Mo Green is the Democratic candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Carolina.
Green has long been a champion for public education across our state. He served as superintendent of Guilford County Schools – the third largest district in North Carolina, as well as the deputy superintendent, chief operating officer, and general counsel of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Green began his career as a lawyer in private practice after doing two United States judicial clerkships. Most recently, he served as the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
In contrast to his opponent, Green wants to protect public education and see it thrive. We interviewed Green last week about the state superintendent role and what he hopes to accomplish if elected. This is an unedited interview printed in full.
What does this role do?
The State Superintendent of Public Education serves as the chief administrative officer for North Carolina’s public schools. The position guides North Carolina’s 115 public school districts and more than 2,500 public schools, including more than 200 charter schools, nine lab schools, a regional school, and the state’s three residential schools serving hard of hearing, deaf, and visually impaired students.
The State Superintendent leads public education from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, which includes more than 1.3 million students, and leads the Department of Public Instruction, which administers approximately $11 billion annually in funding, develops subjects, course content, assessments, and provides licenses to over 100,000 teachers and administrators.
The State Superintendent also advocates on behalf of public schools.
What do you hope to accomplish if elected?
My top three priorities are to: advocate for North Carolina investing fully in its public education system; advocate for substantial increases in the base pay for all public school educators – including teachers, bus drivers, social workers, and all school staff – and the Department of Public Instruction, excluding me; and, deploy targeted resources and strategies to support lower performing schools and school systems, while implementing policies and strategies that will improve the academic achievement for all students.
These are my top priorities because of current conditions. North Carolina’s schools and school systems are being woefully underfunded. In various measures, North Carolina ranks at or near the bottom among the states in funding provided for public education. A court ordered report found that billions of dollars are due to the North Carolina public school system. Those funds have not been provided. Rather, the General Assembly has appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars and will appropriate billions of dollars to an expanded taxpayer funded, private school voucher program when those funds should be going to the public school system.
Similarly, educators in North Carolina are being woefully underpaid. In various measures, North Carolina ranks near the bottom among the states in teacher compensation. The result is substantial vacancies.
Insufficient resources severely impede North Carolina’s ability to provide a sound, basic education to all of its students, even as North Carolina’s educators provide its students with a positive return of what is invested. Within this context, it will be a priority of mine to target available human and financial resources to address the performance of certain schools and school districts because each student deserves the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. Some students, based on their situations, will require more resources be provided.
Because I will always continue to listen and learn about the needs of local schools and districts and NC DPI, these priorities to improve our public education system may change.
For someone who may only be paying attention to the top of ballot races, what would you say to them about the Superintendent of Public Instruction office?
As the chief administrative officer for public schools for North Carolina, this role requires first and foremost experience. I have spent over 20 years championing public education in North Carolina throughout a professional career that has included being a school district superintendent and a school board attorney.
I served as Superintendent of Guilford County Schools, the third largest school system in the state with 70,000+ students, for more than seven years. Under my leadership, GCS raised graduation rates and academic achievement levels and was recognized as a national district of character. I also served as General Counsel and Deputy Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, one of the largest school districts in the state with 130,000+ students.
While I believe we should celebrate the good in public education, I know our public schools aren’t perfect and that improvements are necessary to be sure that all children can receive a sound basic education as is mandated by the North Carolina constitution. Notwithstanding the current state of public education, I am running because I truly believe in the transformative power of public education.
In contrast, my opponent homeschooled all of her children, never sending them to a North Carolina public school. She called North Carolina public schools “socialist centers,” “indoctrination centers,” and “cesspool[s] of evil and lies and deception.” She doesn’t think it’s the role of the school to provide before and after school care or breakfast and lunch. She has encouraged parents not to send their children to our public schools.
As previously noted, the role of NC Superintendent of Public Instruction serves as the chief administrative officer and, I contend, the chief advocacy officer for public schools in North Carolina. I think that if you want to run our system of public schools and advocate for them, you should believe in them. I bring experience with and belief in our public schools.
While no person is perfect, I do think that the position holding this position should also hold themselves to a certain standard because the role’s direct impact and influence on public school students. My opponent took her children to the attempted insurrection of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and has called for the execution of many individuals including Presidents Biden and Obama and Governor Cooper. These are but a few of the examples that call into question my opponent’s character to hold this position and be a role model for over a million public school students.
We read a piece from Border Belt recently that profiled a bunch of high school students in Robeson County who weren’t planning to vote because they didn’t see the point. What would you say to them?
Don’t ever underestimate or give away your power. Your power is in your vote. Even if not every election outcome goes the way you would like, you still have a responsibility to share your opinion in this democracy. Students especially should understand that when you all raise your voices together, you create powerful change.
(We ask every candidate this question) If you could design a pair of Crocs for yourself, what would they look like?
The crocs would be the color green (of course) with a hint of burgundy (my favorite color). I would probably want to add some designs with sport related themes made by public school students in their art classes.