Education and Children
“Education is not only a pathway for families and children to achieve and advance; it is also a pathway for our community to advance. Education is also an economic development issue.”
Raised in a family of public school teachers, a product of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools himself and the father of two young children, Anthony Foxx understands the importance of quality education both to individual students and to our community as a whole. With an eye towards an improved quality of life and improving Charlotte’s competitive position in a global economy, he has fought for young people through expanded after-school, youth employment and mentoring programs.
Although responsibility for education and human services generally falls within Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Anthony Foxx has long understood the many ways in which city government can improve the lives of Charlotte youth.
The Record: Foxx has a distinguished record of achievement in the field of providing well rounded educational opportunities for Charlotte youth.
A. Making City Government Work for Families and Children
• Strongly advocated and obtained increased funding to after-school programs, knowing that if we invest in our young people now, all of Charlotte will benefit in the future.
• Understands the impact of growth and development on every aspect of a community, including schools. He has been a tough grader, opposing rezoning cases that would overwhelm area schools and infrastructure and supporting those that are sensitive to such issues.
• Advocated for dramatic expansion of the city Youth Employment Program, understanding that getting kids involved in productive activities not only enhances safety but also instills a work ethic and personal responsibility, each of which is a vital component of a quality education.
• Overriding a mayoral veto and a party line vote, Foxx has worked to improve neighborhood infrastructure and to bring down the crime rate, partly to enhance the physical environment in which children grow up.
• Understands the impact of growth and development on every aspect of a community, including schools. He has been a tough grader, opposing rezoning cases that would overwhelm area schools and infrastructure and supporting those that are sensitive to such issues.
• Advocated for dramatic expansion of the city Youth Employment Program, understanding that getting kids involved in productive activities not only enhances safety but also instills a work ethic and personal responsibility, each of which is a vital component of a quality education.
• Overriding a mayoral veto and a party line vote, Foxx has worked to improve neighborhood infrastructure and to bring down the crime rate, partly to enhance the physical environment in which children grow up.
B. Working with Mecklenburg County and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Having served on the Mecklenburg County Education Budget Advisory Committee for several years, Foxx understands the critical interplay between local governmental bodies and our children. He has a long record of fighting for resources that improve the lives of children through education.
• Ended years of political bickering by pushing for the transfer of nearly $4.7 million of city fines collected from the SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district in the hopes of stemming teacher layoffs.
• Ended years of political bickering by pushing for the transfer of nearly $4.7 million of city fines collected from the SafeLight and SafeSpeed programs to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district in the hopes of stemming teacher layoffs.
C. Working with Community-Based and Faith-Based Organizations
• Working with former Charlotte City Council member Ron Leeper and others, Foxx helped found a mentoring program at his alma mater, West Charlotte High School, which has enlisted hundreds of mentors and role models to support students in a high-need school.
• Improving community economic health. Children are shaped by their environment. Whether surrounded by positive economic activity or neglect, they internalize what they see. Foxx has a long-standing dedication to improving conditions in challenged areas to promote sustainable job growth and quality goods and services. Doing so not only raises the economic conditions of areas of Charlotte but it also raises the ambitions of young people.
• Improving community economic health. Children are shaped by their environment. Whether surrounded by positive economic activity or neglect, they internalize what they see. Foxx has a long-standing dedication to improving conditions in challenged areas to promote sustainable job growth and quality goods and services. Doing so not only raises the economic conditions of areas of Charlotte but it also raises the ambitions of young people.
The Vision: As mayor, Foxx will continue to work across all levels of government to best serve our children and our community.
A. City of Charlotte Initiatives
• Consider impact of city ordinances and decisions on schools: Foxx will be a strong voice for responsible growth that is sensitive to the impact on schools, infrastructure and communities.
• Create an Office of Youth Initiatives: Foxx believes that city staff already dedicated to implementing youth programs should be combined into one office to promote efficiency and a one-stop resource for families and children.
• Expand youth employment programs: Foxx will push to employ at least as many youth as Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrest each year.
• Enhance reach and effectiveness of city after-school programs: Foxx will promote competition for city-funded after-school dollars to expand the reach and effectiveness of resources committed to enhance student achievement.
• Initiate a youth involvement council. Decades ago, Charlotte children were encouraged to learn about city government and interface with city leaders through a youth involvement initiative. Partnering with other governmental and non-profit agencies, Foxx will invite young people to the governing table, help them learn how government works and encourage their participation in how the Charlotte community moves forward.
• Create an Office of Youth Initiatives: Foxx believes that city staff already dedicated to implementing youth programs should be combined into one office to promote efficiency and a one-stop resource for families and children.
• Expand youth employment programs: Foxx will push to employ at least as many youth as Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrest each year.
• Enhance reach and effectiveness of city after-school programs: Foxx will promote competition for city-funded after-school dollars to expand the reach and effectiveness of resources committed to enhance student achievement.
• Initiate a youth involvement council. Decades ago, Charlotte children were encouraged to learn about city government and interface with city leaders through a youth involvement initiative. Partnering with other governmental and non-profit agencies, Foxx will invite young people to the governing table, help them learn how government works and encourage their participation in how the Charlotte community moves forward.
B. Mecklenburg County and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Initiatives
• Help reduce school construction costs. Where city planning and zoning issues are involved, Foxx will work with other Mecklenburg County towns to promote a unified school building code that will decrease school construction costs.
• Consolidate effort to increase classroom support: Foxx will work to consolidate effort and promote efficiency and effectiveness. For example, he will work with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board and Superintendent Dr. Peter Gorman to explore consolidating CMS-TV and the City-County Government Channel, using a single production staff. Finding these and other efficiencies may help direct more resources to area classrooms.
• Keep School Resource Officers (SROs): Foxx will fiercely defend keeping SROs in place. Gangs now recruit children as early as the seventh grade, and school resource officers supported by the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are a critical part of our strategy to protect children from such threats to their safety.
• Work to build stronger relationships between the city and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
• Consolidate effort to increase classroom support: Foxx will work to consolidate effort and promote efficiency and effectiveness. For example, he will work with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board and Superintendent Dr. Peter Gorman to explore consolidating CMS-TV and the City-County Government Channel, using a single production staff. Finding these and other efficiencies may help direct more resources to area classrooms.
• Keep School Resource Officers (SROs): Foxx will fiercely defend keeping SROs in place. Gangs now recruit children as early as the seventh grade, and school resource officers supported by the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are a critical part of our strategy to protect children from such threats to their safety.
• Work to build stronger relationships between the city and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
C. Community-Based and Other Education/Youth Initiatives
• Close the mentoring gap: As mayor, Foxx pledges to spend two hours each week tutoring a Charlotte-Mecklenburg School student. He will challenge the Charlotte community to do the same. Not only does Foxx believe that we can close the mentoring gap, he also believes such efforts can close the achievement gap.
• Highlight personal responsibility and parenting: While government can open doors, there is no substitute for a parent, family member or caring adult who encourages a child to reach his or her potential. No one is more aware of this fact than Foxx, which is why he has pushed the Charlotte City Council to forge a collaboration with public agencies such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, non-profits, private sector partners and communities to create a parenting initiative. As Mayor of Charlotte and as a father of two young children, he will work to promote effective parenting as a community issue.
• Highlight personal responsibility and parenting: While government can open doors, there is no substitute for a parent, family member or caring adult who encourages a child to reach his or her potential. No one is more aware of this fact than Foxx, which is why he has pushed the Charlotte City Council to forge a collaboration with public agencies such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, non-profits, private sector partners and communities to create a parenting initiative. As Mayor of Charlotte and as a father of two young children, he will work to promote effective parenting as a community issue.