So last year Mark Johnson bought 24,000 iPads with Read to Achieve money that was just laying around. From WRAL.com last August: Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson announced the plan Tuesday morning, holding up an iPad for the media, the governor and other members of North Carolina's Council of State. Johnson's office put the … Continue reading Dear Mark Johnson, How Many Damn iPads Did You Get?

1. Opportunity Grants (Vouchers) - There has never been any empirical evidence that the vouchers actually work. Maybe voucher proponents would like to point to NC State’s study last year, but that study ultimately did not make conclusions on the veracity of the vouchers. In fact, it said that the Opportunity Grants need much more research … Continue reading These Ten Educational “Reforms” In North Carolina Have Intentionally Hurt Our Public Schools

When Mark Johnson announced that he wanted to use ClassWallet last spring to “allow” teachers to “control” their supply purchases and give a private company the power and money to track those purchases without local LEA oversight, he was met with great resistance from teachers and educational leaders. He deserved it. When Mark Johnson announced … Continue reading Remember That Mark Johnson Listened To One Lobbyist Over An Entire Profession – Looking at ClassWallet and iStation

A recent Facebook post from the baseball coach at the school where I teach strikes many nerves. 😡If kids/people only knew how much time, work, sweat, and money went into taking care of our fields and facilities then this wouldn’t happen. These are just some of the pictures of the actual damage done. They also … Continue reading No School Should Ever Be Vandalized – Not Mine. Not Yours.

Consider this – a corporate attorney who taught for two school years through a program that historically does not place many long term teachers into the public schools and who did not complete a full term as a school board member was elected in the most contentious election year in recent memory to become state … Continue reading The Head of DPI is Not Mark Johnson – He’s Just the Most Enabled Man in Raleigh

Legisplaining - (n.) informal - the explanation of a serious social issue typically to voters in a manner that is condescending or belittling. Eduspeak - (n) informal - terms about education specifically used by people in education but sometimes used by those who have power to legislate educational budgets. What happens when a lawmaker who … Continue reading “Legisplaining in Eduspeak” –

It is perfectly lawful to donate to a political campaign, and with the Citizens United case decision from the Supreme Court a few years back, it is now lawful for corporations to donate money through political action committees (PACs) and Super PACs. However, while it is lawful, it doesn’t mean that some interesting ethical questions … Continue reading There Was Another Hearing Yesterday, So Let’s Revisit The Political Contributions Among Those Involved With The iStation Contract

Doughnuts Glossy Flyers Mass Emails #NC2030 Photo ops iPads iStation ncsuperintendent.com Hurricanes Audit & Reorg Jeb Bush School Report Cards Virtual Charters ISD Read to Achieve You Tube Videos "I am also a lawyer" TeachNC Private Dinner For Big Announcements ClassWallet

An interesting exchange apparently occurred today in the State Board of Education meeting between state board members and state superintendent Mark Johnson concerning the gifting of 100 iPads to a high school teacher in Greenville. He said that the "teacher reached out to him & that others can too." Mr. Johnson, teachers have reached out. … Continue reading Mark Johnson Tells Us We Can “Reach Out To Him” For Teacher Needs. I Need A New State Superintendent.

From June of 2016 concerning the Achievement School District, now the Innovative School District (ISD): “They will make great growth,” declared (Sen. Jerry) Tillman. “That’s a fact.” Below are screenshots from the very recently given report on the ISD's performance in year one of its control over one school with less than 220 students. Remember that … Continue reading The Innovative School District Just Presented Its Year One Evaluation. It’s Not Good.