Orr 101: Imperiled Education

kdryhurst — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:22:15 -0500

Today in Bob Orr 101: Article I, Section 15 and Article IX, Section 2 of the state Constitution, which together guarantee every student the right to a "sound basic education."

In Hoke County Board of Education v. State in 2004, the Supreme Court found that low test scores showed that the state had failed to sufficiently educate the students in several counties.

Then-justice Orr wrote the majority opinion, citing the 1997 Leandro case, which defined a sound education as sufficient knowledge of math, science, geography, history, economics and politics as well as the skills to go to college or compete for a job.

Orr wrote that the time and money spent by the state during the decade-long case could have instead gone toward more teachers, books and programs.

"Ten classes of students as of the time of this opinion will have already passed through our state's school system without benefit of relief," he wrote. "We cannot similarly imperil even one more class unnecessarily."

Previously: Orr 101: Incentives at the Country Club

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Orr 101: Imperiled Education