Gov. Perdue pledges support, but no money

ROANOKE RAPIDS — North Carolina’s Gov. Bev Perdue stopped by William R. Davie School to show her support for Halifax County Schools Monday.

School officials were conducting master training sessions with members of the Department of Public Instruction, when Perdue arrived. She brought a message of hope and encouragement, and promised the state would do all it can to support the district.

Perdue told school board members, administrators and teachers, “I will do as much as you ask me and the state of North Carolina will do as much as it can legally and fiscally.” She encouraged district leaders to continue on to excellence. “I’ll be part of it with you,” she said, adding, “I believe we can help make it happen for you as long as the possibilities of accomplishment are high.”

Perdue wouldn’t commit when it came to funding increases for the schools, however. She was asked if it was possible new or additional funds might be funneled into the district to compensate for the additional $1.9 million for the state’s transformation plan, handed down in March from the DPI and Judge Howard Manning.

Perdue said the entire state could look forward to tough times, but she was sure we’d all get through it and she was confident great strides could and would be made in Halifax County and the state. “This is going to be a hard time, she said, “We need to continue to move forward.”

Perdue did say she wished additional funds could be provided for the Halifax County School System separate from other districts, but made no suggestion the state had plans to that end.

Perdue said recent comments reported in the media about the quality of education in Halifax County were not aimed at the district but at labels that have recently been placed on the district by Judge Howard Manning. She said having a label like “educational genocide” was going to be a difficult to overcome. “My perception has never been one of unease, but I was deeply troubled at Judge Manning and how he sees the system.”

When asked if she thought the North Carolina Constitution should be changed to give the governor more direct power over education, Perdue said, “I’m trying to work with what the court said …  I’m not going to spend time trying to change the constitution. I’m going to spend my time working on education.”

Perdue said her recent rejection of the legislature’s revenue package was due to last minute changes that weren’t discussed with her and she wasn’t satisfied with its funding to education. She suggested legislators make cuts without jeopardizing services, then said, “At the end of the day we have to take care of the classrooms.