CARY
Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue worked to cement her differences with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory on public education in a televised gubernatorial debate Friday, with the Democrat ticking off her positions on vouchers, community college tuition and catch-phrase initiatives of the past 15 years.
"My future for North Carolina moves us forward, and I actually believe the mayor's policies on education are dangerous for North Carolina's working class families," Perdue said at the debate on the campus of software developer SAS in Wake County.
McCrory, a Republican, agreed there were differences and blamed Perdue for being part of a state government that has failed to address the dropout problem, even while she was on the State Board of Education for the past eight years.
But McCrory also tried to temper their contrasting views by saying Perdue misstated his position on some existing education programs.
Perdue accused him at last week's WRAL-TV debate of wanting to end what the mayor has called "programs that rhyme" - Smart Start, Learn and Earn and More at Four - which have received national praise for early childhood and high school innovation under Gov. Mike Easley or predecessor Jim Hunt.
"We were not at the same debate. I did not say that," quipped McCrory, contending he said the state should evaluate those programs for their usefulness and eliminate those that aren't effective. "What I have said is that the last thing we need is another governor that starts another program and the teachers go 'Oh my gosh, here's another program."'
In a question about private school vouchers, McCrory said he supports their selected use, especially for children with disabilities or special needs where private education may be more suitable. Perdue has said his plan would cost $900 million, which he denies.
"I believe in changing the status quo of our educational system," McCrory said. "But I've never recommended an across-the-board voucher system because the state's broke and couldn't afford it anyway."
Perdue responded by reading quotes and responses to voter questionnaires saying he supports vouchers for private and home school children and suggested he's more ardent about talking with them to conservative groups.
"I'd like to know what he's talking about," Perdue said.
Perdue said she remained committed to giving students two years of free community college tuition, saying it was necessary to prepare students for a globally competitive economy. The idea also would expand Easley's program that helps students in low-income families graduate from University of North Carolina system schools debt-free.
But McCrory said the program misleads the public into thinking education is free when it's paid by other taxpayers.
"We can't afford free two-year college education for every student," McCrory said. There's no strategic approach behind it and frankly I think every student in two-year college should pay something. ... Nothing's free. It costs money."
Libertarian candidate Mike Munger wasn't invited to the debate, which aired live on cable television and was to air Friday night on the University of North Carolina Television broadcast network.
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