North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction

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The North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction is the elected head of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and oversees the public school systems of the state. The Superintendent is currently an elected member of the North Carolina Council of State, chosen in a partisan election every four years. The Superintendent of Public Instruction also serves as a member of the North Carolina State Board of Education, the body which holds most of the authority over elementary and secondary education in the state.

The office became an elected one under the North Carolina Constitution of 1868.

The current Superintendent of Public Instruction is June Atkinson.

[edit] Superintendents of Public Instruction

Calvin H. Wiley, 1853-1866
(office abolished), 1866-1868
Samuel S. Ashley, 1868-1871
Alexander McIver, 1871-1872
James Reid, 1872
Alexander McIver, 1872-1875
Stephen D. Pool, 1875-1876
John Pool, 1876-1877
John C. Scarborough, 1877-1885
Sidney M. Finger, 1885-1893
John C. Scarborough, 1893-1897
Charles H. Mebane, 1897-1901
Thomas F. Toon, 1901-1902
James Y. Joyner, 1902-1919
Eugene C. Brooks, 1919-1923
Arch T. Allen, 1923-1934
Clyde A. Erwin, 1934-1952
Charles F. Carroll, 1952-1969
A. Craig Phillips, 1969-1989
Bob Etheridge, 1989-1996
Michael E. Ward, 1997-2004
Patricia N. Willoughby, 2004-2005 (interim)
June Atkinson, 2005-Present

[edit] Notes

In a confusing series of events, Governor Tod R. Caldwell appointed James Reid as Superintendent in late 1872, despite the fact that Alexander McIver had not vacated the office (Caldwell had appointed McIver after Ashley resigned). Reid apparently never took office, but then Caldwell appointed Kemp P. Battle Superintendent. Battle took the oath of office on January 15, 1873. McIver sued and the North Carolina Supreme Court found in favor of McIver, saying he was entitled to remain in office until the next general election (1874).

Note: Rev.James Reid (1795-1872) was elected, not appointed, in the statewide elections of 1872 but died November 8, 1872 before he could take office.