My grandmother graduated from high school right after the end of WWII. My mother graduated from high school in the late 1960’s. I graduated from high school in the 1980’s, and thirty years later I am watching another class graduate from the public high where I am about finish my 20th year of teaching.   And … Continue reading The “Back When I Was In School” Fallacy – When Lawmakers Claim That Our Schools Are Getting Worse

Say in 2008, a school district had 1000 students in its school system and spent 10 million dollars in its budget to educate them. That’s a 10,000 per pupil expenditure. Now in 2018, that same district has 1500 students and the school system is spending 11.5 million to educate them. That district is spending more … Continue reading When a North Carolina Lawmaker Says, “Well, We Are Spending More on Education Than Ever Before,” Then Tell Him About This

Veteran teachers openly discuss, study, and collaborate. And they fight for public schools. The powers that rule in the North Carolina General Assembly have been waging a war against public schools in our state for the last six years. Under the guise of “reform,” GOP conservatives driven by ALEC-crafted policies have successfully enabled and instituted … Continue reading The North Carolina General Assembly’s Absolute Fear of the Veteran Public School Teacher

From the North Carolina Essential Standards Social Studies –American History: The Founding Principles, Civics and Economics Course: The Civics and Government strand is framed to develop students’ increased understanding of the institutions of constitutional democracy and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded, the skills necessary to participate as effective and responsible citizens and the … Continue reading The Civics Lesson the NCGA Should Remember – It’s In the Textbooks They Won’t Supply Schools

Today, Rep. Nelson Dollar - (R) Wake - delivered a statement that will be heard for months - the next six months hopefully. The rumor out of West Jones Street is that the NCGA GOP super-majority will enact a parliamentary procedure that will allow them to not only write a budget behind closed doors, but … Continue reading Berger and Moore Go Nuclear – The Fear Of Teachers

News today that Sen. Phil Berger and Rep. Tim Moore might be considering a maneuver to ramrod their budget through the NC General Assembly without any debate or chance for amendment is not surprising. “According to top Democrats who spoke to Policy Watch this week, that may be because Republican lawmakers are considering a maneuver … Continue reading Dear District 30, Every Public School in NC Needs You To Elect Jen Mangrum to the NC General Assembly

When Phil Berger and Tim Moore held a press conference in which they feigned surprise and indignation at the thought that teachers would even consider rallying on May 16th, it was rather apparent that it was a scripted endeavor. From WFMY.com: During the conference, the two said, "Republicans in the General Assembly made a promise … Continue reading The Long, Deliberate, Slow Surgical Cut into North Carolina’s Public Education System

News today that Sen. Phil Berger and Rep. Tim Moore might be considering a maneuver to ramrod their budget through the NC General Assembly without any debate or chance for amendment is not surprising. "According to top Democrats who spoke to Policy Watch this week, that may be because Republican lawmakers are considering a maneuver … Continue reading Dear Guilford and Rockingham Counties, Every Public School in NC Needs You To Elect Jen Mangrum to the NC General Assembly