4/11/26 Save Our Schools in NC
2026 NC Public Education Advocacy Day in Raleigh….We’re Done Waiting!
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 , 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM ET, Edenton Street United Methodist Church, 228 W Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27603
On day one of the North Carolina General Assembly’s short session (4/21/26), we’re joining a large coalition of public-school advocacy groups to tell our legislators that we are done waiting! We are done waiting for them to pass a budget. We are done waiting for them to comply with the Constitution of the State of North Carolina. We are done waiting for them to fully fund our public schools and honor the Leandrodecision. We are done waiting for them to do right by our teachers, our school support staff, and our children! In this midterm election year, we can’t wait any longer. They must act or we will remember in November! Sign up here!
BACKGROUND:
- Earlier in April, four activist Republican judges on the N.C. Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to public education. The Court issued a final ruling in the Leandroschool funding case that turned its back on our constitutional duty to ensure every child in North Carolina receives a sound basic public education. After over 30 years of litigation, the majority dismissed the case, ending any possibility of relief for the plaintiffs, who include students and families from rural counties. (To read the opinion, go HERE; see p. 116 for Justice Earls’ dissent and p. 209 for Justice Riggs’ dissent)
- The North Carolina Constitution is clear: every child is entitled to a sound, basic public education. Today, the Court abandoned that responsibility.
- In 2022, the prior N.C. Supreme Court majority upheld the lower court’s order requiring the state to take steps to meet that obligation. The decision was based on decades of legal precedent affirming the court’s role in ensuring constitutional compliance. The recent ruling reversed that decision and ended the case.
- With this ruling, the conservative Republican majority on the N.C. Supreme Court has allowed the state to abandon North Carolina’s commitment to our children’s future.
- Today, over 7,000 classrooms in our public schools lack an appropriately licensed teacher, and our state is next to last in per-pupil spending. Our state Constitution demands more.
- Now, it is up to the N.C. legislature to take action to provide the school funding needed to ensure every child can get the sound, basic public education that the N.C. constitution demands. Join us at the State Capitol in Raleigh on Tuesday April 21 to help make that happen!!!
- Your visits to state legislators in Raleigh can make a difference — join us!!!
In solidarity,
-Susan & Miriam
| 2/19/26. Important Call to Action! |
| There are two key issues pending in the US Senate RIGHT NOW — DHS funding, and the “SAVE Act” — both passed by the US House recently. Your calls to our two US Senators from NC can make a difference!!! Call your US Senators Thom Tillis, US Senator (202) 224-6342And Ted Budd, US Senator (202) 224-3154 and tell them to vote NO on any DHS Funding bill unless it includes the reasonable restrictions on ICE demanded by the Democratic leadership (see below) , andVote NO on the “SAVE Act”, a voter suppression bill (S. 1383 – see below). DHS Funding Background: ICE limits demanded by Democrats to end the partial shutdown of DHS (the federal agency that includes ICE and CBP):Targeted enforcement DHS officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant. End indiscriminate arrests and improve warrant procedures and standards. Require verification that a person is not a US citizen before holding them in immigration detention.No masks Prohibit ICE and immigration enforcement agents from wearing masks and other face coverings.Require ID Require DHS officers conducting immigration enforcement to display their agency, unique ID number and last name. Require them to verbalize their ID number and last name if asked.Protect sensitive locations Prohibit funds from being used to conduct enforcement near sensitive locations, including medical facilities, schools, childcare facilities, churches, polling places, courts, etc.Stop racial profiling Prohibit DHS officers from conducting stops, questioning and searches based on an individual’s presence at certain locations, their job, their spoken language and accent, or their race or ethnicity.Uphold use-of-force standards Place into law a reasonable use-of-force policy, expand training and require certification of officers. In the case of an incident, the officer must be removed from the field until an investigation is concluded.Ensure state and local coordination and oversight Preserve the ability of state and local jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute potential crimes and use-of-excessive-force incidents. Require that evidence is preserved and shared with jurisdictions. Require the consent of states and localities to conduct large-scale operations outside of targeted immigration enforcement.Build safeguards into the system Make clear that all buildings where people are detained must abide by the same basic detention standards that require immediate access to a person’s attorney to prevent citizen arrests or detention. Allow states to sue the DHS for violations of all requirements. Prohibit limitations on member visits to ICE facilities regardless of how those facilities are funded.Body cameras for accountability, not tracking Require use of body-worn cameras when interacting with the public and mandate requirements for the storage and access of footage. Prohibit tracking, creating or maintaining databases of individuals participating in first amendment activities.No paramilitary police Regulate and standardize the type of uniforms and equipment DHS officers employ during enforcement operations to bring them in line with civil enforcement. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/democrats-ice-reforms-funding-bill “SAVE Act” Background: It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in US elections, and there has never been evidence of any substantial violations of that law. Nevertheless, the House voted 218 – 213 (with all Republicans and one Democrat voting for it) to pass the SAVE America Act (S. 1383) — a voter suppression bill — on 2/11/26. The bill would:Eliminate online voter registration, requiring in-person registration;Require proof of citizenship (a passport or a birth certificate) to register (a drivers license wouldn’t count);Require voters to provide very specific forms of photo identification at the polls (more restrictive than current NC requirements);Hold volunteer election workers criminally liable if they make mistakes;Mandate that your personal information be submitted to Trump’s Department of Homeland Security database. Currently, more than 21 million Americans lack ready access to a passport or a birth certificate. This may create additional barriers to registering to vote for anyone who has legally changed their name, such as the majority of married women and many trans people. https://nwlc.org/press-release/house-passes-save-act-2-0-to-suppress-millions-of-eligible-voters/ Your calls to your two senators can make a difference — call today!!! In solidarity, -Susan & Miriam |
Jan 10, 2026. THEY WON’T DO THEIR JOB UNLESS YOU DO YOURS
Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. There is a job requirement. Right now, Greg Murphy, Thom Tillis, and Ted Budd are failing to represent all of their constituents. They are choosing the Administration over the People. They are choosing silence over action. It is time for them to do their job. But first, you must do yours. As a citizen, your job is to hold the line. Your job is to demand that your elected federal representatives:
- DO THEIR JOB by investigating the shooting of Renee Nicole Good and demanding justice.
- DO THEIR JOB by reining in ICE and defending the Constitution for everyone, without exception.
- DO THEIR JOB by breaking with the Trump Administration to stop any further illegal military action in Venezuela or any other foreign country.
The GOP margins have never been thinner and the stakes have never been higher. They won’t find their backbone unless they hear your voice. YOUR JOB AS A CITIZEN. CALL NOW. Make sure they know exactly what you expect. Tell them their employment depends on their performance. DO YOUR JOB SO THEY WILL DO THEIRS! When you call, be polite, say your name and town, and be firm in your request. Your voice is your power!!!
| Legislator | Title | D.C. Phone Number |
| Greg Murphy | Representative | (202) 225-3415 |
| Thom Tillis | Senator | (202) 224-6342 |
| Ted Budd | Senator | (202) 224-3154 |