The Republican candidates for state superintendent are clearly delineated on one major issue: whether the post should be elected or appointed. John Tedesco, a Wake County school board member, says elected. His rival, Richard Alexander, a special education teacher, says appointed.
Tedesco bashed Alexander in a YouTube video, saying he is promoting the "Perdue-Alexander agenda." (The Gov. Bev Perdue reference recalls her effort to give greater powers to the chairman of the State Board of Education, essentially nullifying the elected superintendent -- a cause she lost in the courts.)
But in hitting his rival, Tedesco also strikes Republican gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory -- who believes the superintendent should be an appointed position.
Awkward. On the campaign trail, Tedesco refers to McCrory as "my friend Pat" (without even mentioning his last name) and Tedesco's Facebook page features a prominent photo of McCrory and him.
For those interested, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walter Dalton also believes superintendent should be appointed rather than elected. Such a move would take a constitutional amendment.
Comments
I have just spent several
July 12, 2012 - 9:12pm — pcluttsI have just spent several hours on the Internet trying to figure out which of the 10 candidates for five positions in the Republican primary run-off would be “the best.” So much “information” to look at; so little information to go by.
I’m retired and have the “luxury of time,” but it got very tiresome after a while. Because most people are busy and have to deal with “information overload,” I think appointment is the better way to go.
We can all be cynical about politics, but when some of the few voters who show up cast votes with little or no knowledge of the issues or the qualifications of the candidates, that is not “democracy in action.” It’s ignorance - and maybe sometimes irrelevant biases - in action.
Sure, too many political leaders are corrupted by money, power, and cronyism, but if we assume that they all are, then we have lost our democracy, and apathy will rule. Let’s assume that an honest elected governor will get his/her appointments and other decisions right more often than not. Otherwise, replace that person next time around, and let the new leader make appointments.
On the basis of what I read, all of the candidates appeared qualified to serve in their respective offices. If, after my research efforts, one or more of those I selected (on the barest of margins) loses, it’s no big deal. The other person will likely bring something to the table too. What we want to avoid is getting an extremist, incompetent, known felon, or a person of dubious character in office.
That said, I like the perspective of a guy (Alexander) who says that the office of Superintendent of Instruction should be superfluous. He’s not looking for a long-term job; he’s looking to return education to the local level and then go back to what he did well before or move on to something else. This is no knock against John Tedesco at all. For all I know, he would do a fine job.
Have you seen these yet?
July 10, 2012 - 4:33pm — RandyRockettLet's Take Back Our Schools!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=vA9-RtDmTN0
Our Teachers and Students Deserve Better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHggae0M79w
Here's What They Are Saying About John Tedesco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4CaPyn8u0&feature=channel&list=UL
VOTE EARLY or on next July 17th people!
Election
July 8, 2012 - 7:26am — inandohThe Superintendent of Public Instruction is clearly the most political office in the state. Public school funding takes up about 99% of newspaper editorials across the state. There is more politics in NC public schools than education.
So elect the Superintendent of Public Instruction and let him or her appoint the Governor and legislature.
appointment
July 7, 2012 - 1:21pm — btushaThe issue of appointing a Supt. of Public instruction was never mentioned until Perdue tried to undermind June Atkinson. If Mr. Alexander and Pat think that is the case, they should have lobbied for it 3 years ago. Neither did, Mr. Alexander wants me to vote for him to start changing it. I do not think it is a good idea to vote for someone who does not want the job.