(RALEIGH) -- The North Carolina House took a major step toward allowing more charter schools throughout the state. Lawmakers tentatively approved legislation that would eliminate the current cap of 100 charters and allow up to 50 additional schools a year.

“This bill is about improving education for children by allowing parents of those children and the community where they propose additional charters to provide more choices because every child is not the same,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake. “Every child does not learn the same. We need more opportunities for children to learn and grow.”
 
Most Democrats argued that the legislation will create a dual system of public education that goes against the original intent of charter schools. Opponents also said the proposal would pull funding away from traditional schools while failing to require that charters provide the same services to all students.
 
“If we vote this bill as it exists, we sign the death warrant for the traditional public schools for the state of North Carolina,” said Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland. “We don’t improve public education, we demoralize it.”
 
Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, even suggested that the legislation had an element of ‘racism’ because it did not include diversity requirements for charter schools. ”To do that is really a slap in the face of every citizen in North Carolina, particularly in the minority community,” said Michaux. ”Because you know what they’re going to do is drain the cream of the crop from the public schools.”
 
However, Stam downplayed criticism of the bill. He argued that simply raising the cap on charter schools would not guarantee that schools would provide free and reduced lunch programs and transportation services to students within a 3-mile radius.
 
Democrats also took issue with the lack of floor debate, which only lasted about an hour. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, said he plans to only allow 30 minutes of debate before a final vote schedule for Monday.