Tom Hatch Discusses School Board Goals, Choice Programs, and Community Challenges

Welcome back to the Carolina Cabinet, Cumberland County’s smartest hour of talk radio! In this episode, Peter Pappas and co-host Laura Mussler sit down with Tom Hatch, a veteran educator with 32 years of experience in Cumberland County Schools—and now a candidate for an at-large seat on the school board. Together, they dig into the pressing challenges facing local education: declining public school enrollment, the unique struggles of middle schoolers, and the evolving landscape of choice programs. Tom Hatch shares insights from his long career as a teacher, principal, and administrator, discusses the ongoing debate over school vouchers, and weighs in on school safety, funding, and the critical need for school board members to stay connected with their district’s classrooms. Plus, the team debates what’s going right in public education—and what it will take to move Cumberland County Schools forward.