Burke County Public Schools: Fill & Download for Free

I’m the NC-11 Democratic candidate running for Congress in a slightly-less-gerrymandered version[1] of a swing district in the swing state of North Carolina in what promises to be one of the most important House races of 2020. I have every reason to expect to win this seat in November.With in-person campaigning delayed indefinitely due to the global pandemic (some might call this respite from politicians a silver lining), I spend a lot of time online and on the phone listening to voters. My policies are informed by what they tell me, and what I observe with my eyes right here in Western North Carolina. Here’s what I’m seeing and hearing:When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, 85% of kids in Rutherford county and 84% of kids in Cherokee County will still need access to free or reduced-priced lunches due to poverty, just as they did before. 73% of kids in Burke county will need the same.[2]We’ll also still have kids who don’t qualify for these meals, and get caught up in a cycle of meal debt.When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, hardworking folks in the service industry will still be fighting for basic, affordable housing in Asheville.[3]When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, upwards of 500 people, including many school-age kids and veterans in Buncombe County will be homeless on any given night.[4]When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, rural medical facilities across Appalachia will still bear the brunt of an economic system designed to keep poor and working people out of sight and out of mind. Faced with skyrocketing costs and limited resources, many small hospitals have closed already. More will follow.[5] This means the people I’ll represent in Congress will be driving further and paying more for medical care.When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, one out of every 10 North Carolinians I meet will still be uninsured.[6]When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, dirty politicians will continue their habit of scapegoating the very people they’re supposed to be serving in order to dodge the blame for their failure to lead.When COVID-19 ends, even if everything else stays the same, public money will still be tight, and local government interests will still be competing against each other for finite resources.These are the stories of my community, right here in Western North Carolina. This was the situation on the ground long before the pandemic. This is what pushed me to run for office and informed my policy.We can learn from the past and do it different going forward, or we can go back and “survive” under the old status-quo, with a few thousand extra deaths a day. For some, the pull of the old way of doing things is so strong, they don’t even mind all the dying. Anything to avoid an uncomfortable change. Anything to avoid looking in the mirror.COVID-19 is changing us as a society, whether we like it or not. Nothing will remain the same, nor should it. This pandemic has ripped the mask off of an unsustainable elitist system designed to keep poor people working shoulder-to-shoulder in meatpacking plants[7] [8] until they catch sick and die in their own beds, while rich Americans laugh and sip designer cocktails[9] on their private, foreign-flagged yachts off the coast of Fiji.Telecommuting is a privilege for the middle class, not the people who put themselves at risk everyday put food on our tables. Not the people who work the register at Trader Joes on Merrimon, or the drive-thru lane at Walmart in Weaverville, or the shopper at Instacart. For these people, the economy never “closed”, it just became even more dangerous to their wellbeing.Nothing I’ve mentioned is an unfamiliar problem. They’re the struggles we’ve always had, now illuminated by klieg light.Bad, self-absorbed leadership is what brought us to this ugly place in history. Good leadership can save us, and it’s never too late to start. We need strong, principled leaders with an unwavering commitment to constituent service and a willingness to find and work for collaborative solutions.The federal election is less than 6 months away. Absentee and early voting start even sooner.Donate. Call. Text. Write postcards. Vote. Keep your eyes on the prize.Footnotes[1] It's official: Asheville, Buncombe won't be split by gerrymandered congressional districts[2] County Health Rankings & Roadmaps[3] Asheville River Arts District 235-unit project stalled by affordable housing fight[4] North Carolina - National Alliance to End Homelessness[5] 170 Rural Hospital Closures: January 2005 - Present (128 since 2010) - Sheps Center[6] NC’s uninsured rate 9th highest in the nation - North Carolina Health News[7] Documents say 52 employees at Butterball have COVID-19[8] Hundreds of Tyson Foods employees screened for COVID-19 after Wilkes County outbreak[9] Superyacht Crews Create Quarantine-Themed Cocktails in Lockdown

