The Promise of Leandro

As longtime supporters of educational equity, MDC is deeply concerned by the North Carolina State Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Leandro v. State of North Carolina. Running for more than 30 years, this case represented a promise. Leandro was an important recognition that school funding has a tremendous impact on student outcomes, and that, currently, it does not adequately meet the needs of every community. The case presented a pathway for children who attend school in low-wealth, rural communities in North Carolina to receive the same access to quality education as their counterparts in other areas of the state. While the court’s decision has changed the avenues available to pursue more fair and equitable funding, the disparities themselves have not changed. Where adequate funding exists, North Carolina’s public schools demonstrate what’s possible, providing the personnel, facilities, and resources for a truly world-class education. Every student deserves that same opportunity, and MDC, alongside our community and organizational partners, remains committed to making it a reality.

At MDC, that commitment is rooted in a belief in a fully funded, equitable education for all students, and in recognition that this ruling will fall hardest on those who are already most vulnerable. MDC’s project Learning for Equity: A Network for Solutions – North Carolina (LENS-NC) focuses on young people with learning differences who are also navigating inequities in racial justice and economic opportunity – a group of children whose educational prospects are now at even greater risk.

LENS-NC is an advocacy and learning network of nineteen North Carolina organizations diverse in geography, focus, and community, but all standing firmly together in their commitment to young people whose futures are most at stake in the wake of this ruling. MDC recently spoke with several of them about what that commitment looks like now. Letha Muhammad, Co-Executive Director of the Education Justice Alliance, reminded us of two key facts: The North Carolina State Constitution guarantees every student a “sound and basic education,” and the state has already agreed to the Comprehensive Remediation Plan for spending $1.7 billion to make that guarantee real. Letha reiterated that the court’s decision doesn’t erase the state’s obligations. It means it is now on all of us, rather than the courts, to hold our representatives accountable to their legal and moral obligations to our children. In an online meeting reported by NC Newsline, original Leandro plaintiff Jackie McLean put it plainly: “What we must do now is to shift our focus, perhaps from the courtroom to public advocacy.”

LENS member Susana Benites, Statewide Coordinator for Every Child NC, shared that determination. “All of our partners and coalition members have been fighting for over 30 years, and we won’t stop,” she told MDC. “We will continue to be good neighbors to each other to support individual and systems change. People are showing up in positive ways because they care about communities and kids.”

It is in that spirit of people showing up for one another that MDC and LENS members will continue to advocate for the promise that was made, and unmade, over Leandro’s 32-year history. Speaking in the same meeting as McLean, Jenice Ramirez, Co-Executive Director of the Education Justice Alliance, said, “This isn’t the end. This is a time to build a stronger movement, to build power, to put even more pressure on our state legislators, state leaders, our governor, and our state superintendent of public schools.”

We at MDC affirm Jenice’s statement: This is not the end.

Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn, Senior Program Director, Educational Equity

Jason Marshall, Program Director, Educational Equity LENS-NC

Elyse Griffin, Program Manager, Educational Equity LENS-NC

Emily Beaver, Program Manager, Educational Equity Local Impact Forsyth County

Courtney Alexander, Program Director, Educational Equity Home Based Child Care

Trina Stephens, Program Director, Education Equity Local Impact Forsyth County

Ren Bullock, Program Administrator, Educational Equity