effective leaders do a lot of listening.” As for his platform and future vision, Green says in his campaign announcement:
“There is much to celebrate about public education in North Carolina and its transformative power. However, it is long past time for our state to truly fulfill its promise to each of its students – that no matter who you are, you will receive high-quality educational opportunities that will prepare you to be successful. We can make that happen if we invest fully in public education, ensure safe and secure learning environments for our students, enhance parent and community support, and revere our educators.”
Green is also a strong supporter of public schools and says funding for North Carolina’s public schools has not kept pace with the growing costs of a growing state: “According to the Education Law Center’s Making the Grade Report 2023, North Carolina’s per-pupil expenditure…ranked 48th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, $5,000 less per pupil than the national average…. This puts us at a regional and national disadvantage. Data shows that investing more resources in public education…makes a major difference in how well students learn.”
When Green transitioned from his role as superintendent of Guilford County Schools to ZSR, Guilford County community members established a scholarship fund through local nonprofit in recognition of his work. About the establishment of the scholarship, Green said, “During my time as superintendent, I encountered many families who couldn’t envision an educational future for their kids beyond high school simply because of cost. An all-encompassing approach to supporting students, from tutoring to last-dollar tuition scholarships, helps students and families see that anything is possible.”
Michele Morrow (Republican)
https://www.morrow4nc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MicheleMorrowNChttps:/
Morrow describes herself on her website as a “lifelong Christian conservative.” She’s a home-schooler and a nurse and has never had any experience at any level of public education. Morrow believes public education is “socialist” and has called teachers “groomers” and believes that Satan is on the march in the form of LGBTQ and muslims .”
Morrow believes that children in special education “can’t compete with able bodied students” and should “just focus on learning life skills.” She has referred to people with intellectual disabilities as “retarded.” She believes that public schools need to be run on “Biblical principles” and advocates for the Bible to be taught in public schools. She does not believe your children have a right to a fully funded public education.
On March 6th, the day after the March 5th Republican primary that incumbent Superintendent Catherine Truitt lost to Morrow, the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce put out an astounding official statement warning that the primary win by Michele Morrow was a threat to the state’s “business climate.”
You can’t get much more notorious as a Trumpist election denier and extremist than Michele Morrow. She uses a pleasant, conventional-seeming demeanor to hide some of the most far-out views, including her enthusiasm for Trump’s invoking of the Sedition Act to preserve his power.
In a video recorded the evening of January 6, 2021, after she attended the violent assault on the Capitol, Morrow posted her opinion that Trump should and could invoke the Insurrection Act and use the military to stay in power. Apparently, after she decided to run for office, she deleted that video, but public school teacher and blogger Justin Parmenter unearthed it and put it back up on line.
In an interview with WRAL, Morrow bizarrely defended her call to suspend the Constitution so one man could maintain power as a benefit to Democrats, because they were now — according to her, all because of the outrageousness of her comments — taking an interest in what the Constitution says. What?