Name as it appears on the ballot: Tom Hatch
Party affiliation: Unaffiliated. (Note: This is a nonpartisan race.)
Previous elected offices held: N/A
Age as of Election Day: 57
Immediate family members: Wife, Eileen Wiles Hatch; sons, Leighton Hatch and Sam Hatch
Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Retired
Website and campaign social media: hatch4boed3@gmail.com; facebook.com/tom.hatch.988; twitter.com/tomhatch4unc, instagram.com/tom.hatch.32/; votetomhatch.com
1. The “Parents’ Bill of Rights” legislation has incorporated changes regarding education on health, gender identity and sexuality into state law. This year’s state superintendent race features a candidate who has discussed implementing additional measures that some critics call extreme. What’s your assessment of the state of public education in North Carolina?
The “Parents’ Bill of Rights” is grounded in the principles of transparency and parental involvement, long-standing core values of our school system. This law provides Cumberland County Schools with the opportunity to reinforce our partnership with parents, a crucial element for student success.
Our state leaders must prioritize what is best for all students. It’s essential to implement a moratorium on school vouchers and reinstate the cap on charter schools. We must fully fund teacher recruitment and retention efforts, and raise teacher salaries above the national average. Restoring master’s pay and increasing principal salaries based on experience are also critical. A statewide construction bond is necessary to address the growing backlog of K-12 school construction and repairs. The school accountability model needs a complete overhaul to evaluate the entire school, not just test scores.
Ultimately, our state has a constitutional duty to uphold its commitment to the children of North Carolina. Extensive research and court rulings in the Leandro Case have made it clear that, for decades, the state has fallen short in meeting this fundamental obligation to its children. We cannot let politics interfere with doing what is right for ALL students.
2. If you solely controlled the purse strings of Cumberland County and for the county’s school district, what changes would you implement to both help preserve your fund balance and best serve teachers and students?
If we truly value our teachers and students, we must back it up with financial support. I will push for a restructuring of teacher supplements, staff bonuses and coaching pay to elevate Cumberland County above neighboring districts and align with the top five districts in our state.
I would advocate for a district-wide strategy and funding to enhance student support during the school day. As the principal at Terry Sanford, we implemented a SMART Lunch program that gave students the opportunity to participate in clubs, mentoring, counseling, special interest groups and tutoring during lunch time. During the pandemic, “Wellness Wednesday” was very popular among teachers and students.
3. This community has long discussed constructing a new campus for E.E. Smith High School. What’s your solution for E.E. Smith High School?
While it’s crucial to have a school equipped with the latest resources, I also understand the importance of a neighborhood school. Our school district needs to engage in open dialogue with all stakeholders to determine the best way forward. By working together, we can find a solution that serves the needs of both current and future students at E.E. Smith High School.
4. Declining enrollment and increasing absenteeism are both significant challenges for Cumberland County Schools. What’s your fix for both?
For over 20 years, Cumberland County Schools has offered a choice program. However, recent changes in policy and funding have led to a decline in these programs across the district. As a former principal of the county’s largest school of choice at the time, Reid Ross Classical, I understand the importance of maintaining high-quality public school choice options. Board policies, in line with the student code of conduct and previous choice program agreements, need to be revised. Additionally, funding should be reallocated to support specific choice program resource needs, including personnel.
Students who are chronically absent without a doctor’s note or exceed the allowable number of parent notes must make up seat time or receive an incomplete or an “F.” The Student Services Team should also have the authority to recommend that students attend our Virtual Academy.
5. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright surprised officials this spring when he suddenly announced plans to pull school resource officers and traffic control officers from most public schools. What’s your take on his decision, and how would you approach a relationship with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office moving forward? And has the SRO issue been resolved to your satisfaction?
As a former principal of three different secondary schools, I understand the challenges our school resource officers have faced over the years in providing coverage during absences or for game duty and special events. This issue isn’t new. Sheriff Ennis should have initiated discussions with Dr. Connelly and the board as early as January, rather than waiting until late May to back out of the agreement immediately. The board should have held the Sheriff’s Office to the existing contract, with separation taking place at the end of the 2024-25 school year.
Despite this, it’s crucial to continue fostering a positive relationship with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. They are an essential part of our school community, having worked closely with many students, parents, teachers and community members. The SRO issue won’t be fully resolved to my satisfaction until every school has an officer assigned who collaborates with all stakeholders to ensure a safe school environment.
