Options for Action the week of July 21

Some Good News First:

• Attorney General Jeff Jackson reports that the Department of Education has released $36 million of the unlawfully frozen $165 million in education funding, which will allow afterschool programs to continue in our state. He vows to continue to fight for the rest.

• Around 120 people attended the Good Trouble Lives On rally in Lenoir last Thursday (many thanks to Indivisible High Country for organizing this event!). Every few minutes, someone drove by, honking and waving in support. We embraced this chance to make visible that just because a county is red on some election map doesn’t mean everyone there is lost.

A few options for this week:

1. Call your NC legislators to urge them to act quickly to protect our public schools.

Public Schools First NC issued a call to action this week.

Here’s a possible script: I am deeply concerned about the crisis facing our public schools. Billions of cuts in federal dollars will result in the loss of essential staff funding. Schools already are struggling to plan for the academic year because the state budget is still in limbo. The recently passed budget cuts in Medicaid and SNAP will increase child hunger and cut funding for school nurses. Meanwhile, the voucher system drains our state funds to help rich kids attend private schools that can refuse to enroll all who apply and who are subject to no accountability in how they use school funds. Our state ranks 49th in school funding efforts. This has to change! We are failing our children. Please act now to fully fund our public schools–including raises for teachers, funds for school nurses, social workers, teacher assistants, and school psychologists. We will be unable to face the challenges ahead unless we make every effort to ensure that ALL our children have the chance to attain their full potential.

NC Senator Ralph Hise 919-733-3460 email ralph.hise@ncleg.gov

NC Representative Ray Pickett 919-733-7727 email ray.pickett@ncleg.gov

*For a small number of people in this county: NC Representative Destin Hall is your representative 919-733-3451 or destin.hall@ncleg.gov (you can verify at this link: https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators)

2. Make sure your voter registration is complete.

In order to vote with a regular ballot instead of a provisional ballot, any NC voter missing specific identifying information on their registration records needs to contact their local board of elections to correct it. Here’s a link to the current database of NC voters who need to update their records. https://dl.ncsbe.gov/RegistrationRepair/index.html

3. Show support for a voting site in the student union Appalachian State

A call to action by Indivisible High Country: Attend the swearing in of the local board of elections at noon on Tuesday, July 22 in courtroom 3 of the Watauga County Courthouse. Wear black and gold. No signs are allowed.

Background: The Republican-dominated NC legislature took the constitutionally-assigned power to appoint boards of elections away from Governor Stein this year, resulting in the removal of long-serving members replaced by partisans who are likely to remove the most popular voting site in Watauga County on Appalachian’s campus. This is also known as blatant voter suppression.

Notes:

• Town of Boone Human Relations Commission will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Watauga County Agriculture Center (252 Poplar Grove Road).  

  
  

• https://protectmypublicmedia.org provides options to continue to pressure our representatives to support public media (i.e. the fight goes on!). And if so moved, consider making a donation to your favorite station if you haven’t already.

  
  

• Keep in mind that 5calls.org offers a menu of issues so you can call your federal representatives about what matters most to you. This pressure matters. Don’t let them enjoy a quiet moment in their offices until they do right by their constituents.

  
  

Parting words:

“We must use our time and our space on this little planet that we call Earth to make a lasting contribution, to leave it a little better than we found it, and now that need is greater than ever before. Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Do not become bitter or hostile. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. We will find a way to make a way out of no way.”

John Lewis