Op-Ed: NC Needs A Leader Who Supports Veterans, Students, And Teachers (By Hon. Howard Lee)

1959 was a year of firsts in my life. That year, I was the first in my family to graduate college, and a few short months later, I was drafted into the U.S. Army. I was stationed at Camp Casey in Korea and served a two-year tour before being honorably discharged. 

This year of firsts set me on a path to become an educator, a philanthropist, and a public servant. It also led me to one more “first”: I became the first Black Mayor of Chapel Hill.

I’m proud to have served my country, and I’m proud to support Attorney General Josh Stein, a candidate with a proven track record of championing veterans. 

When a corporation preyed on North Carolina servicemembers with false financial promises, Josh took them to court and won back millions of dollars. While the PACT Act languished in Congress, delaying benefits from veterans who had been exposed to toxic chemicals through their service, Josh fought for its passage. When the United States Supreme Court was deliberating on veterans’ educational benefits, Josh advocated for our service members – because he understands the transformative power of education.

Josh has stood up for veterans every chance he’s had, and he’ll continue to support us as Governor. He has pledged to fight for affordable housing, job opportunities, and health care—both physical and mental—for veterans. He will also make sure veterans can keep accessing the education and training that they need. 

As a first-generation college grad and the founder of the Howard N. Lee Institute, a nonprofit focused on academically supporting male students of color, I, too, recognize education’s power. I’ve served as a State Senator, the chairman of the North Carolina State Board of Education, and the Executive Director of N.C. Education Cabinet. 

Our state’s public schools are some of the best in the country, which has enabled North Carolina to surge ahead in business and workforce development – for now. Dangerous attacks on our public school system threaten to undo decades of progress and move us backward. Josh Stein wants our public schools to ensure a brighter future for all children, not to have their budgets “slashed” like his opponent. Our children deserve the best future we can provide them, and that begins with their education, from early childhood programs to college or trade school. 

I’ve learned throughout my life that supporting our veterans means supporting their education. Many of our veterans face unique challenges when returning from service, and accessible education can help bridge the gap between service and civilian life. That’s one reason Josh Stein supports making community colleges tuition-free for high-demand jobs. Many community colleges have dedicated veterans affairs coordinators and programs to support the heroes who have given so much to our state and nation. 

Josh Stein’s opponent couldn’t be more different. He wants to eliminate science and social studies from elementary schools. This is the wrong approach for our public schools. Without early science education, how will future generations of North Carolina students serve in the Army Corps of Engineers or create advances in medical technology that help us care for disabled veterans? North Carolina’s children and grandchildren must carry with them the values of resilience, duty, honor, and service. That starts with more education, not less. 

It also includes valuing our public school teachers. Yet, Josh’s opponent disrespects our public school educators, actually calling them “wicked people.” Such beliefs are outrageous and so incredibly wrong. We should be thanking teachers instead and paying them more.

As an educator, veteran, and North Carolinian, I urge my fellow citizens to take the time to reflect on their firsts, their journeys, and their families. I’m supporting Josh Stein because I want North Carolina to be the home of more groundbreaking firsts for our veterans, students, and teachers.

By Howard N. Lee 

Howard N. Lee, who served as Mayor of Chapel Hill, N.C., from 1969 to 1975, was the first African-American mayor elected in Chapel Hill and the first African American to be elected mayor of any majority-white city in the South. Lee also held the post of Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development from 1977 to 1981. He was elected to the North Carolina Senate, serving from 1990 to 1994 and again from 1996 to 2002. In 2003, Lee was elected Lee as chairman of the North Carolina State Board of Education. In his retirement, Lee founded the Howard N. Lee Institute, which “focuses on erasing the achievement gap and improving academic performance for minority males. Lee was drafted into the U.S. Army during the summer of 1959 and was honorably discharged in 1961.