One of the better political cartoons printed in the past week dealt with North Carolina’s education system – specifically the new bill that will bring more of the “science of reading” into the schools.

It’s from Dennis Draughon, Capitol Broadcasting’s editorial cartoonist.

Can’t say that I have seen our new state super in cartoon form, but Sen. Phil Berger’s depiction as a scruffy bearded school boy in t-shirt and shorts listening to Gov. Cooper during a lesson is humorous.

It brings out what is really at the root of the what ails public education here in North Carolina: funding.

That respelling of Leandro highlights the fact that nothing with this new initiaive with the “science of reading” being implemented can be successful unless we as a state start adequately funding our public schools.

“Today’s Math Assignment” is apropos as well considering that we are approaching budget season.

Here are some of the very things that those two “students” in the cartoon above could learn from that Lē-ˈan-(ˌ)drō Ri-ˈpȯrt.

These 12 data exhibits help to summarize some of those issues as far as the effects of poverty on school systems, lower numbers of teacher candidates, attrition levels, per-pupil expenditures, and how it is hard to compare NC to other states in how it funds its schools.

AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC!