OUR BILLS. NEW TONIGHT, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER IS ISSUING A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. THIS COMES AS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ENTERS THE FINAL WEEKS OF WORK ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET IN A SPECIAL ADDRESS RELEASED TODAY, THE GOVERNOR SAID LEGISLATION IS BEING PUSHED BY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WILL NOT ONLY IMPACT THE STATE')S PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT THE OVERALL ECONOMY AS WELL. KARA PETERS EXPLAINS WHAT THIS ALL MEANS. CARA. WELL, THIS IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE ORDER LIKE WE SAW THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. IN A VIDEO RELEASED THIS AFTERNOON, GOVERNOR COOPER CALLS OUT REPUBLICAN LEGISLATION ON THEIR PUSH FOR EXPANDING SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND THE ONGOING ISSUE OF TEACHER VACANCIES, URGING NORTH CAROLINIANS TO DO THEIR PART BY CONTACTING THEIR LEGISLATORS. IT’S CLEAR THAT THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE IS AIMING TO CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. IN A VIDEO RELEASED MONDAY, GOVERNOR COOPER POINTED OUT THE EFFORTS GOP LEADERS ARE MAKING TO EXPAND SCHOOL VOUCHER ELIGIBILITY. LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE PASSED BILL 823 TITLED CHOOSE YOUR SCHOOL, CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE. IF PASSED, ANY FAMILY, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME LEVEL, COULD RECEIVE TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. THOSE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL SAY IT WOULD GIVE FAMILIES MORE OF A SAY IN THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION. HOWEVER, THOSE AGAINST, INCLUDING COOPER, BELIEVE IT WOULD TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESULTING TO MORE INEQUALITY. WHEN KIDS LEAVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND WHILE THEY HAND OUT PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS TO MILLIONAIRES, THEY ALSO WANT TO GIVE THEM LARGE TAX BREAKS TO THIS DROPS AN ATOMIC BOMB ON PUBLIC EDUCATION BY SHRINKING THE STATE’S BUDGET BY ALMOST 20%. THE GOVERNOR ALSO TOOK TIME TO EXPRESS THE ONGOING ISSUE OF TEACHER SHORTAGES. THIS COMES AS HE PROPOSED A 18% PAY RAISE OVER TWO YEARS. WE HAVE MORE THAN 5000 TEACHER VACANCIES IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE CLASSROOMS, LEAVING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WITHOUT A QUALIFIED EDUCATOR. THE SENATE HAS GIVEN VETERAN TEACHERS A $250 RAISE, SPREAD OVER TWO YEARS, 250 BUCKS. THAT’S A SLAP IN THE FACE. WE REACHED OUT TO REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ON A RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR COOPER’S COMMENTS. A SPOKESPERSON FOR SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE PHIL BERGER SAID THIS MEANINGLESS PUBLICITY STUNTS DO NOTHING TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES. IN OUR STATE. THE HOUSE AND SENATE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER TO PUT FORWARD BUDGET PROPOSALS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS. GOVERNOR COOPER WENT ON TO SAY WITHOUT ACTION, THE STATE’S EDUCATION COULD HEAD IN THE WRONG DIRECTION IF THEY GET THEIR WAY. OUR STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL BE REPLACED BY POLITICAL HACKS WHO CAN DICTATE WHAT IS TAUGHT, PUT TOGETHER THESE IDEAS SPELL DISASTER THAT REQUIRES EMERGENCY ACTION IN HOUSE BILL 823 WOULD TRIPLE THE COST OF THE STATE’S VOUCHER PROGRAM UP TO $400 MILLION. THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO USE THIS WEEK, TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE TO FURTHER EXPLAIN THIS STATE OF EMERGENCY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION. LIVE I