NC Gov. Roy Cooper under fire for sending kid to private school after ‘state of emergency’ stunt on school choice

Gov. Roy Cooper is taking heat after declaring a ‘state of emergency’ to prevent passage of a school choice bill, despite his own daughter attending a private school.

Cooper, a Democrat, took…

Gov. Roy Cooper is taking heat after declaring a ‘state of emergency’ to prevent passage of a school choice bill, despite his own daughter attending a private school.

Cooper, a Democrat, took to the airwaves in a recorded message to declare a “state of emergency” in education in North Carolina over fears that a Republican super-majority will override a veto of a school choice bill.

“BREAKING: North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declares a STATE OF EMERGENCY to fight against school choice. This hypocrite sent his own kid to a private school,” tweeted Corey DeAngelis, school choice advocate and senior fellow at the American Federation for Children. “We’re freeing families from the clutches of the teachers unions once and for all & there’s nothing he can do about it.”

Cooper sent at least one of his three daughters to Saint Mary’s School, a private school in Raleigh, according to local reporter A.P. Dillon.

Tuition at the Episcopal school ranges between $32,550 and $62,850 for a full room and board  student, said the school’s website.  

Cooper is under pressure on multiple fronts after a defection from the Democrat ranks over school choice gave the GOP a super-majority in the state, making a veto override on school choice likely.  

“On issues like school choice, like charters, we have to evolve,” state Rep. Tricia Cotham, who recently joined the GOP, said, according to the New York Post. “One-size-fits-all in education is wrong for children … [Democrats] didn’t really want to talk about children. They had talking points from adults and adult organizations.” 

Other education policy experts also criticized Cooper over his alleged hypocrisy. 

“Why doesn’t Roy Cooper want your child to have the same quality, private education his kid had?” asked Jason Williams, executive director of the North Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition. “If he believed so much in public education, why did he spend thousands for his own kid to avoid it?” 

But William’s told Fox News that he agreed with one thing the governor said.  

“We do have a state of emergency with our public school system. The problem with Gov. Cooper’s state of emergency is the focus is on the wrong thing,” he said. “The true emergency is the leftist attempts to indoctrinate our children and the failure to adequately educate them.” 

Statewide school report cards show failing grades for schools have multiplied in North Carolina. 

“In 2018-19, 488 schools were deemed as low-performing. In 2021-22, that number increased to 864 or a 77 percent increase,” reported the North State Journal. “Additionally, 23 percent of schools received A and B grades and 42 percent of the schools received D and F grades.”  

By contrast, low performing charter schools decreased over the same period, going from 38 low performing schools to 35. 

Libertarians also took issue with Cooper’s declaration, asking Twitter users to help provide “context” for Cooper’s false claims that the GOP is “planning to choke the life out of public education” by passing school choice legislation.  

“You can vote on the pending Community Note on hypocrite Governor Roy Cooper’s tweet here: https://twitter.com/i/birdwatch/t/1660722341930778624,” said the Libertarian national Twitter account.