NC LEADERS REACT TO
TRUMP BID TO ELIMINATE
DEPT. OF EDUCATION
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Last week, President Trump made it official, and signed an executive order authorizing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, threatening 26 million students nationally.
Here in North Carolina, as elsewhere, reaction was split according to which side of the partisan divide North Carolina elected officials were on.
Maurice “Mo” Green, Democratic state superintendent of Public Instruction, issued a statement on X saying, “Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education raises significant concerns for our state’s schools, as federal funding represents nearly 11% of our education budget and supports over 14,000 public school positions.These funds are critical for all of our students, particularly our most vulnerable such as those with disabilities and from low-income families.”
Democrats on North Carolina’s congressional delegation also joined in condemning Trump’s move.
“I fully support any legislation and challenges to this EO, and I will do everything in my power to challenge the GOP and hold this Administration accountable,” vowed Fourth District Democrat Rep. Valerie Foushee, who added that Trump’s executive order was “ unconstitutional and heartless.”
Her Democratic colleague, Rep. Deborah Ross, joined the opposition chorus to call Trump’s action “Illegal and plainly wrong.”
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workplace Safety and a former teacher of 40 years, was perhaps the most profound of the Democrat representatives in expressing her opposition to the Republican president’s executive order.
“Executive orders are not laws and only Congress has the ability to abolish a federal department,” said Congresswoman Adams. “President Trump’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education is blatantly unconstitutional and is yet another effort to sidestep the authority of Congress. This will be challenged in court and, make no mistake, we will win. The Department of Education was established through an act of Congress and only an act of Congress can abolish it."
Rep. Adams continued, ‘“It is cruel just for the sake of it and targets our most vulnerable children. Students with disabilities rely on the ED for special programming and funding. Hungry kids use ED funds for free school lunches, oftentimes their only reliable meal throughout the day. Low-income students use their schooling to build a better life for themselves.”
“I have always been a champion for education and I invite my Republican colleagues to be the same,” Rep. Adams concluded. “Let’s put partisanship aside, work together, and stand against this unconstitutional action so we can stand for our children’s futures.”
Per North Carolina, according to numbers from Rep. Adams’ office, Trump’s order to shutter the U.S. Dept. of Education means the state would lose 10.9% of its funding for public schools, which means the salaries of 14,000 NC public school educators and staff would be put at risk, especially since in North Carolina, public schools are the largest employer in 44 NC counties, and a top five employer in all 100 counties.
In addition, school systems with students who have disabilities or students on the free lunch program, will also be at risk.
Still, members of North Carolina’s Republican congressional delegation expressed support for Pres. Trump’s executive order.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-5) actually attended the signing of Trump’s executive order, posting on X, “Love to see it.” Her Republican colleague, Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC-8), a pastor, added, “ Today is a great day to dismantle the Department of Education!”
-30-
NC STATE SELECTS ITS
FIRST BLACK CHANCELLOR
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
When it come to NC State University, Kevin Howell has always been part of the pack.
And now, Chancellor Howell is officially the Wolfpack leader.
Howell, NC State University’s first African-American student body president, was appointed last week by the UNC Board of Governors as the school’s first Black chancellor.
Howell is the 15th chancellor in the school’s 138-year history. He succeeds the outgoing Randy Woodson, who retiring after 15 years of service.
He takes office on May 5th, and his salary will be $600,000.
UNC President Peter Hans announced Kevin Howell’s selection, saluting his long record of service to NC State and the UNC System, calling him a “born leader.”
“His deep relationships across the state have helped drive investment and growth. I am confident that he will strengthen NC State’s role as a frontier research university, keeping North Carolina competitive in the most important fields of our future,” Hans said.
A native of Shelby, NC, Kevin Howell distinguished himself early, earning his bachelor’s degree in political science from NC State in 1988, serving as student body president during his senior year.
Howell then earned his law degree from UNC- Chapel, later serving as a legal clerk with the N.C. Court of Appeals.
He also served as legislative liaison for two North Carolina governors, and also director of governmental affairs for the NC Bar Association.
Howell returned to his alma mater in 2006, serving as assistant to the chancellor for external affairs, partnerships and economic development from 2023.
Currently, Howell is chief of external affairs for the UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine, where he leads “…the development and implementation of strategies shaping public policy and legislation for a health care system with 19 hospitals, more than 900 clinics, 3,000 physicians and more than 40,000 employees.”
“Kevin Howell is a leader with incredible connection- and relationship-building skills,” said Ed Weisiger, a member of the chancellor search committee and chair of the NC State Board of Trustees. “He is a trusted partner to those he leads and to those with whom he interacts and works. In short, Kevin simply makes organizations better and healthier by working in them. He is a great product from NC State who has shown his worth across time and in roles of ever-increasing responsibility. We are so pleased to have him return to NC State.”
One of the major challenges Howell will have to deal with is the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to federal aid in the aftermath of the impending closure of the U.S. Dept. of Education.
N.C. State is a research institution, so federal aid and federal funding of research projects are vitally important. The White House claims that that funding will not be disrupted.
Those who know Kevin Howell personally, say that he is absolutely the right choice to lead NC State University now, and into the future.
After Howell’s election was officially announced, Rev. Carl Kenny of Durham wrote on social media about his longtime friend, “Let me tell you what I know about Kevin Howell, the newly appointed Chancellor at NC State University. He's one of the kindest, even tempered and open-minded people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. It is for those reasons and others I selected him to be the best man during my wedding in 1999. I've witnessed him maneuver through difficult and complex situations when we both served as counselors in the former Office of Minority Affairs at Duke University.
If anyone is capable of navigating through this difficult political season, it is Kevin. He has the personality and class necessary to be heard without centering the need to control the moment. Anyone who thinks Kevin is a pawn to be used during this polarized season fails to fully understand the character of this amazing man.”
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment