June Atkinson
Atkinson in 2016
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction
In office
November 3, 2004 – January 1, 2017
GovernorMike Easley
Bev Perdue
Pat McCrory
Preceded byPatricia Willoughby
Succeeded byMark Johnson
Personal details
Born (1948-08-19) August 19, 1948
Moneta, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseWilliam Gurley
EducationRadford University (BS)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (MS)
North Carolina State University (EdD)

June St. Clair Atkinson (born August 19, 1948) was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. She was re-elected in 2008 and 2012.

As State Superintendent, Atkinson organized and managed the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI), and was secretary and Chief Administrative Officer of the North Carolina State Board of Education.[1] She was also an ex officio member of the North Carolina Council of State.

Atkinson was narrowly defeated in her bid for a fourth term by political newcomer Mark Johnson, losing the 2016 general election in North Carolina by about 1.2 percent,[2] and left office on January 1, 2017. Atkinson was the longest-serving state superintendent in the country when she left office and she was also the first woman to be elected to that post in the State of North Carolina.[3]

Early life and education

Atkinson grew up in rural Bedford County, Virginia, where she attended public schools and graduated from Staunton River High School, Moneta, Virginia, in 1966. She received a B.S. in Business Education from Radford University in 1969, an M.S. in Vocational and Technical Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1974, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from North Carolina State University in 1996. After graduating from Radford, Atkinson taught high school in Roanoke, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. In Charlotte, Atkinson's teaching assignment required that she work with business people to find meaningful employment for her students.

Career

Atkinson worked for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for nearly 28 years (1976–2004) as a chief consultant and director in the areas of business education, career and technical education, and instructional services. A former business education teacher, Atkinson has been involved in instruction and curriculum development throughout her career.

Atkinson has made presentations to business and other educational groups in 43 states and throughout North Carolina. She is past president of the National Business Education Association, and past president of the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools that Work in 1995-96 and 1996–97. Atkinson was elected by her colleagues to represent them as President of the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium for 2001–2003.

Atkinson speaking at a forum on STEM education in 2012

In 2009, Atkinson sued Gov. Beverly Perdue after the Governor appointed a Chief Executive Officer of the Public School-System, reducing Atkinson to an "ambassador for education.[4]" Atkinson contested under the Constitution of North Carolina[5] and a Wake County, North Carolina superior court judge ruled in her favor on July 17, 2009.[6]

Ahead of the 2012 general election, Atkinson was endorsed by the News and Observer editorial board, which wrote: "Test scores among the state’s public school students have improved, and Atkinson, a Democrat, is a strong advocate for ample education resources. Wake County school board member John Tedesco, Atkinson’s Republican challenger, had yard signs with the slogan 'Our students deserve better.' Well, yes. Tedesco no doubt is sincere in wanting to see all students succeed, but his policies in Wake would have cut against the interests of students from poor backgrounds. He also has played a role in turning the Wake board into a partisan battleground in an effort to advance GOP fortunes."[7]

Family

Atkinson is married to William Gurley, a Cary, North Carolina orthodontist and former assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. She has one sister, two nephews and one niece. She is a member of The United Methodist Church.

Electoral history

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic Primary Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marshall Stewart 135,348 35.19
Democratic June Atkinson 132,041 34.33
Democratic J. B. Buxton 117,274 30.49
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic Primary Runoff Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson 44,175 55.17
Democratic Marshall Stewart 35,893 44.83
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson 1,655,719 50.13
Republican Bill Fletcher 1,647,184 49.87
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic Primary Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June St. Clair Atkinson (inc.) 660,556 52.86
Democratic Eddie Davis 589,126 47.14
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June St. Clair Atkinson (inc.) 2,177,934 53.66
Republican Richard Morgan 1,881,075 46.34
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (inc.) 2,336,441 54.24
Republican John Tedesco 1,971,049 45.76
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic Primary Election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (inc.) 776,302 79.78
Democratic Henry Pankey 196,703 20.22
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Election, 2016[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic June Atkinson (inc.) 2,231,903 49.40
Republican Mark Johnson 2,285,783 50.60

References

  1. ↑ http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/ByArticle/Chapter_115C/Article_3.pdf
  2. ↑ Clasen-Kelly, Fred. "NC education superintendent: Johnson defeats incumbent Atkinson". The Charlotte Observer. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  3. ↑ "Ousted NC superintendent on 33-year-old successor: 'How do I help an infant in public education?'". WRAL. Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Mildwruf, Bruce. "Atkinson: Room for only one education chief"
  5. ↑ Bonner, Lynn. "Atkinson fights to lead DPI." News & Observer
  6. ↑ News & Observer: Atkinson wins right to run public schools Archived 2009-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ News & Observer endorsements for Council of State Archived 2012-11-03 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "11/08/2016 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE". North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
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