Governor Easley appointed Eulada P. Watt of Charlotte and Kevin D. Howell of Raleigh to serve on the State Board of Education. Watt is the wife of U.S. Rep Mel Watt and Howell is a former “legislative liaison” to Governors Easley and Hunt. Both are currently employed by the university system.
One wonders if Watt and Howell will bring fresh ideas to the State Board of Education. Howell is closely tied to Governors Easley and Hunt, so it is unlikely that he will diverge from their educational agendas. Like his recent appointment of J.B. Buxton as Deputy Superintendent of the NC Department of Public Instruction, Easley appointed an insider to a prominent position in the state’s education hierarchy.
