From EdNC: “Known statewide as a champion of public education,” Maurice O. “Mo” Green, age 56, is the Democratic nominee for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“There is much to celebrate about public education in North Carolina and its transformative power. However, it is long past time for our state to truly fulfill its promise to each of its students – that no matter who you are, you will receive high-quality educational opportunities that will prepare you to be successful,” Mo Green said at his campaign announcement. “We can make that happen if we invest fully in public education, ensure safe and secure learning environments for our students, enhance parent and community support, and revere our educators.”

Green has said, “I have always revered educators.” And in this editorial interview with The Charlotte Observer in 2016, he said, “There is a strong and growing devaluation of educators. People aren’t looking to see how many wonderful things go on every day in our educational system.”

Green has been a lawyer, a district superintendent, and a philanthropist.

He believes in the power of public-private partnerships.

He believes in the power of working across lines of difference, serving for years on the steering committee of Duke’s North Carolina Leadership Forum, which provides an opportunity for civic, business, and political leaders to discuss and understand different points of view about issues central to the future of our state.

He is known locally in Guilford County and statewide for his listening and learning tours, titled “Mo Wants To Know.” He has said, “effective leaders do a lot of listening.”

Mo Green was the first Black superintendent of the unified Guilford County Schools (GCS). He served as superintendent for seven years from 2008 until 2015.

GCS is the third largest school district in North Carolina, and when he was leading it, Green was responsible for more than 72,000 students, 127 schools, approximately 10,000 employees, and a budget of more than $600 million.

Guilford County Schools said under Green’s leadership:

• High school graduation rates increased from 79.7% in 2008 to 89.3% in 2015;

• Gaps in the high school graduation rates between student subgroups decreased;

• GCS students improved their performance on the ACT college entrance exams;

• GCS students earned more industry-standard certifications;

• GCS students tackled more challenging academics, for instance completing college-level classes; and

• GCS students contributed more than one million hours of service and $21 million in economic impact to the community, earning district, state, and national recognition as a District of Character in 2013 and District of Distinction Honoree in 2014. Of all of the accomplishments in his career, Green has said he is most proud of these awards.

When Green resigned from GCS, he was hired to be the executive director of the progressive Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR). He served there from 2016 until 2023.

Green talks about the need to better understand our history, building public will for public education, and the importance of equity in improving student outcomes.

“There are many success stories in our public school systems in North Carolina, and we should never forget the fact that we got folk who are doing amazing work everyday to educate our kids,” he said.

“OK, now what can we do better?” he then asked.

Green talks about the foundation’s support of the West Ed research and Leandro litigation and the need for more resources statewide. He said not all students have access to the same opportunities, and he said we need strategies to get our best educators in the places that need them the most. And he said we need to raise expectations in school buildings, in school districts, and in communities across North Carolina.

What is the question he reflects on each night? He said in the interview it is: “Have I done enough today to improve the life of North Carolinians?”

(Click here to read full article from Ed NC)

From EdNC article: Morrow worked in Texas as a nurse, Mexico as missionary, and Colorado at a Christian camp before moving back to North Carolina nine years ago.

Morrow has five kids whom she homeschools.

Morrow points to ivoterguide.com, noting her conservative ranking on that site. The ivoterguide.com website says it is “rooted in God” and allows voters to “find out which candidates on your ballot really stand for your biblical values.”

Morrow’s only political experience prior to running for state superintendent was a run in district nine for a seat on the school board in Wake County in 2022 which she lost.

The following are excerpts from reporting by WRAL based on candidate comments in forums during that election:

“Morrow, a mother of five homeschooled children, has also called public schools ‘socialism centers’ and ‘indoctrination centers’ and urged people not to send their children to them.” 

“[S]he said, ‘I think the whole plan of the education system from day one has actually been to kind of control the thinking of our young people.'”

“Morrow said she believes teachers should be allowed to carry concealed guns in classrooms.”

“Morrow believes special education children, particularly at the youngest grade levels, should be taught certain subjects, such as math and reading, separately from their peers. She also said ‘gifted and talented’ students should be taught separately.”

“Morrow was among a handful of people who last year filed police reports against the school board because some books in school libraries included sexual content. Prosecutors declined to pursue charges.”

“Morrow attended the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot with her oldest children and said she was there to teach her children a lesson about citizens’ role in a democracy.”

Here is the full article by WRAL.

According to her campaign website, Morrow says on her “Why Michele” page that she “exposed and defeated CRT in schools.” She says she “opposes CRT and porn in schools.” Critical race theory is an academic framework that argues that racism is systemic and embedded within the country’s institutions.

She says she led the statewide petition and lobbied for the Parent’s Bill of Rights.

She says she “supports school officers over social workers to fight crime.”

CNN broke a news article about social media posts between 2019-21 by Michele Morrow on her personal Twitter account that sanctioned violence including death by firing squad of leaders of our country.

Click here to read full EdNC article