Attention:  NC Senator Kevin Corbin, NC Representative Mike Clampitt, US Representative Chuck Edwards, US Senator Tom Tillis, US Senator Ted Budd

We, the undersigned citizens of Transylvania County, oppose the recent executive orders, policies and budgetary choices of the current national administration and the North Carolina legislature that have undermined our public education system promoting private schools at the expense of public education.  

With the goal of eliminating the  US Department of Education, the current House budget calls for direct cuts of $12 billion in federal aid to schools. In addition, there is reduced funding for Head Start, childcare grants, school-based meals, students with disabilities, special education, SNAP (food stamps) and other programs for the nation’s most vulnerable children. These reductions are intended to help offset a minimum of $4  trillion in tax cuts heavily tilted toward the wealthiest Americans.  

North Carolina’s current legislative leadership has joined over 32 other states in adopting voucher plans that divert taxpayer dollars to private schools.  The budget for North Carolina’s voucher system for private schools has increased from $14 million in 2013 to $463.5 million in 2024 with future commitments that will cost billions, inevitably weakening financial support for our public school system, particularly in more rural counties like Transylvania where there are few private school alternatives.

North Carolina’s ranking for teacher salaries has fallen from 19th to 43rd over the last twenty years and, adjusted for inflation, there has been a 13 percent decline in teacher pay since 2010 alone. 

As citizens and voters in Transylvania County, we call upon our elected representatives to oppose these destructive measures and  restore North Carolina to the position that it once held as the “Education State.”