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As a parent during this time of uncertainty, I am most concerned about our public education system. With continued reductions in funding, it is difficult for districts, schools and teachers to provide equal, quality education for all the students of North Carolina. Even before the pandemic, North Carolina was 37th in the nation in teacher pay and 39th in overall per-pupil expenditure. This is unacceptable for the future of our state. We have seen over the last few months just how essential the education system is at providing so much more than just an education to the students in our state. Schools also provide meals, emotional support, social opportunities, a safe place for our children, and, yes, an education. If we expect to foster the growth of the next generation, we have to make education funding a priority.

This pandemic has given us a closer look at how a lack of appropriate funding in education impacts the entire state, not just the parents of school age children.

This is just one of the many reasons I will be voting for Dan Besse for N.C. House District 74. Dan wants to help ensure that N.C. has good public schools, community colleges and public universities, all of which are necessary to the growth and sustainability of North Carolina. Please join me in voting on Nov. 3.

— Emily Dockery
Winston-Salem