SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Incumbent Republican Robin Moffitt is running for relection against Democrat William “Bill” Flythe for the District 3 seat for the Brunswick County Board of Education.
Port City Daily has sent a questionnaire to every candidate appearing on ballots in the tri-county region, even those unopposed, ahead of the Nov. 8, 2022 election.
PCD asked candidates to address issues regarding learning loss due to Covid-19, SROs, teacher pay and more.
Moffitt’s stances on issues are discussed below. All answers are included in full and the candidate’s opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily. Responses are edited only for grammar, spelling and clarity.
The paywall is dropped on candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions ahead of Election Day.
To prepare, here are a few dates for readers to keep in mind:
- Absentee ballots will be available Sept. 9 and have a Nov. 1 deadline.
- Registration to vote will open until Oct. 14; afterward, according to the state board of elections, same-day registration only will be available during one-stop early voting.
- Early voting begins Oct. 20 and remains open through Nov. 5 (3:30 p.m.).
- Election Day polls open Nov. 8, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Locations to vote early in Brunswick County include the government center (25 Referendum Dr., Bolivia), Leland Cultural Arts Center (1212 Magnolia Village Way), Brunswick Center at Southport (1513 N. Howe St., #1), Brunswick Center at Shallotte (3620 Express Dr.), and Southwest Brunswick Branch Library (9400 Ocean Hwy W.).
Once early voting closes, voters will need to go to the location listed on their voter registration card.
To see a sample ballot for the upcoming election, fill in voter registration info here.
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Port City Daily (PCD): What are your top three concerns within the district and how do you plan to address them?
Robin Moffitt (RM): 1) Covid learning losses: providing a continued focus on high academic standards with a focus on basicsteachers need support in being in the classroom and having time to plan and collaborate with colleagues.
2) Teacher retention: As a county we have increased our teacher supplement and we are looking for ways to increase morale.
3) Pushing back against the indoctrination agenda that is pointed at our kids: Parents should have a voice in their child’s education. Parenting needs to be left to parents, and there is no reason many of the topics that are being presented to school children across America should have a place in the classroom. We have worked hard in Brunswick County to keep our children safe and protected from ideologies that are outside the realm of academics.
PCD: How should the district address two years of learning loss due to COVID-19?
RM: There should be a continued focus on high academic standards. Assessments need to be made for each child to find where they are, and create ways to catch them up through tutoring, peer tutoring, and partnerships with parents.
PCD: There are over 24 SROs across each Brunswick County school. Is this effective for school safety? Why or why not? Should there be more measures implemented?
RM: I have full confidence in our SROs and I am grateful that they have a strong presence in our schools. Each of them work hard to form relationships with the kids. I believe it is critical that they are in our schools each day. Our county has many safety measures in place with extra SRO’s on campus during special events, and we now have a clear bag policy for sporting events. Many of the safety measures we have in place are not made public because we don’t give our strategic plan to those who could be possible threats.
PCD: Do you think schools are adequately staffed? Why or why not? Do you think teachers and staff are adequately paid? Why or why not?
RM: Staffing schools has been an issue since Covid hit. We have had problems with staffing areas such as Math, special education, and CTE classes. We have introduced incentives in these short staffed areas in order to fill positions. Teacher pay has always been an issue. Teacher pay is set by the state, but we do all we can to increase supplements each year so that we are competitive in Brunswick County.
PCD: In what ways do you think the district is handling Brunswick County’s growth well — and what could it be doing better?
RM: We are the fastest growing county in NC, and we are ranked in the top 10 fastest growing counties in the nation. With all of the folks that have moved here and want to move to our area, it is difficult to keep up with the growth and development. As a board, we are continually discussing growth and planning for future expansion and addressing the needs of our county.
PCD: The school board has faced many calls to offer more parental oversight of curriculum and/or consider banning certain books in schools. How do you promote a relationship of trust between educators and parents and ensure both parties’ roles are respected?
RM: Inappropriate books have no place in the classroom.I encourage all parents to be involved in the education of their children. Parents should ask questions about the school day, they should be involved in homework and look at what their child is doing in class. Parents and teachers can partner together to form good relationships and support students so they can be successful in their academic endeavors.
Inappropriate material should not be in the classroom under any circumstances. I believe parents have a heightened awareness of what is going on in education. However, We need to understand that what may be happening in another county is not necessarily happening or being promoted in Brunswick County.
PCD: What is one action you’ve taken as a board member you would do differently and why?
RM: I can’t say what I would do differently. My focus has been to do what is best for the students, because they will always comes first. I have a proven record in advocating for students. With Covid behind us, I want the focus to be on preparing our students for the journey beyond graduation. We must prepare them for trades, college or the workforce. Whatever path is best for the student, is the path we need to guide them towards so they can be successful.
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