What Leandro is and why you should care

Back in the early 1990s, parents and school boards in five rural counties (Hoke, Halifax, Robeson, Vance, and Cumberland) sued the state of North Carolina.

They argued that their schools didn’t have the resources like teachers, textbooks, buildings, or funding to give kids the same opportunities as students in wealthier areas. They pointed to the North Carolina Constitution, which says the state must provide a “sound, basic education” to every child.

This lawsuit became known as the Leandro case, named after one of the students involved, Robb Leandro from Hoke County.

What did the courts say?

The first ruling, Leandro I, came in 1997.

The N.C. Supreme Court agreed with the families. In a unanimous decision, led by Chief Justice Burley Mitchell, the court ruled that the Constitution guarantees every child the right to a “sound, basic education.”

The court also made it clear that it’s not enough to just open the school doors. Kids need real opportunities to learn with qualified teachers, capable principals, and the resources to prepare them for life and work.

Leandro I was ruled in 2004.

The court looked at the case again and said the state still wasn’t meeting its duty, especially in poor counties. It ordered the state to make real changes to ensure kids in all districts had equal opportunities.

A comprehensive plan was formed between the years 2017 and 2021.

After years of inaction, a trial court ordered the state to work with national experts to create a plan to meet the Leandro requirements. That plan, known as the Comprehensive Remedial Plan, lays out what North Carolina needs to do. We must improve teacher pay, add more school support staff, expand early childhood education, and ensure funding is fairly distributed.

Funding was ordered to be delivered in 2022.

The N.C. Supreme Court ruled that the state must provide the money to fund at least two years of the plan.

What’s happened since then? Where are we now?

Following the 2022 midterm election, the North Carolina Supreme Court shifted to a Republican majority. Now, there’s fear that the court might roll back decades of precedent, ignoring the constitution and choosing politics over our children.

At the same time, the legislature has expanded private school voucher programs, which detract funds from our local schools. This is happening despite the constitution specifically requiring a system of free public schools for all of our children. Private school vouchers and “school choice” may serve private preferences, but they do not satisfy the North Carolina Constitution’s requirement to guard and maintain a free and uniform system of public schools.

Why should it matter to you?

The Leandro case isn’t just about convoluted legal-ese. It’s about:

• Your kid’s classroom: Will there be enough teachers, textbooks, and counselors to support our children?

• Your community’s schools: Will rural and low-wealth counties be left behind while more urban districts thrive?

• The future of North Carolina: Will we invest in all our children so they can contribute to our state’s economy, or will we keep shortchanging entire generations?

Let’s look at the bigger picture:

For almost 30 years, North Carolina’s courts have said the same thing: the legislature is failing to do its job under the Constitution.

There’s only one question now: Will our leaders finally fund our schools, or will politics once again rob our kids of the education they deserve?

To summarize, the Leandro case is about whether North Carolina will live up to its constitutional promise to provide every child, no matter where they live, a fair chance at a sound, basic education.