Politics lends itself to stereotypes such as the one that claims Republicans favor the rich but ignore the poor and powerless in society. Some critics point to statistics demonstrating that a small minority of very wealthy Americans control most of the nation’s assets. In North Carolina, the Republican-led state legislature is proving this stereotype to be true with a bitter dose of reality impacting the educational system. Two examples stand out: the defunding of the North Carolina Governor’s School, and the elimination of the University of North Carolina – Greensboro’s “I-School” program.
Elimination of the Governor’s School
The Governor’s School was, since its inception under Governor Terry Sanford in 1963, a model for the rest of the nation. Writing for the Southern Pines Pilot (July 8, 2011), Kamaira Philips – an alumna of the program, states that, “It’s the best, most eye-opening, most life-changing experience that a high school student can have.” Two North Carolina institutions hosted the program: Salem College in Winston Salem and Meredith College in Raleigh.
The program accepted students from across the state, nominated by school officials, administrators, and teachers; there was no tuition for the six-week summer program. When not in classes, participants were exposed to top-notch lecturers, film series, group discussions, and local outings. The program is residential. As such, students are held to a code of conduct but are given many freedoms typically associated with a university experience.
Unless the program can raise nearly two million dollars, it will be forced to cease operations beyond 2011. Some legislators suggested a tuition based program costing each participant approximately $2200 for the summer session. Any tuition-based program, however, would eliminate students from lower socio-economic households, turning the program into an elitist experience only available to the “rich kids.”
By defunding the Governor’s School, the Republicans in the state legislature have proven their critics are correct: not only does the quality of education in the state suffer, but, most notably, financially disadvantaged students have one less opportunity for upper-level learning.
Defunding UNC-Greensboro’s I-School High School Program
Another casualty of the education cuts was the I-School program, part of the University of North Carolina’s overall continuing education (Greensboro). I School, referring to internet classes, began as Fast Forward and brought core university classes to high school campuses through face-to-face classes. As the number of qualified adjunct instructors dwindled, the program switched exclusively to internet courses after the 2008 school year.
Innovative programs allowed students to gain college credits, transferable to most colleges and universities. Grant money, supported by Governor Mike Easley at that time, made it possible for high school students in remote county school systems to take upper level courses. Many of these high schools could not afford teachers to instruct such classes or offer such programs as the Advanced Placement.
Although based in Greensboro, I-School served students in both the eastern and western part of the state. This involved as many as 300 schools and over 15,000 students. Students successfully completing courses with at least a “C” final grade could transfer the course credits, thereby decreasing their overall tuition costs when enrolling in college programs. Many of these students represented households in lower income brackets. Defunding I-School effectively eliminates yet another program highly beneficial to less wealthy students.
Impact of the Loss of Millions for the UNC System
Overall, the University of North Carolina system lost $414 million (Raleigh News & Observer, July 8, 2011). What few readers may realize, however, is that this loss will also impact the contracts of tenured professors. Tenure is often viewed as a university safety-net. It represents job security after many years of arduous work. A clause in many tenure agreements, however, states that professors can be terminated if the programs they teach in are eliminated.
Because the UNC system is eliminating hundreds of programs, PhD’s from Ivy League universities will find themselves on the unemployment line, unless they can find other employment in other states during these times of uncertainty. All of this means fewer opportunities for students, larger class sizes, and the demise of a state system that was, a few years ago, considered one of the best in the nation.
The University of North Carolina is one of the oldest educational institutions in the nation. President James K. Polk graduated from UNC in 1818 with top honors. In one short-sighted moment, the Republican-led NC legislature set back the clock and it may take decades for the system to eventually recover. The quality of a state’s educational institutions impacts the ability to attract business. In December 2010, President Obama said as much when he visited Forsyth Tech Community College in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Proving the Stereotype Associated with Pro-Business Republicans
Although high school teachers and college professors will emerge out of the budget cuts as big losers, the real losers are those students deprived of programs specifically designed to give a diverse teen population opportunities that might otherwise not exist. These losses will not be felt by students from higher income homes or those attending tuition-based private schools. Education cuts in North Carolina support the stereotype of a GOP interested more in business and less for the poor and powerless.
This writer has nominated high school students in past years for participation in the Governor's School and has taught Fast Forward/I School classes as a UNC-Greensboro adjunct.
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