Article Summary –
Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor, has received over $65,000 in campaign contributions from individuals associated with Charter One, a charter school management organization that benefited from Robinson’s votes on the state Board of Education. These donations, though not illegal, suggest that Robinson would prioritize private and charter schools over North Carolina’s underfunded public school system, which ranks 47th in per-student spending. Despite the support, many of Charter One’s schools in the state perform poorly, and Robinson’s voting record aligns with broader Republican efforts to expand charter school funding and reduce public school oversight.
Donors tied to charter schools have contributed over $65,000 to Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor who criticizes public schools and supports expanding private school vouchers.
Most contributions came from individuals linked to Charter One, a national charter school management organization benefiting from Robinson’s votes on the state Board of Education. Robinson’s wife, Yolanda Hill, is on the board of three Charter One schools.
These donations and Robinson’s votes don’t violate any campaign finance or ethics rules but suggest he might prioritize charter and private schools over North Carolina’s public school system.
Charter schools are public schools but operate independently. They have more flexibility in curriculum and performance standards, are state-funded, free, and cannot discriminate based on religion.
However, increased funding for charters decreases funding for public schools. North Carolina ranks 47th in per-student public school spending.
More than one-third of North Carolina’s counties lack charter schools, and over 30 counties have only one, limiting options for rural parents.
Throughout his public career, Robinson has favored weakening public schools, which educate over 80% of the state’s children. In his 2022 memoir, Robinson expressed a desire for increased funding for private and charter schools to potentially lead to a mass exodus from public schools.
Charter One’s Investment in Robinson
Individuals associated with Charter One, including the founder’s sons, have donated $41,700 to Robinson’s campaign, according to North Carolina Board of Elections documents. Robinson’s support for private and charter schools predates these donations.
Two out of five Charter One schools in North Carolina received D grades from the state. When attempts were made to improve the state’s charter renewal process based on a school’s academic progress, Robinson and other Republicans voted against it.
Robinson’s support aligns with the North Carolina Republican Party, which recently increased voucher spending and transferred charter school approval power from the Board of Education to the Charter Schools Review Board, composed mostly of charter-school advocates appointed by the legislature. Robinson and other Republicans also voted against reasserting oversight before dispersing any funding.
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