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October 25, 2008
Etheridge Honored by North Carolina Association of Educators Endorsement
Raleigh - The North Carolina Association of Educators announced its endorsement of Congressman Bob Etheridge for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Etheridge represents the Second Congressional District of North Carolina.
"As the first person in my family to graduate from college, I know that education is the key to the American dream. I am honored to receive this endorsement from North Carolina's educators," said Etheridge. "We can and must dedicate ourselves to the ideal that each and every child in America, regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnic background or family income, deserves the opportunity to obtain a quality education in order to live up to his or her God-given abilities."
Education has been Bob Etheridge's life's work. First elected to the Harnett County Board of Commissioners, he led the fight to consolidate the county's small and inadequate high schools and to increase local funding. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the North Carolina House, he championed the Basic Education Plan that pumped millions of dollars into public school classrooms and increased teacher salaries.
In 1988, Etheridge was elected state schools' superintendent. The first non-educator ever elected to the statewide office, he led the successful efforts to improve test scores and raise teacher salaries, and instituted the first-ever "Report Card" for parents so they could gauge how well their student's school was performing.
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Etheridge continues to champion our public schools. He Co-Chaired the Democrats' Education Task Force and has introduced The America's Better Classrooms (ABCs) Act to provide a federal tax credit to bond holders to pay the interest on local school bonds enabling a massive increase in school construction. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, he introduced The Schools Empowered to Respond Act to provide schools with the necessary federal guidance and resources to prepare for and respond to any emergency situation.
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