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McCrory's emphasis on enhancing vocational education rings true with me; I can't help but think that a lot of kids who feel a substantial degree of disconnect with an educational system that overvalues the four-year degree path would feel more engaged with a "hands-on" approach. Maybe charter schools would be the best way to accomodate this real need (unless the public school systems can decide to act more as innovators and less as monopolies to meet this real need).With the ever-growing opportunities to earn whatever degree one may want later in life, there don't seem to be any dead-ends any more.

Anyone who thinks this has no clue whatsoever of what a HS in GC offers these days. There is a wealth of vocational electives to take.

That "wealth" is largely limited to computer-based and allied health courses; most trade-based courses (other than a few token offerings) are limited to Weaver and Smith.

"most trade-based courses"

Just what do you want then?

Electricity/electronics; plumbing/HVAC; construction (on a higher level than the residential carpentry classes a few schools offer); automotive; horticulture/alternative energy.....

There could also be cosmotology (hair) classes,nail technician, welding, brick laying, etc. I also agree that there are not enough of these options for our kids.

Are you just saying that or do you know "for a fact" that some of these options do not exist1

As a teacher with more than a dozen years of classroom experience, I see education as the number one factor in choosing a governor. Right now I am torn between Perdue & McCrory. I like Bev because she has actually been a teacher herself. However, she only taught 4 years and that was over 30 years ago! I can tell you that teaching in the early 70's bears no resemblance to what I do now. She taught before Special Ed. legislation was even in place (PL 94-142 @ 1975) and didn't have to deal with all the behavioral issues, standardized testing, NCLB, etc. Back then teachers had much more authority and respect in the community.

Now let's look @ Pat McCrory. This is coming directly from his website:

As governor, I will improve North Carolina’s education system in the following ways:

* Decrease Bureaucracy

He's dead right on this one! However, until we abolish the Federal Dept. of Ed. and get rid of No Child Left Behind and all its ridiculous requirements, there's not much a governor can do. 90% of a teacher's paperwork is related to NCLB and that all comes from Washington D.C.

* Re-define a means for assessment.

(Again- see my comment above)

* Prepare students for future job markets.

Typical Republican skew. We're in a world economy and America is not doing well because of our educational system, blah, blah, blah. Economics is not related to education in a global economy. Companies are heading to countries where people work for $1/day, have no medical benefits, and no unions.

* Get Back to the Basics

Gee, isn't that what North Carolina has been doing since it initiated the ABC program in 1996 with the wonderful "edjacasion gubenor" Jim Hunt (sarcasm intended)??? Don't teach anything but math, reading, and writing in elem. schools since that's all we test!!!! Again- until we get out of this standardized testing mode, we will not focus on anything else but what's tested.

In conclusion, I might vote for Pat who did a good job running Charlotte where I used to live. You can't blame him for the shortcomings of the Charlotte-Meck School District since he had little say in its daily operation.

Yes...for a fact...the vocational options are pretty on paper...

Just try to enroll in one!

Yes...for a fact...the vocational options are pretty on paper...

Just try to enroll in one!