Month: August 2016

Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School

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Receiving constructive and unconstructive criticism is an inescapable reality when one writes a blog or puts out opinion pieces about public education in various media. But whether that feedback is presented as an argument to inquire, assert, or demean, it does further the conversation. In many instances it exposes the many myths concerning public education. … Continue reading Public Schools Aren’t Businesses – Don’t Believe Me? Try Running a Business as a Public School

First Day Back to School, 2016 – Day 3,961 – An Open Letter to Teachers

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Tomorrow begins my 12th year at my current school, the Home of the Titans. Tomorrow begins my 19th year of teaching - three schools so far. Tomorrow is my 3,961st day in high school as a student and teacher. That does not include my stint as a student teacher. Ironically, that number is much higher … Continue reading First Day Back to School, 2016 – Day 3,961 – An Open Letter to Teachers

What is a Turd’oeuvre? Well It Has Something to do With A Plagiarized Letter To The Editor

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Caution: I cuss in this one. Not too bad, but it might offend your olfactory nerves. I was fortunate to have an op-ed printed in the Winston-Salem Journal entitled “About those teacher slaries and raises…” - http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/stuart-egan-about-those-teacher-salaries-and-raises/article_556420c9-9f7e-5a7b-a7d6-35b8a91e484d.html. Ironically, in the same edition of the paper (August 26th) there was a Letter to the Editor from … Continue reading What is a Turd’oeuvre? Well It Has Something to do With A Plagiarized Letter To The Editor

UnLOCKEing the John Locke Foundation, Part 6 – Using a Lot of Words to Say Not a Lot

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The latest op-ed by Dr. Terry Stoops on EdNC.org entitled “Enrollment changes have consequences” is another successful endeavor in glossing over the real issues that face public education in North Carolina. You may read it here - https://www.ednc.org/2016/08/22/enrollment-changes-consequences/. And after you read it, ask yourself, “What was that about?” I have yet to see the … Continue reading UnLOCKEing the John Locke Foundation, Part 6 – Using a Lot of Words to Say Not a Lot

How John Oliver’s Segment On Charter Schools Speaks to North Carolina

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If you have any interest in why the charter school industry has been under the spotlight in this election year in North Carolina, you might want to check out a segment from the August 22, 2016 episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. If you have HBO GO then you can watch all the … Continue reading How John Oliver’s Segment On Charter Schools Speaks to North Carolina

That Email Dallas Woodhouse Sent to NC Boards of Elections Was Not The Best of Moves

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When you want to do something surreptitiously, it’s probably best not to email your intentions for others to see and forward to the press. It’s like hiding that “Peace Frog” tattoo you got on your lower back when you and your fraternity brothers got really drunk one night, but you still went to work without … Continue reading That Email Dallas Woodhouse Sent to NC Boards of Elections Was Not The Best of Moves

North Carolina Teacher to Legislators: I Don’t Want Your Bonus!

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Thanks to Dr. Ravitch and EdNC.org.

Diane Ravitch's blog

Stuart Egan, National Board Certified Teacher in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, learned that he was entitled to a bonus of $2,000 for the students in his AP classes who passed their exams. He doesn’t want the money. He needs the money, but he won’t take it. After taxes, he will donate it to his school, which is under-resourced, like many in the state. In this post, he explains why.

Behind the bonus, he writes, is a lack of respect for all public school teachers.

Here are three good reasons he doesn’t want the bonus:

1. I do not need a carrot stick. If getting a bonus to get students to perform better really works, then this should have been done a long time ago. But it does not. I do not perform better because of a bonus. I am not selling anything. I would like my students and parents to think…

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Musings With Malcolm #7 – Grocery Stores and Coffee Bars

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The little man and I have this routine every week. We do the main trip to the grocery store, specifically Lowe’s Foods on Robinhood. Now Malcolm doesn’t go to compare prices or squeeze avocadoes to determine ripeness or thump watermelons to see which are ready to eat. He goes for the socializing. All right, let’s … Continue reading Musings With Malcolm #7 – Grocery Stores and Coffee Bars