NC Superintendent of Public Instruction (Democratic Ballot Only)
NOTE: You may vote for one. Candidates are presented below in the order they appear on your ballot.
Reason for my Endorsement: All three candidates in this primary race are inspiring and would serve our state well. Green gets the nod for his experience, his uplifting background and perspective, and because he has a proven, statewide record as a champion of our public schools.
This is Eddings’ first run for public office. She graduated from Pembroke Senior High, in Pembroke, North Carolina before earning an Associate’s Degree in Police Science from Robeson Community College. She then joined the Air Force and served during Desert Storm. Later Eddings received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and a Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Eddings’ teaching career began in 2004 in Robeson County Public Schools. She served as a social studies teacher and an assistant principal. However, she found that she missed the classroom and became an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) elective teacher with Lee County High School. Currently, she is teaching Personal Finance at Lee Early College.
In 2019, Eddings was named Lee County Schools Teacher of the Year, which led to her being chosen as the 2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Central Region Teacher of the Year. She was also selected as the 2019 Lee County NAACP Educator of the Year.
Eddings was named North Carolina’s North Central Region’s 2018 Teacher of the Year and gave the credit to her students: “It’s not my story. It’s my students’ stories, and that’s what I want to share.” She again received the same honor in 2019. The North Central Region consists of Lee, Harnett, Chatham, Orange and several other counties. She was one of just eight finalists for the statewide honor in 2019.
Eddings announced her candidacy back last June, posting a video with family members and saying that teachers have been a part of her family going back 100 years.
Eddings’ Facebook is very active with a candidate reaching out across the state. Her platform dicusses in detail her focus on Teacher recruitment and retention, competitive pay for teachers, school safety, and mental health support.
Maurice (Mo) Green
This is Mo Green’s first run for public office.
Green served as the 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. He 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.
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.”
Upon his retirement as director of ZSR, the foundation donated $425,000 to public schools in recognition of Mo Green’s vision for education in NC.
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 has been endorsed by former Democratic governors Jim Hunt and Bev Perdue and by former Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson as well as by numerous members of Congress, former school superintendents, and by the NC Association of Educators, NC AFL-CIO, the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, the Peoples Alliance PAC, and the NC Sierra Club.
Kenon Crumble
https://www.facebook.com/kenon.crumble
Crumble is a first-time candidate for public office and man who truly brought himself up by his bootstraps. I have high hopes for him and his future.
On his Linked In page, Crumble lists his educational background at Long Island University, with an M.A. in Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services. He said when he ran for school board in Johnston County that he was the proud product of “the projects” in New York City and moved South after he married his wife to be nearer her family.
His Linked In page also lists his work as an assistant principal for the Wake County Public Schools in Cary at the Panther Creek High School.
Crumble worked as a counselor at the Polk Correctional Institution in Butner in Granville County and ran in 2020 in Johnston County for school board. SENAC, the state employees’ Association endorsed him in that year’s primary, but Crumble came in 12th out of 16 total candidates.
Crumble says he is running for state superintendent because “my mission is to advocate for innovative educational practices that not only meet but exceed the needs of every student. I pledge to prioritize equity, ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to high-quality education. By embracing technology, fostering community partnerships, and nurturing a culture of continuous learning and excellence, I aim to empower educators and students alike. Together, we will shape a future for the betterment of NC.”
Crumble is proud to be endorsed by the Panther Creek Students in Cary, NC.