Robb Leandro is disappointed.
Robb was a Hoke County eighth grader when a major lawsuit regarding public education was filed with his name as the lead plaintiff. The original 1994 case challenged North Carolina’s school funding formula on behalf of young Robb and students in 5 low-wealth counties, including Cumberland, Hoke, Vance, Halifax, and Robeson. At issue was—and is—whether North Carolina children are entitled to “a sound, basic education” as described in our state Constitution. Over time, the case has come to involve early childhood education, high quality educators, and accountability issues.
Our North Carolina Supreme Court has just ruled that none of these educational components are required by our Constitution and dismissed the long-running lawsuit despite the reality that other courts have made radically different decisions…