Keith Townsend of Mt. Ulla, NC Runs for NC House of Representatives District 77
It is not often that one of our West Rowan neighbors runs for a House seat in North Carolina, so this year is one of note with Keith Townsend of Mt. Ulla, NC putting his name on the ballot for 2020.
The NC District 77 House seat was unopposed (after another candidate withdrew) with Julia Craven Howard (R) on the ballet to take the seat. Howard has held the office (though with district changes over the years) for decades. But, it still concerned Townsend that there were no options for voters.
He says that democracy is based on choices, so when members of the community encouraged him to run for office he put his life on hold and signed up. After all, you can't really legitimately complain if you're not willing to do something yourself.
Retired West Rowan High School Teacher
Members of the community may know Keith Townsend but may remember him as Mr. Townsend, since he was a teacher at West Rowan, first at the middle school and then at the high school. His wife also was a teacher at West.
Townsend began his career in western Rowan County at the old junior high school in Cleveland which was later the YMCA for the area. He then moved briefly to the new Middle School on Highway 70 and on to the High School.
He very much enjoyed teaching, and he is fondly remembered by students.
Thoughts on Education
As a retired teacher, Townsend is very familiar with concerns dealing with education, although things are different this year with the coronavirus. Townsend says that the most important thing right now is the safety of the students, teachers, and support staff. He believes that each of us should do what we can to care for each other. He is baffled that wearing masks has become a political issue and thinks it should just be something to do to try to make things better. He, like the rest of us, hopes that things will get back to normal soon. Then, we can focus on general educational concerns.
One of the biggest issues with education is that "funding has been decimated," notes Townsend. He says that he has watched the budget get smaller and smaller.
One contributing factor is the voucher system explains Townsend. He says that it is great to have the option of a private education, but we can't dip into public funds to make that happen. He sees it a conflict, because our country calls for a separation of church and state. Many private schools have moral stipulations. You can't attend unless you follow various religious based principles which would rule out some students. Private funds could support the private schools with public funds being available to all. But, that could be in jeopardy as current laws read. Right now, each student opting out of public education is a rather large of chunk that is taken out of the budget. That endangers public education.
Broadband Access
Another issue related to education is the lack of broadband in the area. Townsend understands this very well, because he does not have access to broadband. He says that he pays a monthly fee and has to be careful not to use up all of his time. He turns the internet off and on as he goes which is reminiscent of the old dial-up days.
Townsend thinks more should be invested in making the internet available to all.
He says that some areas have hot spots on buses that drive around like the Bookmobiles of old to ensure that students can get online to study. He has been reading about this and other options and would draw in tech experts to find answers to this problem. He notes that this is not an area where he's not an expert, since he flat can't get broadband where he lives. So, he is willing to collaborate and find answers that benefit everyone.
Small Businesses are in Big Trouble
Townsend sees the concerns with small business.. There are many in our area including farms. Some are going under. Almost all are struggling. Townsend sees this with friends, neighbors and even his brother who works in the restaurant industry.
Townsend supports government assistance for the businesses in the community. He knows that some locals were able to get support previously, but some did not. He would like to look at how/why funds did not get to those who qualified and needed the help.
He notes that governmental support for business has focused too much on big business. Large companies were given tax breaks. It was assumed that those monies would go back into businesses and would help workers, but many of those big name companies used the money to buy their own stocks. This did not benefit workers as anticipated. Townsend says we need to address issues like that.
Integration
Townsend said that immigration has been a plus for our country. He thinks we have all benefited from having different people with different ideas. As a teacher, he had an opportunity to work directly with kids of all backgrounds, and he values the diversity.
One thing that baffles Townsend is the push to send educated individuals back to their home countries. He thinks that it is a benefit for us to retain highly qualified workers especially in fields where we may have a shortage. He noted the medical field as an example and said that he has a doctor who is originally from India. He said we definitely need people like that.
Black Lives Matter
Townsend notes that slavery has had an impact on members of the black community. He says that he knows that people today did not take part directly in slavery, but the fall out continues for generations. He notes that his father fought in World War II and then got an education with the G.I. Bill. That option was not available to black soldiers. It had been initially but got changed in Congress. Looking at that scenario, Townsend lived a comfortable life and was able to go to college which was not the case for most African-Americans in the same time frame. This would especially be of note to Townsend, since his area of study and the subject he taught until retirement was history.
"History has consequences," noted Townsend.
On a Lighter Note
Townsend has had very little free time, since he decided to fun for office, but he has "had no second thoughts."
In addition to his recent work in politics, he and his wife enjoy keeping two little ones during the week. "They are almost like grand-kids," he says. He doesn't have grand-kids yet, but he has two daughters that he enjoys talking with and visiting.
Townsend also enjoys reading, and he loves to visit bookstores when he has a chance, especially South Main Book Company in Salisbury, NC."It's one of my favorite places in the world," he says.
When his schedule lightens up and when coronavirus is not a threat, he looks forward to playing golf and fly fishing again. He said he's really not a great golfer, but he enjoys it. As for fishing, he likes to go up to the mountains and notes that the views are terrific.
All in all, Townsend says that he never gets bored, and "I don't think that I will." He loves his life in western Rowan County, and he looks forward to what the future brings.
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