Carolina Journal Radio No. 916: Truitt to take reins as top N.C. education official

North Carolina welcomes a new state superintendent of public instruction in 2021. Republican Catherine Truitt will take the job after serving as leader of the online-only Western Governors University in this state. Truitt also served as former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s top education adviser. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and resident scholar, assesses Truitt’s top priorities in her job at the head of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Mention the word “environmentalism,” and many people will think of left-of-center activists who oppose development, energy exploration, and other economic activity. But a recent article in the magazine National Review advocated a conservative form of environmentalism. Donald van der Vaart, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, discusses the pros and cons of the arguments put forward in the leading conservative magazine. The new year will generate new congressional and legislative election maps for North Carolina. During a recent news conference, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, rebutted myths about the impact of election maps during the past decade. Moore also offered clues about the type of mapmaking process he will support in 2021. Though Democrats came up short this fall, they continue to work toward turning North Carolina as blue as possible politically. Scott Walter, president of the Capital Research Center, discussed Democrats’ strategy during a recent online presentation for the John Locke Foundation. You’ll hear highlights from his remarks. When Moore bangs the gavel on the opening day of the 2021 legislative session, he will tie a state record. Only two other men have been elected to four terms as state House speaker. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, highlights some key priorities Moore has mentioned for the new session that starts in January.