To the Editor:

The Republican Party in North Carolina has repeated, time after time, that the public schools were broken. Since they have taken over the Legislature they have tried to make this come true.

They have not succeeded. Franklin High School has been rated in the top 30 percent of high schools in the nation. This honor can    be attributed to Macon County Commissioners and the board of education. The school administration, all the teachers from kindergarten through the high school who have provided the education, and the parents, who have expected the students to get a good education, have made it happen.

In the last four years the North Carolina Legislature has cut $500 million from the education budget. They have cut teachers, teacher assistants, funds for higher education, funds for classroom supplies, textbooks and school transportation. Even worse, they have shown contempt for the schools and school employees.

This year they have given some teachers a raise. Some of the best teachers got very little or nothing. Last year, when money was available for a raise, the legislature chose to cut taxes for the millionaires and corporations.

This year, the Legislature set aside $10 million for school vouchers. Even after Judge Hobgood had declared the law unconstitutional, they went ahead and have distributed $1.1 million to private schools so far. Practically all of these schools are religious but not all are Christian. Many of the vouchers went to Islamic schools who are teaching the Koran, some in Arabic.

We will be voting for members of the Legislature on Nov. 4. We need to make sure those who supported and voted for these measures can stay home and think about their mistakes.

Clayton Ramsey

Franklin