NC House Democrats' 'Sound Education' Bill Is Divisive And Leaves Our Children Behind

NC House Democrats

As a parent, I want what every other parent wants: for my child to be safe, to learn, and to have the best teachers in the classroom. That’s why I was alarmed after reading House Bill 420, a massive education proposal currently moving through the North Carolina legislature.

On the surface, it promises a “sound basic education for every child.” But beneath that polished title is a divisive and discriminatory plan that prioritizes racist ideology over real solutions—and ultimately, it will harm your child’s education.

The bill pours millions of taxpayer dollars into programs that hire and promote teachers based on race, not merit.

For example, it funds grants and scholarships that are only available to “educators of color”—explicitly excluding white applicants. It requires schools to report on the racial makeup of their staff and pushes aggressive recruitment of teachers based on skin color, rather than focusing on who is most qualified to teach. Our kids deserve the best teachers—period.

This bill turns classrooms into battlegrounds for identity politics and lowers the bar on what really matters: quality instruction.

Even worse, H.B. 420 empowers a new “Office of Equity Affairs” within the Department of Public Instruction to monitor schools and push racial hiring targets. This politicized office will wield broad authority over local schools, inserting state-level bureaucracy into decisions that should be focused on student outcomes.

Do we really want our children’s education controlled by government officials more concerned with demographic spreadsheets than with reading and math scores?

There is a better way. If we want to improve education in North Carolina, we should invest in programs that reward excellence in teaching, raise pay across the board, and support struggling schools—without dividing teachers and students by race. Instead of filtering candidates through racial categories, let’s focus on character, skill, and proven results in the classroom. Every child—regardless of background—deserves a great teacher who earned their spot through hard work and talent.

North Carolinians have always valued common sense and fairness. House Bill 420 betrays both.

If you believe your child’s teacher should be hired because they are the best for the job—not because they check a racial box—then now is the time to speak up. Our kids are counting on us to stand for unity, merit, and excellence in education.

This bill doesn’t do that.

We can, and must, demand better.