Critical Letters From 3rd-Grade Class, Including Daughter, Upset Lawmaker

Republican Rep. Mike Stone of Lee County receives many letters that urge him and other lawmakers not to cut education funding. But one recent letter upset him. It was from his own 3rd-grade daughter and written at the direction of her teacher, WRAL-TV reports. The teacher had the class write to several lawmakers. From the WRAL report: The teacher outlined what students should include in the letter, he (Stone) said, noting his daughter mentioned the loss of two teaching assistants, field trips and science experiments and more difficulty in learning multiplication and reading comprehension. She ended her letter, "Please put the budget higher dad." "As I read through this (letter), anger completely shot through me, and I was trying to hold myself together," he said. "(It's unconscionable) to know any education system would use a daughter against her father." Lee County Superintendent Jeff Moss has no problem with the letters, WRAL reports. "If you're not interested in receiving letters from people in your district, don't run for public office," he said. Now, the News & Observer reports that a conservative group called Americans for Prosperity is calling on the school board to fire Moss because he supports the 3rd-grade teacher.