Today the North Carolina State Supreme Court dismissed the long-running Leandro litigation without providing any relief for students who are being denied their right to a sound basic public education. Governor Stein released the following statement:
“Education opens doors of opportunity for children, but today the Court slammed them in the face of students who deserve the right to a sound basic public education. The Supreme Court simply ignored its own established precedent, enabling the General Assembly to continue to deprive another generation of North Carolina students of the education promised by our Constitution. In recent years, the General Assembly has dropped North Carolina to 49th in the country in per-pupil investment and made our teachers among the worst paid in the nation. Four Supreme Court justices believe that is okay, but they are wrong. Their decision is contrary to the plain language of our Constitution and the court’s past rulings.
“Today’s news doesn’t change our state’s fundamental responsibility to its students. That’s why I continue to advocate for a real pay raise for every teacher, more support personnel in our schools, free school breakfast for all students, and proven investments in student outcomes like the Science of Reading and Advanced Teaching Roles. Our children are our future, and it’s long past time we invest in them.”