NCAE News

NCAE's Political Arm Makes Recommendation to Members

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 25 PRNewswire-USNewswire — After reviewing gubernatorial candidates' responses to a 23-item questionnaire, after evaluating their responses in an hour-long interview, and after examining their past public records, the NCAE Government Relations Commission (GRC) voted today to recommend to the membership of the Association the endorsement of Bev Perdue for Governor of North Carolina.

The GRC is composed of 26 members of the Association representing all geographical areas of the state and all constituent groups of the Association, including teachers, Educational Support Personnel, administrators, and retired educators.

NCAE invited potential 2008 gubernatorial candidates to participate in the questionnaire process and the oral interview. On Saturday, the GRC interviewed the following candidates for Governor: State Treasurer Richard Moore (D), Justice Bob Orr (R), Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue (D), and Senator Fred Smith (R). Mr. Bill Graham's (R) schedule could not accommodate the NCAE interview schedule.

Ballots will be distributed to all 70,000 members of the NCAE. The NCAE- PAC Guidelines require that 60% of those voting must concur with GRC's recommendation before the Association has an endorsed candidate.

Ballots will be sent to our members for their concurrence vote. The local presidents will forward results to the Government Relations Department at NCAE or bring them to a special Ratification Assembly at the Association headquarters in Raleigh on Saturday, September 29. After the results of the canvassing process are finalized, President Davis will announce the results to the membership and media.

NCAE-GRC is recommending Bev Perdue to the membership for the following reasons:

— The long working partnership the Association has had with Bev Perdue during her tenure in the North Carolina House, the North Carolina Senate, and as Lieutenant Governor. — Bev Perdue's instrumental leadership in the General Assembly with the Excellent Schools Act of 1996 which launched the drive to move North Carolina teachers salaries to the national average, the Site-Based Decision Making legislation of the early 1990's, the creation of the Teacher Academy, North Carolina's support for National Board Certification, and other issues. — Bev Perdue's commitment to a professional salary schedule for teachers. — Bev Perdue's commitment to improve working conditions for school employees and learning conditions for students. — Bev Perdue's support of the Association's Teacher Cadet program as a mechanism for increasing the pool of potential teachers.

"I am very proud of the fair and open interaction the Government Relations Commission had with all candidates that appeared before it today. After careful deliberation and thoughtful discussion, the GRC overwhelmingly voted to recommend Bev Perdue to our membership."

SOURCE North Carolina Association of Educators

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