Bob Orr cited the constitution in one of his most passionate responses.
The former Supreme Court justice noted at today's debate that he wrote the majority opinion in the Hoke County Board of Education v. State case, which fleshed out the educational guarantees of the Leandro case.
He then noted that the state constitution puts the State Board of Education in charge of schools, something he has suggested changing. Only two elected officials sit on the board—the lieutenant governor and the state treasurer.
"If you think, as the other candidates have said, that we have a failing school system, that the dropout issue, the achievement gap issue has been neglected, then you need to ask what political leaders are accountable for that," he said.
Orr, who was sitting between Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore, put it more visually, pointing with his hands palms' up as he said the officials—"one to my left and one to my right"—have been on the board for seven years, so they bear responsibility for problems with public schools.
He earned applause from the audience, though moderator Gerald Owens then reminded Orr that the candidates were not supposed to attack each other personally in the debate.
"I'm just quoting the constitution," he said.
(For those keeping track, Orr mentioned the constitution 28 minutes and 36 seconds into the debate.)
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