Nominee's Background:
James B. (Jim) Hunt (May 16, 1937 - ) was a four-term Democratic governor of North Carolina (1977-1985, and again from 1993-2001). Hunt created the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In 1964, Hunt received a J.D from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Nominating Speech:
Governor Jim Hunt has dedicated his historic fourth term as Governor to improving the lives of North Carolina's children, and is committed to ensuring that every child gets a quality public education.
Governor Hunt believes a good education is the foundation of North Carolina's success, and that all North Carolinians -- educators, business and community leaders, policymakers and parents -- must rededicate themselves to meeting that challenge and responsibility.
As Governor from 1977 through 1985, Governor Hunt led North Carolina's education reform efforts. He set up the primary reading program, reduced class size, created dropout prevention programs and established the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. As Lieutenant Governor from 1973 through 1977, he successfully pushed to make kindergarten available to every North Carolina child.
Governor Hunt is currently serving as the Founding Chair of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to ensuring educational opportunity, affordability, and quality in American higher education. The Center provides action-oriented analyses of state and federal policies affecting education beyond high school.
Governor Hunt's dedication and commitment to improving education has been recognized on the national level. The Governor has been awarded the prestigious James B. Conant Award, honoring him as the public leader in America contributing most significantly to public educational progress. He has also been named a National Education Association Friend of Education, past recipients of which include Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, and Bill Clinton. In addition, he has received the Horace Mann League's "Friends of Public Education Award" for his strong commitment to public schools and his significant contributions to improving public education on a national level.
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Progressive Criteria:
The Education Department will
Support true academic standards and reject punitive standardized testing that deprives schools of funding solely because of low test scores;
Support not penalize school districts that need extra help because they have many poor, minority or immigrant students;
Work to restore public education as an effective vehicle for social mobility, as it has been for so much of our country's history;
Open up many routes to higher education;
Improve teacher pay, dignity and respect;
Reject voucher systems and other privatization schemes;
Protect our students from commercial influences and marketing in their schools;
Understand that in addition to training for good jobs, the public education system must educate responsible, engaged citizens.
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