Durham -— U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) called for a new education jobs fund at an event today with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Governor Bev Perdue at Southern High School in Durham.
The education jobs fund would provide emergency funding to states to retain vital teacher positions for school districts statewide.
“Education is the key to the future for North Carolina’s children and our economy,” said Etheridge. “Each of us who has had any success in life has benefited from the care and guidance of a talented educator, and an education jobs fund will ensure that we keep these professionals on the job.”
Etheridge’s proposal comes as districts across the state struggle to maintain educational services, keep classes small, and save teacher jobs. The state faces a budget shortfall due to the 2008 collapse of the financial markets on Wall Street and the economic downturn that followed. Last year, the House of Representatives passed the Jobs for Main Street Act, which included a provision for a $23 billion Education Jobs Fund. The bill must be finalized and sent to the President to be signed into law.
North Carolina may lose more than 10,000 teaching jobs in the coming school year due to cuts and budget shortfalls. The loss of these professionals would mean increased class sizes and diminished learning opportunities. Many schools may face partial closure or be unable to stay open for a full school year. Etheridge used today’s event to call on every Member of Congress — Republicans and Democrats — to support the Jobs bill and funds to support education.
“In the current economic downturn, we cannot afford to turn our backs on the future,” said Etheridge. “An education jobs fund is desperately needed in our state to make sure our schools can continue to provide a high-quality education to our children and prepare them for a bright future.”