One of the better political cartoons in recent weeks came from Dennis Draughon at Capitol Broadcasting. It represents the Thanksgiving dinner where teachers and schools are sitting at a smaller table waiting to see what they will be given after everything is carved out for corporations and political interests. Sen. Phil Berger throws a wishbone … Continue reading Before Someone Claims That “We Will Have To Raise Taxes On People To Fully Fund NC Schools,” Tell Him To Consider These Measures First

Not many high school teams get to host a Friday Night football game after Thanksgiving, and that's what makes today a special one. West Forsyth gets to "Protect the Village" again tonight in a quarterfinal matchup. https://twitter.com/i/status/1198011409960984576 #PROTECTTHEVILLAGE has become this year's mantra. If you didn't know, West Forsyth is one of the few schools … Continue reading “Protect The Village” – There Is No Better Place To Spend A Friday Night

Officially, the gray squirrel is the official state mammal of the Old North State. And as ubiquitous its presence is in our state, there is an animal that seems to be more revered by lawmakers in Raleigh - at least concerning the terrain of education. It's the "average bear." These animals roam freely in the … Continue reading How The “Average” Bear Became The Unofficial State Mammal Of North Carolina (At Least For The NCGA)

“The study points to well-organized teachers’ unions as being the important defender of education spending. Since education is the biggest part of state’s budget, it’s the easiest place to cut during a recession. We’re not saying that these states have bad intentions, we’re saying that if advocacy from the group that’s directly impacted by those … Continue reading “Study shows strong teachers’ unions preserve education spending” – One Reason Berger And Moore Fear NCAE

The English language as we speak it has eight parts of speech. Can you name them? Hint: they are nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. If you younger than 40, you might want to google School House Rock or maybe go to You Tube. School House Rock probably taught me more about … Continue reading School House Rock and The Parts of Speech – How the NCGA Taught Us About Prepositions In Their Actions AGAINST Public Schools

“Our schools of education are designed by white women for white women,” Horn said. “… We need to reach down into our high schools, no, we need to reach down into our middle and elementary schools, and promote the career of education.” - Rep. Craig Horn on November 22, 2019. “At this point, I’m planning … Continue reading Go Ahead, Rep. Craig Horn – Run For State Superintendent. Then Maybe You Can Explain Your Voting Record.

"Too often in education, leaders don't ask teachers what they think before the leaders design new education initiatives." - Mark Johnson in a video announcement on November 25, 2019.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGQLRQjT3p4&feature=youtu.be That remark came at the 37-second mark of the video tagged above. No truer words have been said - except Mark Johnson forgot to tell … Continue reading “Leaders don’t ask teachers what they think” – Mark Johnson Is Actually Right, But…

Almost five years ago, Sen, David Curtis delivered a rather uneducated response to a letter from a young teacher in which he outlined a close-minded viewpoint of the teaching profession. Needless to say, it garnered quite a response from teachers around the state. Other public education critics have gone out of their way to express … Continue reading Dear North Carolina Lawmaker, Exactly What is the Job Description of a Public School Teacher?

The way that NCGA leaders (primarily Sen. Phil Berger) have spun the narrative of advanced degree pay, longevity pay, and local supplements is more than disgraceful. It’s flat-out egregious. The GOP-led NC legislature decided in 2013 to end graduate degree pay bumps for new teachers entering the teaching profession. This is what Phil Berger said … Continue reading Advanced Degree Pay, Longevity Pay, and Local Supplements: What’s Really Happening Under Berger’s Watch

Simply put, there is really no positive thing that Lt. Gov. Dan Forest has done for North Carolina public education. He may tout "hooking" up all schools with high-speed internet, but then he will not stop that from being an avenue for replacing teachers with computerized instruction. He may tout "school choice," but his record … Continue reading DAN Can’t See The FOREST For The Trees – The Lt. Gov. Intentionally Looking At Public Education With Blinders On