Education.

That was the case last week when Hugh McColl, CEO of Bank of America, addressed the Emerging Issues Forum in Raleigh.

At a gathering focused on the future prosperity of this state, McColl had an important message:improve public education.

Many of the themes McColl struck run exactly counter to what takes place in Rowan County.

McColl called for a greater commitment to diversity. Yet the two high schools here that have a high percentage of minority students suffer lagging enrollment; not enough white families consider diversity a plus. They choose to live in other school districts.

McColl pointed out that more successful schools in other nations prove their devotion to education by sending children to school nearly all year —240 days a year compared to our 180.

Yet the Rowan schools just decided not to make up some snowed-out school days because that would cancel spring break.

But one issue McColl addressed should resonate with Rowan County: better treatment and pay for teachers. Rowan last year raised local teacher supplements by an average of $800 per teacher. At the same time, the state is raising teacher pay to the national average.

And the tightening shortage of new educators may be awakening us all to the need to provide teachers with better working conditions.

North Carolina actually is considered one of the more successful states when it comes to improving the lot of teachers. An article in the Winter 1999 Ford Foundation Winter Report called the state “a showcase” for policies put forth by teaching advocates because it has passed legislation raising standards for teachers at every stage of their careers.

But have public attitudes kept up with the changes that are taking place? As McColl said, talking about the nobility of the profession wouldn’t be necessary if we treated teachers better.

“There are societies in the world that actually treat teachers as valued, respected professionals.”

North Carolina should be among them, in thought and deed. And that’s not another teacher talking.