N.C. Rep. Deb Butler of Wilmington received an email yesterday from a teacher in her legislative district, "describing the ongoing struggle to pay bills, provide for her daughter and feed herself on a teacher’s salary."
Butler posted on her Twitter feed, "I am heartsick and furious! A NC teacher wrote me the most poignant and painful email. She struggles to raise her daughter on her teacher pay. After all is paid, she has virtually nothing for food and gas. Teachers going hungry in NC?"
"Within hours," Butler said later, the communications director for the legislative majority sent her a formal request under the North Carolina Public Records Law for the teacher's communication to the state representative.
Rather than respond privately to the request, Butler publicized the exchange.
She wrote, "What? #ncgop believes my tweet below is fictional and within hours issued a records request to my assistant to see the email I received from the teacher. Well stand by fellas, I have permission to publish it publicly."
She followed that by posting the teacher's communication to her in a series of photographs.
"So there you go records request. #NCteachersgoinghungry #timetonegotiate #teachersaresuffering #idontlie #ncpol #ncdp #iwillnotyield," she concluded.
WECT-TV, a local television news station in Wilmington, picked up the exchange and aired a report on last night's broadcast, posting its report online under the headline, "NC lawmaker produces poignant email from single mother, teacher after GOP rep questions its legitimacy".
The challenge to the legitimacy of the teacher's outreach for aid and counsel offended Butler, she explained to WECT-TV reporter Kendall McGee.
“I was so upset to learn of this teacher’s predicament and then to have the Republican Party communications officer make a records request because he believes I fabricated the story? Well, unlike him, I would never misrepresent the challenges of our teachers. I know they are struggling and it’s time for the Republicans to negotiate a reasonable pay increase for teachers instead of cutting corporate taxes for the seventh time. Anyone who reads her email and isn’t moved, should be ashamed of themselves.” Butler told WECT. “The fact that any teacher in NC is going hungry should upset and despair each and every one of us.”
Especially because it occurred during American Education Week -- an opportunity to recognize and honor the contributions of public school educators across North Carolina and America -- the exchange is noteworthy.
This morning, Butler added this coda: "A NC teacher goes hungry and the GOP reaction is to react with doubt by making a records request of me. That speaks volumes. I will do my best to help this teacher of course, but sadly, #shesnottheonlyone #ncpol #ncdp #notgonnayield"
If you know public school educators or education support personnel who have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, encourage them to tell their stories to their state representative or Senator. Legislators who seek to improve the quality of life for public school employees will appreciate being equipped with as many stories as possible, as such details strengthen their case in debate on pending legislation and budgets.
Contact information, including email addresses, of legislators who represent Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in the General Assembly is found below.
The Honorable Kelly M. Alexander, Jr.
House District 107
Kelly.Alexander@ncleg.net
The Honorable John Autry
House District 100
John.Autry@ncleg.net
The Honorable Chaz Beasley
House District 92
Chaz.Beasley@ncleg.net
The Honorable Mary Belk
House District 88
Mary.Belk@ncleg.net
The Honorable Becky Carney
House District 102
Becky.Carney@ncleg.net
The Honorable Christy Clark
House District 98
Christy.Clark@ncleg.net
The Honorable Carla D. Cunningham
House District 106
Carla.Cunningham@ncleg.net
The Honorable Wesley Harris, PhD
House District 105
Wesley.Harris@ncleg.net
The Honorable Rachel Hunt
House District 103
Rachel.Hunt@ncleg.net
The Honorable Brandon Lofton
House District 104
Brandon.Lofton@ncleg.net
The Honorable Carolyn G. Logan
House District 101
Carolyn.Logan@ncleg.net
The Honorable Nasif Majeed
House District 99
Nasif.Majeed@ncleg.net
The Honorable Rob Bryan
Senate District 39
Rob.Bryan@ncleg.net
The Honorable Jeff Jackson
Senate District 37
Jeff.Jackson@ncleg.net
The Honorable Natasha R. Marcus
Senate District 41
Natasha.Marcus@ncleg.net
The Honorable Mujtaba A. Mohammed
Senate District 38
Mujtaba.Mohammed@ncleg.net
The Honorable Joyce Waddell
Senate District 40
Joyce.Waddell@ncleg.net
Rep. Deb Butler can be reached at Deb.Butler@ncleg.net.
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