Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) has not been handling well the priorities of the Republican-controlled legislature. Last week, the legislature overrode his veto on a 12-week abortion ban, to which he reacted with a slew of angry tweets and media appearances. He's taken even more of an extreme stance in response to the legislature on school choice, though, and on Monday afternoon declared a state of emergency for public schools during a special address.
The governor got right to it, as he proclaimed "it’s time to declare a State of Emergency for public education in North Carolina." He even warned "it's no less important" than "a hurricane or the pandemic" despite there being no Executive order involved. Speaking of the pandemic, Cooper had kept North Carolina under a state of emergency for over 880 days because of COVID, having just ended it last August.
The GOP legislature is planning to choke the life out of public education, and you need to know what’s happening. Watch Gov. Cooper's special address on public education. pic.twitter.com/QVkXpLhDu2
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 22, 2023
Cooper's remarks were brief but extreme, as he went on to explain the move. "It’s clear that the Republican legislature is aiming to choke the life out of public education. I’m declaring this state of emergency because you need to know what’s happening," he claimed, going on to attempt to scare North Carolinians into joining his cause. "If you care about public schools in North Carolina, it’s time to take immediate action and tell them to stop the damage that will set back our schools for a generation."
His remarks involved to fearmongering talking points, such as how private schools will be "unaccountable to the public," and that public school superintendents are warning "they’ll likely have to cut schools to the bone--eliminate early college, AP and gifted courses, art, music, sports--if the legislature keeps draining funds to pay for private schools and those massive tax breaks."
Cooper also ranted against tax dollars, including how private school vouchers and tax breaks "drops an atomic bomb on public education."
Towards the conclusion of his remarks, Cooper with for an even more partisan punch with claims about "taking away funding, and using partisan politics to fool parents who care deeply about their children’s future. He also warned that Republicans are "not satisfied just to starve public education, and so they "also want to bring their political culture wars into the classrooms," segueing into a narrative that very much served to toe the party line.
"If they get their way, our State Board of Education will be replaced by political hacks who can dictate what is taught-- and not taught--in our public schools," Cooper claimed. "North Carolina schools need rigorous science, reading and math classes, not more politicians policing our children’s curriculum with book bans, elimination of science courses and more."
Cooper lamented even further as he reminds North Carolinians how "these ideas spell disaster that requires emergency action" and that "the North Carolina I know was built on support for public schools and we can’t let the legislature tear them down."
Such points in support of public schools are particularly hypocritical, given that he sent his own daughter to private school.
we now have a Democrat Governor declaring school choice a "State of Emergency."
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) May 22, 2023
they're losing control over the minds of other people's children and they can't handle it. good.
cry harder, @RoyCooperNC.
In closing, Cooper went for a desperate call for action. "I’m fighting back, and I need you to do it too. Public schools can survive this legislative session if we can limit the damage, but we all need to pull together to do it," he told North Carolinians, before promoting his website as one that "lays out the facts and shows you how you can connect with your state legislators and tell them to support public education."
"If you commit to call, write, text or visit with your legislators and work to hold them accountable, you will make a difference. Our children need us right now. Thank you so much," he said to end his remarks.
Despite the appeal Cooper has made to North Carolinians, there's been strong opposition.
"While North Carolinians have made it abundantly clear that they support a Republican agenda that focusses on allowing parents and children to choose the school that is best for their needs, Governor Cooper is insisting on using his emergency power to undermine the people he claims to represent. This is nothing but a show and abuse of emergency authority that further drives home that Democrats in North Carolina are out of touch with reality," Mason Di Palma, the deputy communications director for the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) told Townhall.
Cooper had also tweeted out an article from the Associated Press beforehand about his address and his concerns, to further promote that sense of urgency.
If you care about public schools in North Carolina, it’s time to take immediate action.https://t.co/itHRRKsdFu
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 22, 2023
The article mentioned further plans Cooper has for promoting his strong stance against school choice, in that he "will hold public events across the state in the days ahead to rally parents, educators and business leaders." The governor did the same with regards to the 12-week abortion ban, which involved embarking on a tour targeting members' districts full of misinformation, without telling them.
Whether he likes it or not, there's a veto proof majority in the state legislature, especially given how state Rep. Tricia Cotham, last month switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP.
In addressing criticism from Republicans, the AP focused on Cotham's remarks among them, as well as Cooper's desperation:
Republicans point out that public education spending would grow by several hundred million dollars a year annually in their competing plans. And GOP leaders consider expansion of the private-school vouchers program part of a philosophy to give all children access to education options — whatever the source — to help them succeed.
Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County, whose recent party switch from Democrat to Republican gave the GOP veto-proof seat majorities in both chambers, dismissed Cooper’s speech as “political theater.”
“The true emergency here is that the governor is advocating for systems rather than students themselves,” Cotham said in a statement. “Education is not one-size-fits-all, and North Carolina families should have the freedom to determine what kind of education is best for them.”
Randy Brechbiel, a spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger, shared similar criticism, noting that “meaningless publicity stunts do nothing to improve educational outcomes in our state.”
Cooper’s use of the gubernatorial bully pulpit comes as his power to confront the legislature has been weakened significantly in the weeks since Cotham switched parties. He said he would have issued the clarion call for education even if he had sizeable legislative support to uphold his veto because education is critical to the state’s fiscal health. The public school system is often the largest employer in rural counties and prepares students for the workforce.
“The general public doesn’t realize the disaster that is brewing,” he told the AP.
Further, the Republican-controlled House and Senate are already aiming to address concerns of pay raises for teachers, tax cuts, and school choice.
"The House and Senate are currently hard at work negotiating a budget that will include pay raises for teachers, tax cuts for families, and expands school choice for students. The Governor’s political stunts and misinformation are simply counterproductive," Demi Dowdy, the director of communications for North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, told Townhall in a statement.
While the governor's website blares a warning about this "state of emergency," it's worth pointing out that the state legislature has limited the governor's emergency powers with the budget, making this ultimately a fake and heavily political state of emergency.
Cooper's shameless appeal to North Carolinians is even further showcased in a video message that serves as the pinned tweet on his official account.
We can’t let the legislature tear our public schools down. pic.twitter.com/iOCPF9mEO2
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 23, 2023
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