Appeal to State Leaders to Take Action: “You Are Working for Our Students”

Editor’s note: Leah Carper served on the NC State Board of Education in her role as the 2022 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. This is an edited version of her remarks near the end of her term on the board.

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Eric Davis, president of the North Carolina State Board of Education, recently told someone who was scheduled to speak before the board, “Tell us what we need to hear, not what you think we want to hear.”

This is what I want you to hear.

Thank you State Board. I have met teachers of the year from all over the country who would like to have the opportunity to serve on their board of education. You turn being teacher of the year or principal of the year into a position, not just a title. You give us a voice, but not only that, you give us a microphone, you turn it on, you give us time and you appreciate us when we raise our hand.

To the Department of Public Instruction, Two years ago I had no idea what you were doing in that pink building. I have no idea. I have no idea. But now I really do. DPI is full of passionate, experienced professionals who work tirelessly on behalf of our students and our teachers. I hope that teachers hear me when I say that we want to partner with you, we want to work with you, we want to love you, and we will provide the support and resources so that all of our students and teachers can succeed.

North Carolina, you need to hear that there are over 90,000 teachers in our state who are looking to this board, to this department, and to our legislature to be partners in the great work that is shaping the future of our state. That future is built on this education system. They are looking to you, and we know that you are here to help teachers. You also need to hear that the pressure is on the shoulders of teachers because they are the ones doing this great work. They are trained professionals who are experts in their fields and deserve to be respected, supported, and compensated for the hard work that we do.

Statistically, I shouldn’t be here. I really shouldn’t be. Years ago, I was a student in a public school classroom in North Carolina. I came to school with an empty stomach most days, dirty clothes, no pencils. Never a pencil. I came to school sometimes carrying with me regret, sadness, and fear. When I came to school, there were teachers and administrators and even staff who showed me love, showed me kindness, showed me grace, and saw my potential. They saw more than just a dirty little girl with a broken home. They saw a girl who could do great things, and they helped me do great things.

Statistically, I shouldn’t be here, but I’m really glad I was, you know? I’m grateful, and a lot of that has to do with our public school teachers. They’re the experts. They did their job. And is it any wonder I wanted to be one of them?

You need to hear that my story is not unique.

This is the story of many of our students sitting in public classrooms in North Carolina full of potential, full of promise, from diverse backgrounds, who need excellent teachers who can reach out to them and help them realize their potential. You never know what that potential can create. They could be sitting in this room one day advising you.

Finally, you need to hear this.

As we enter a time of great uncertainty and great change, there are a few certainties. The biggest thing that is certain is that in August 2024, 1.3 million public school students will grace us with their presence and will be sitting in classrooms across North Carolina.

They need us to show up. They need us to take action for them because we know that at the end of the day it’s our actions that matter, not our words. What we do for them will change their lives.

These 1.3 million students—students like me—are counting on us, on the Department of Public Education, on our legislature to do the things that will help them. You have to remember, and you have to hear, that this is who you work for. You work for our students, every single one of our students, no matter where they come from, what they believe, what they look like. This is who we work for, and if we hear that important thing that you need to hear, that you work for students, if we hear that over and over again, and if we remember that in everything that we do, that we are doing this work for these students, we will do a really good job.