In November, North Carolina will elect new state legislators, new national representatives and a new governor — on top of helping choose the next president.
These elections will determine the trajectory of public education both in this state and across the country. As voters in a swing state, North Carolinians will play a critical role in this process. UNC students should make the most of this opportunity to influence education policy.
If for some reason students don’t think they are affected by education policy, perhaps this year’s tuition increases will convince them otherwise.
Whether they support Democrats or Republicans, or aren’t yet sure of their political leanings, all UNC students have a stake in the upcoming elections. If they hope to avoid future tuition increases, students should vote accordingly.
Our state legislators play a crucial, if indirect, role in these debates by appointing the members of the UNC-system Board of Governors. And as beneficiaries of North Carolina’s education spending, we should support candidates who support our school.
On a national scale, too, education has loomed large in political conversations. Last Tuesday’s State of the Union address provided good evidence of this; Obama dedicated a solid portion of his speech to the importance of education to the future of this country.
Obama also mentioned North Carolina three times in Tuesday’s address. This was no coincidence, nor was the decision to hold this year’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.
Obama’s narrow victory here in 2008 has established North Carolina as a battleground state, and efforts to target voters here will only increase as the election approaches.
UNC students should take advantage of this spotlight and make sure that education remains at the forefront of political dialogue. With so much at stake, we can’t afford to be apathetic.
