Remember when teachers in North Carolina received an extended deadline to complete the NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey for the Department of Public Instruction. The state was somewhere at 90% of teachers completing it at the beginning of April. State Superintendent Mark Johnson wanted at least 95%. It was to be a badge of honor … Continue reading Something’s Still Wrong With North Carolina DPI’s Teacher Working Conditions Survey
Author: caffeinatedrage
Some Are More Equal Than Others – The Orwellian “Animal Farm” on West Jones Street
Art imitates life. It's one of the reasons why teaching great works of literature is vital in a high school education. One title that is read and taught in many high school English I classes in North Carolina is Animal Farm. Animal Farm is an allegorical fable that Eric Blair (George Orwell was his pen name) … Continue reading Some Are More Equal Than Others – The Orwellian “Animal Farm” on West Jones Street
Even Written in Cursive, What the NCGA is Trying to Do With Public Education is Bad
You may not recall, but back in 2013, there was a major push in the NCGA to require that schools teach cursive writing. From the erudite Lindsay Wagner, who worked for NC Policy Watch then: As reported in March, the House Education Committee is considering HB 146, Back to Basics, which would mandate mastery of cursive … Continue reading Even Written in Cursive, What the NCGA is Trying to Do With Public Education is Bad
Congratulations North Carolina General Assembly – By Passing HB514, You Just Set Our State Back Decades
Just A few minutes ago, the House in the NCGA just voted to approve the Municipal Charter School bill 64-53. And because it is a local bill, it does not require the governor's approval. This is beyond egregious and potentially sets North Carolina back decades as far as treating all people equally. It exacerbates an … Continue reading Congratulations North Carolina General Assembly – By Passing HB514, You Just Set Our State Back Decades
The First Movie I Will Show Next School Year: “A Confederacy of Redundancies” – To Be Filmed This Summer
If you have never read the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, then do yourself a favor and get a copy. It’s exquisite. It’s about an out-of-shape anti-hero who sells hot dogs and frets over a supposed heart-condition in New Orleans who is courting a radical gal from New York and ultimately survives a parrot … Continue reading The First Movie I Will Show Next School Year: “A Confederacy of Redundancies” – To Be Filmed This Summer
The North Carolina General Assembly Should Pass HB 1051 – Restore Master’s Supplement for Teachers
The GOP-led NC legislature’s 2013 decision to end graduate degree pay bumps for new teachers entering the teaching profession was not only misguided, but another wave in the assault on public education here in the Old North State. I confess there exist numerous studies that have shown that advanced degrees do not correlate with higher … Continue reading The North Carolina General Assembly Should Pass HB 1051 – Restore Master’s Supplement for Teachers
Public Education is a Common Good, Not a Consumer Good
Early in the fall of 2016, I was asked to do a panel discussion on public education at UNC-Charlotte with a variety of other stakeholders in the state. There were teachers, social activists, think tank reps, and a couple of advocacy groups. At one point in the conversation, a representative from a well-known libertarian think … Continue reading Public Education is a Common Good, Not a Consumer Good
About That NC State Study on NC’s Voucher Program – It’s Paid For Propaganda
A June 2nd report in the News & Observer by Ned Barnett entitled “Three out of four N.C. voucher schools fail on curriculum” highlighted the findings of the NC Chapter of the League of Women Voters on the state’s voucher program. It states, Fundamentalist Christian schools are receiving most of the money from North Carolina's … Continue reading About That NC State Study on NC’s Voucher Program – It’s Paid For Propaganda
Where Is State Superintendent Mark Johnson? When Silence Becomes Complicity
In the past week, North Carolinians have seen a budget that pays nothing more than lip service and give some crumbs to public education in a budget process kept out of debate and amendments. They have seen one bill propose to log any video shown by a teacher in a classroom to be kept in … Continue reading Where Is State Superintendent Mark Johnson? When Silence Becomes Complicity
North Carolina’s New State Bird and State Fish – The Ravenous Lame Duck and the Red Herring
North Carolina has the dogwood as the state flower, the cardinal as the state bird, the plott hound as the state dog, the Fraser Fir as the state Christmas tree, and the emerald as the state gem. We also have the channel bass (red drum) as the state fish. But a couple of those need to … Continue reading North Carolina’s New State Bird and State Fish – The Ravenous Lame Duck and the Red Herring
caffeinated rage 