Robinson, Morrow say they would turn down federal education dollars
NEWS. THIS IS WRAL.
>> THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US.
HERE AT 5.30, I'M DAN HAGGERTY
IN NEW TONIGHT AND ONLY ON
WRAL, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR MARK ROBINSON SAYS
THE STATE SHOULD STOP ACCEPTING
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR EDUCATION.
WRAL OBTAINED VIDEO OVER MARKS
THAT HE MADE AT A PRIVATE
EVENT. CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF
LAURA LESLIE LOOKED INTO HOW
THAT WOULD WORK AND WHAT IT
MIGHT COST.
YOU RARELY HEAR A POLITICIAN
SAY THEY DON'T WANT MONEY, BUT
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW SOME
CONSERVATIVES VIEW FEDERAL
FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS.
>> THEY VIEW IT AS HAVING ANY A
LOGICAL STRINGS ATTACHED LIKE
RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF
TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. FOR
EXAMPLE, AND SOME SAY STATES
SHOULD REJECT THAT MONEY.
ALL RIGHT NOW SAYS SHOWS THAT
WOULD LEAVE A BIG HOLE IN NORTH
CAROLINA'S BUDGET AT A PRIVATE
EVENT IN JULY. REPUBLICAN
GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE MARK
ROBINSON SAID HE PREFERRED TO
SEE THE STATE OPT OUT OF
FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDS VIA
MY. WHAT ABOUT I JUST SAY THEY
SEND A CHECK AND A BALANCE OF
>> YOU WANT TO COME TO ME WHILE
IN TEXAS. WE DON'T WANT THERE'S
AN AWFULLY COLD. THERE SHOULD
BE NO FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. THAT'S A POPULAR
IDEA. AMONG SOME CONSERVATIVES,
INCLUDING REPUBLICAN STATE
SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATE
MICHELE MORROW. PEOPLE NEED
TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, ALONG WITH EVERY
DOLLAR THAT THEY GIVE US THERE
IS AN EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE
GOING TO PUSH AN AGENDA THAT
COMES FROM THEM TOMORROW.
AND ROBINSON BOTH SAY THE STATE
COULD GO IT ALONE. WE NEED TO
CUT THEIR MONEY. ALL THAT WAS A
BOARDWALK IS THE RESPONSE OF
WHAT I THINK SHOULD ALSO.
>> TO CUT WASTE AND CUT THE
BUREAUCRACY SO WE CAN DO WE
NEED TO DO WITHOUT THEIR HELP.
LAST SCHOOL YEAR, FEDERAL FUNDS
MADE UP ABOUT 11% OF NORTH
CAROLINA'S EDUCATION BUDGET.
688 MILLION DOLLARS SUPPORTED
LOWER INCOME SCHOOLS AND
STUDENTS. 564 MILLION PAY FOR
SCHOOL MEALS AND OTHER
PROGRAMS.
>> 380 MILLION WENT TO SPECIAL
EDUCATION AND 43 MILLION FUNDED
VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION. THAT ADDS UP TO
NEARLY 1.7 BILLION DOLLARS A
LOT MORE THAN THE STATE BUDGET
SURPLUS THIS YEAR. OTHER STATES
HAVE LOOKED AT TURNING DOWN
FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDS, TOO,
INCLUDING UTAH, OKLAHOMA AND
TENNESSEE. BUT SO FAR, NONE
HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH IT.
TENNESSEE LEADERS SAID IT WOULD
BE TOO EXPENSIVE AND WOULD KEEP
THEM FROM MAKING OTHER
INVESTMENTS. WE ASKED ROBINSON
AND MORROW IF THE STATE WERE TO
REJECT THOSE FUNDS WHERE THEY
WOULD FIND THE MONEY TO COVER
IT.
>> NEITHER ANSWERED OUR
QUESTION. LAURA LESLIE, WRAL,
NEWS, RALEIGH, THANK YOU,
LAURA. AND SHE ALSO ASKED
ROBINSON'S AND MORROW'S
DEMOCRATIC RIVALS IF THEY WOULD
CONTINUE TO ACCEPT FEDERAL
FUNDS FOR EDUCATION.
>> JOSH STEIN AND MOE GREENE
BOTH SAID YES, ABSOLUTELY.