Dallas Woodhouse of Americans For Prosperity North Carolina issued the following statement about the escalating controversy in Lee County:

 

North Carolina State Director of Americans for Prosperity Dallas Woodhouse and Lee County chapter leader Lloyd Jennings today called for the immediate firing of Lee County School Superintendent Jeffrey Moss after he instructed the 3rd grade class of Representative Mike Stone’s daughter to write letters to Mr. Stone in opposition of the recently passed no tax increase state budget.

As first reported by WRAL and the Carolina Journal:

Freshman Republican lawmaker Mike Stone says his daughter was “used against” him when a public school teacher instructed her and her classmates to contact elected officials in opposition to budget cuts.

The result: a hand-written note imploring Stone to “put the budget (sic) higher dad” so that her school wouldn’t have to forgo field trips, be unprepared for end-of-grade tests, and lay off teachers.

Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolina Director of Americans for Prosperity, said, “A school system should not be run by an authoritarian and arrogant administrator that has clearly shown that using teachers and students as pawns is an acceptable practice. It is the responsibility of the Lee County School Board to make sure that this conduct ends now. The board should request Moss’ resignation, and if it is not forthcoming, he should be terminated for cause.”

“Superintendent Moss’ record prior to coming to Lee County clearly showed that he was more skilled in extracting money from taxpayers than providing a quality education for students. In fact, when he failed to obtain the funding that he wanted, he and the Beaufort County School Board sued taxpayers. It is time that he is told to find another line of work, and it is the duty of the school board to tell him to do so immediately,” said Lloyd Jennings, Chairman, Lee County AFP.

Jennings further added:
“Instead of concentrating on educating students in Lee County, school superintendent Jeffrey Moss is forcing teachers and students to become lobbyists. During the last several weeks teachers have been instructing students to send e-mails and letters to state and local government officials, urging them to increase school funding. This is happening while parents are learning that a higher failure rate in the end-of-grade tests has resulted in a record number of students being retested.”