Betty Perkins

By Catharin Shepard

Staff writer

Hoke County Schools substitute teacher and volunteer Betty Perkins is running for election to the Hoke County Board of Education.

Perkins is one of seven people seeking a four-year term on the board. There are three seats up for election.

Perkins was born in Fayetteville and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Pace University and her doctorate in theology from Faithway Church Bible College. She worked as a tutor with the New York City Board of Education, helping adults who were learning to speak English, and then went to work with AT&T (formerly New York Telephone Company). She later moved her family back to North Carolina where she variously started her own business, managed a hog farm, earned her licensure in life insurance and become a loan officer for mortgage companies. She currently manages real estate property. Perkins has volunteered with the school system in many roles, including founding and operating the Hoke High Parent Teacher Student Organization, and has been active in the community as well. She is the mother of three children.

Perkins said she decided to run for the school board because she hopes to help shape the county’s school system in the best interest of students, parents, teachers and administrators.

“I saw a lot of things in the system, in the classrooms that I think I can make a difference to change,” she said. One thing in particular that encouraged her to file the last time she ran for the school board two years ago was when no one showed up to help paint the football concession stand after she put out a call for volunteers. That got her thinking on the importance of getting families and the community involved in education, Perkins said.

If elected, the candidate said she would like to work on making positive decisions for the future of the county schools.

“My goal is simple. I just want to help make positive decisions, whatever they are as they come up, positive decisions in the best interest of the students, the teachers, the schools,” she said.

One example of that would be to focus on expanding the high school campus, Perkins said.

“I think that is something that really, really needs to be done,” she said.

Looking at the school system’s approach to disciplinary actions is another matter that Perkins said she would like to address if elected to the board.

“I think that they really need to be looked at and evaluated differently,” she said.

The biggest challenge the school system is facing right now is a lack of parental support, Perkins said. If elected, addressing that would be her top priority.

“A positive way to get parents and guardians more involved with their schools, number one. I know that with parent support and parent help, things could be a lot better. I know that personally. It would make a big difference,” she said.

Perkins said voters should consider casting a ballot for her because she is passionate about making a difference in the school system.

“I have a passion to help the children. I’ve been out there, I’ve dealt with a lot of situations, and I know firsthand from being out there and involved with them one on one, I know that I can make a difference because I know what they need by being there with them. It makes a difference when you’re right there,” she said.