With just two weeks remaining before election day, the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction is still undecided.

According to the October Carolina Journal Poll (formerly Civitas Poll), Democratic nominee Mo Green continues to lead Michele Morrow, the Republican nominee for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, by 2.5 percentage points (45.7 percent to 43.2 percent).

The razor-thin margins that divide the candidates reflect a polarized electorate that is increasingly uneasy about the state of public education in North Carolina.

Last Monday evening, Morrow and Green met for one hour in a televised debate sponsored by the Public School Forum of North Carolina. The event, moderated by Leslie Winner and John Hood, was held at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines.

The debate highlighted the great differences between the two candidates and their backgrounds. Morrow is a product of public schools and has been a nurse, conservative activist, missionary, and teacher in parent-led microschools. Mo Green touts his background as a district superintendent, school board general counsel, and foundation executive as strengths he brings to the office.

Mo Green prides himself as a defender and champion of public education and believes the greatest challenges facing our public schools are funding and teacher pay. On the other side, Michele Morrow supports public education but believes schools are in drastic need of reform. Morrow believes that schools lack accountability and need to focus on academics and safety in the classroom.

It would be difficult to find two candidates more different than Green and Morrow. In the last few weeks, the two candidates have brought their differences into greater focus, and the criticism between them has gotten sharper.

So, what else can we learn about the candidates? Plenty. Last week’s debate was one of several the candidates have participated in. It was punctuated with good questions from the moderators who came from both sides of the political aisle. However, like all public debates, it was bounded by the reality of time. What follows are questions and follow-up questions I would ask both candidates. They are listed in no particular order.

  • What grade would you provide to public schools in North Carolina and why?
  • A little more than 51 percent of eighth grade students scored Level 3 (Grade Level Proficient) or above on end-of-grade reading exams. In your opinion, how would you grade these results? What is necessary to improve the scores? Who should be held accountable for current school results?
  • Do you believe public schools are accountable to the public?
  • In your opinion, what is wrong and what is right with the current school accountability model?
  • What are North Carolina public schools required to provide children? In your opinion, are they succeeding in that task?
  • In 2023, North Carolina spent $17.3 billion in state, federal, and local dollars on public schools. In your opinion, is this enough money to educate North Carolina students?
  • If you think this is not enough money, how much more is needed, and where would it come from?
  • North Carolina distributes state funding via what’s called a Resource Allocation Model, which uses approximately 70 different allotments. In your opinion, is North Carolina’s system for funding our schools efficient and effective?
  • Since 2021, North Carolina has spent about $6.2 billion of the $6.3 billion it received in federal Covid-relief funding. According to data published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, about 52 percent of funding was spent on salaries and benefits, 10 percent on purchased services, 21 percent on supplies and materials, 11 percent on capital outlay, and 5 percent on other expenses. In your estimation, was this money spent wisely? If yes, why? If not, why not?
  • Would you favor or oppose shifting how school funds are distributed from a focus on the resources and programs used to educate students to a focus on the needs of students?
  • What should be the starting salary for teachers in North Carolina? What should the average teacher salary be?
  • In your opinion, is the teacher salary schedule a net positive or negative for teachers?
  • Would you favor or oppose efforts to replace the teacher salary schedule?
  • How will you improve the quality of teachers in poor counties?
  • Do you favor efforts to provide local schools with more flexibility and responsibility regarding teacher pay?
  • In your opinion, who oversees education policy in North Carolina?
  • Is our system to govern public education in North Carolina working? If not, what would you do to fix it?
  • Do parents have the right to select the best school for their children?
  • In your opinion, what should parents do to provide a better education for their children if they believe their local schools are failing their children?
  • Since the law requires charter schools to be closed if they are not fulfilling their charters, would you favor or oppose legislation to close public schools that are failing to educate students properly?
  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “School choice is one of the fastest ways to provide educational equality for all students”?
  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Schools of choice and public schools can exist and thrive side by side”?

Follow-up questions for Mo Green:

  • What can the public schools learn from the school choice movement?
  • You say North Carolina should fully fund public schools. What does the concept of full funding mean? How much funding would constitute “full funding”? Where would the additional funds come from?
  • The General Assembly has been dominated by Republicans for almost 15 years. Republicans have far different views on education spending than Democrats and progressives. How would you persuade Republicans to boost education spending?

Follow-up questions for Michele Morrow:

  • In your opinion, what do public schools do right?
  • You’ve made repeated allegations regarding wasteful spending and burdensome bureaucracies in the public schools. Can provide specific examples?
  • The State Board of Education is largely made up of gubernatorial appointments. Over the past eight years, a Democratic governor has made those appointments, and most of the appointments hold positions which are at odds with most of the positions you hold. What is your plan for working effectively with a board that is in many ways philosophically opposed to your views on education?

Responses to these questions would further illuminate the great differences between the candidates as well as their plans for the future of public education in North Carolina. The election of state superintendent will impact the future of public education in North Carolina for the next four years. Please vote.

Early voting began last Thursday, Oct. 17. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.