Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) condemned the General Assembly's decision to override Governor Josh Stein's veto of Senate Bill 277.
"Today, the North Carolina General Assembly, once again, chose politics over students," said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE President.
"By overriding Governor Stein's veto of Senate Bill 277, legislators voted to strip public schools of the values that make them so valuable for every child, in every community. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion aren't political talking points; they are the foundation of schools that are safe, welcoming, and strong for every child that steps through the schoolhouse door.
Public schools in North Carolina have the constitutional mandate to educate every child, regardless of race, gender, income, or background. But this vote sends a message to thousands of North Carolina students and educators: some of you don't belong here. That message is wrong. And NCAE will not accept it.
Our public schools are not political battlegrounds. They are community institutions built to serve every family. When the legislature moves to erase the values that make schools inclusive, they aren't protecting students — they're harming them.
Public schools are for everyone. That is not negotiable."
