Lawmakers: Hold us accountable

Nine black legislators discuss issues at ECSU

By Kristin Pitts
Staff Writer

Thursday, October 29, 2009

School dropout rates, juvenile crime and stimulus funding were among the topics state lawmakers discussed during a town hall meeting at Elizabeth City State University Thursday night.

A crowd of roughly 150 attended the forum, the first of two planned at ECSU this week by members of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. The lawmakers will host a second forum specifically for ECSU students today at 10 a.m. at the K.E. White Center.

Although each of the nine lawmakers presented information about a different topic, one underlying theme was clear — accountability.

State Rep. Angela Bryant, D-Nash, spoke about stimulus funds, and stressed the duty that each citizen has in making sure that funds are put to their proper use.

“It’s important that you are vigilant in terms of accountability for stimulus funds. Speak up, reach out to us, so we can do something about it,” Bryant said, gesturing to the row of Black Caucus members.

State Rep. Earline Parmon, D-Forsyth, also mentioned accountability when she presented the dropout rates for northeastern North Carolina.

“When I looked at these numbers, I was very disturbed — and you should be too,” Parmon said.

Parmon read aloud the dropout rates for area counties. The crowd groaned at a few of the particularly high percentages, many hovering around 5 percent.

“These are the kinds of issues that you have to hold us accountable for,” Parmon said.

Although Currituck and Camden counties have been praised recently for high graduation rates, several other area counties haven’t kept up. Parmon told the crowd that losing even just one student was unacceptable, and that North Carolina needs to raise its graduation rate expectations.

State Sen. Ed Jones, D-Halifax, spoke about justice and public safety, but echoed Parmon’s concerns about graduation rates following his overview of prison budget cuts and incarceration rates.

“Education is one of our ways out,” Jones, who represents Chowan and Perquimans counties, said. “If our dropout rates continue, (incarcerated) populations will rise, and where will we be?”

House member Annie Mobley, D-Hertford, expanded upon Jones’ speech with a presentation on juvenile crime. Mobley aired her concerns about the state’s ability and tendency either to charge children with crimes or try teenagers as adults.

“What are we doing to our children?” Mobley asked. “We’ve got to make a change.”

Mobley, who represents Perquimans and Gates counties, called on the audience to stand up for children and make sure that children are treated fairly.

“I urge you to make a commitment to learn more about what is happening,” Mobley said.

Following lawmakers’ speeches, locals asked questions on topics ranging from high electric rates to the need for funding for the educational component of the local airpark, to the history of under-representation of people of color in University of North Carolina teaching scholarships.

Questions were fielded by a number of the caucus members, many of whom passed along phone numbers and information for ways to get problems addressed.

For members of the audience like Freda McBride, the event was a chance to get to know the legislators and better understand the area’s political climate.

“It gave me an opportunity to know more of them, more about them, and about what is going on politically and economically in this area,” McBride said.

Also attending Thursday’s town hall were state Reps. Alma Adams, D-Guilford, Jean-Farmer Butterfield, D-Wilson, Larry D. Hall, D-Durham, and Sandra Spaulding Hughes, D-New Hanover, and state Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene.