... even the bare minimum of respect for the teaching profession for those who have been teachers or would ever want to be teachers to feel valued inside of a North Carolina classroom. And that lack of respect comes from the top which is ironic when it comes to the ideology of those in power … Continue reading There Really Is No Teacher Shortage. There’s A Shortage Of…

One of the better political cartoons in the past few years that still pertains to today’s political environment came from Dennis Draughon at Capitol Broadcasting in the fall of 2019 around Thanksgiving. It represented a Thanksgiving dinner where teachers and schools are sitting at a smaller table waiting to see what they will be given … 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

There is a reason why we read serious works of literature. And others can say why much better than I can. “I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson “We read to know we are not alone.”— William Nicholson (often … Continue reading A Reading Assignment For Every Politician (But Not Every Politician Is A Reader)

According to the last annual NEA Report on Educator Pay in 2024: And here is what is reported for NC. $13,000 below the national average is terrible to begin with and average increases are lower than the nation as well. And that $56,559 figure is still a grossly manufactured statistic. One operative word here is … Continue reading The Average NC Teacher Salary Is $56,559? Here’s Why That’s Shameful And Still Grossly Misleading.

Ah, what? Will Doran's report for WRAL.com highlights a bill that would sink lots of money from the pension fund for NC public employees into cryptocurrency. House Bill 92 would affect any teacher's pension if the state treasurer is given the power to "invest these funds" into digital assets. In fact, it would affect a … Continue reading Want Your State Pension To Be Dependent On Cryptocurrency Funds?

A teacher with 24 years of experience makes the same salary as a teacher with 15 years of experience. North Carolina has had record budget surpluses but refuses to acknowledge the LEANDRO decision that emphatically states that NC has failed to fully fund our public school system for decades. Teachers fill out a working conditions … Continue reading North Carolina Is The Most Cruelly Ironic State When It Comes To Public Education

Consider that North Carolina has routinely for the last ten-plus years ranked at the bottom of states in the country at funding its public schools. And then consider how much money has been steered into unregulated private school vouchers here in North Carolina, how much corporate taxes have been lowered over the last decade, and … Continue reading Funding NC’s Public Schools: Attendance Vs. Enrollment

The supposed need for North Carolina's voucher program has officially done a 180-degree turn. When first introduced, the voucher system was as described by then-called NC Policy Watch as such: In 2014, Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood ruled that the Opportunity Grants were unconstitutional. In 2015, that ruling was reversed supposedly upholding a lifeline for … Continue reading From Helping Low-Income Minority Students To Giving Wealthy White Families A Tax Break: NC’s Voucher Program

Justin Parmenter's recent post about health care premiums for teachers sums it all up. Parmenter refers to a recent Charlotte Observer piece. So, when glittering bills like this are introduced... ... it shouldn't really say "raise" as much as admit that it may not even cover a "cost of living adjustment" (COLA).

Let's temper this a second. Yes, a bill was introduced in the NC General Assembly by State Representative Erin Paré, R-Wake which would raise the beginning pay for a new teacher to $50,000 a year. The most experienced teachers would also see a raise of over $12,000. Another aspect of this bill is the reinstatement … Continue reading Big Raises For NC Teachers? Mmmm.