North Carolina court stops order to spend $1.7B on education

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina appeals court has blocked enforcement of parts of a trial judge’s order that demanded $1.7 billion be spent by state agencies to address public education inequities. The majority on a three-judge panel hearing a request by the state controller agreed Tuesday that Superior Court Judge David Lee crossed the line by appropriating money. The ruling could be appealed. Lee has said he believed he had the authority from the state constitution and the Supreme Court to act. This is the latest chapter in longstanding school funding litigation known as “Leandro.”