(UPDATED MARCH 12, see below)These are the 14 candidates:Gery Chico (former Chicago school board president)Toni Preckwinkle (Cook County board president)Willie Wilson (businessman)Paul Vallas (former CEO Chicago Public Schools)La Shawn Ford (state representative)Bob Fioretti (former alderman)John Kozlar (lawyer)Garry McCarthy (former police superintendent)Lori Lightfoot (former Chicago Police Board president)Neal Sáles-Griffin (tech entrepreneur)Susana Mendoza (state Comptroller)Bill Daley (former chief of staff to Barack Obama and U.S Commerce Secretary)Jerry Joyce (lawyer)Amara Enyia (Director, Austin Chamber of Commerce) (Chicago neighborhood)If one of these people receive over 50% of the vote on Feb. 26, they will be mayor! Otherwise, there will be a final election on April 5 between the top two vote-getters.I’ve seen almost no polling in the race. Chicago Public Radio said last week that Toni Preckwinkle is still considered the frontrunner, even though she was implicated somewhat in the Edward Burke scandal. (Frankly, who wasn’t?)The Chicago Sun-Times endorsed Lori Lightfoot, but the article below has her polling at 2%.The Tribune hasn’t made its mayoral endorsement yet, as far as I can tell. They’ve endorsed aldermen, but not the mayor. Will update!Edit: The Tribune endorsed Bill Daley on 2/22.Chance the Rapper endorsed Amara Enyia.Chicago Magazine has been ranking the candidates based on fundraising, polling, campaign savvy, and community buzz. As of February 11, they’ve got Daley at #1, closely followed by Toni Preckwinkle, and Gery Chico third. Chico was endorsed by Edward Burke…I’m not feeling Gery Chico much.I don’t live in Chicago, so who cares what I think. Still, I really don’t want another Daley to be mayor of Chicago. What do you think?UPDATED: Chicago Mayoral Power Rankings 20194 closing arguments: The case for Bill Daley (Tribune endorsement)(EDIT: Lori Lightfoot was the top vote-getter in the first election! Toni Preckwinkle came in second, and Daley was third. The run-off in April will be between Lightfoot and Preckwinkle. Here’s the Sun-Times latest endorsement of Lori Lightfoot:Why the Sun-Times endorses Lori Lightfoot to be Chicago's next mayor)Bill Daley:

It is a safe area to raise children, so long as you choose your location in the valley correctly. Many parents I know choose to live in Henderson rather than in Vegas itself because Las Vegas neighborhoods can be a bit unpredictable in terms of crime rates.My experience with neighborhoods here in general is that they're a bit more reserved than what I grew up with in other west-coast states. Children on the same street will befriend each other and play but unless you actively reach out to the neighbors, there isn't a great deal of socialization there. It's personal preference whether you consider that a plus or a minus for raising kids. There are a lot of programs, both paid and no-cost, for extracurriculars and sports. Because of the weather, the area is amenable to nearly all activities and events year-round, making it surprisingly easy to find family friendly places to go. The local life is much more accessible to children than the “Sin City” tourism is.The school system is still generally regarded as “bad”, however having lived in this area for 5+ years and seeing the changes in how education is addressed both with children and those who choose to work in the field, there is an improvement in the public school district’s quality. Charter schools and distance learning programs are extensive in Clark County, so if you have the means and the time, you will be able to actively help your child succeed and have better opportunities. At higher (college) learning levels, this also changes drastically depending on your major.Ultimately, Las Vegas can be a great place to raise kids, but I think that parents who either do not have the time to actively take part in their children’s schooling should consider other suburban areas that have affordable living costs. The school district is not at a level where the staff and instructors are able to be as involved in a student’s learning experience as they are in other states, and the quality of the education can vary a great deal between schools. It takes an involved parent (or a very motivated child) to make the most of the schooling available here.