“When I took office as State Superintendent, I embarked on a statewide listening tour to hear directly from educators, parents, and community and business leaders. Now I am able to focus on priorities highlighted by teachers from Murphy to Manteo. I believe appreciating teachers means listening to their concerns and working to support them” – … Continue reading The Part Of The “Listening Tour” The State Superintendent Refused to Attend

One would hope that the current General Assembly is a little scared of us public school teachers and our supporters. Look what happened today: And they should be very concerned; aside from the Women's March of 2017, this might have been the largest demonstration on the NCGA in history. What had originally looked like an … Continue reading Mark November 6 As A Day To March And Rally For Our Schools – At The Ballot Box

The powers that rule in the North Carolina General Assembly have been waging a war against public schools in our state for the last four years. Under the guise of “reform,” GOP conservatives driven by ALEC-crafted policies have successfully enabled and instituted privatization efforts in many forms: unregulated charter school development, expansive growth of unproven … Continue reading Rep. Tim Moore and the North Carolina General Assembly’s Quest to Make Veteran Teachers Extinct

I believe Rodney Ellis would be proud of us. While it has been over a year and a half since we lost this leader, father, and tireless public school advocate, there is still his unmistakable presence among us here in North Carolina. Think of all that has occurred in past few years with the continued … Continue reading Remembering Rodney Ellis – He Would Be Fighting For Public Schools in Raleigh on May 16th

There are no “silver bullets” or “magic pills” when it comes to changing a school. There is no one thing that can be done, no standard blueprint, no Harry Potter spell that can be executed that will make a struggling school turn its fortune around overnight. Rather, transforming schools is a process – one that … Continue reading Human Capital: People Make Schools Work – Ask the NCGA to Invest in Them (Reason #34 To March For Students & Rally for Respect On May 16th)

(1) General and uniform system: term. The General Assembly shall provide by taxation and otherwise for a general and uniform system of free public schools, which shall be maintained at least nine months in every year, and wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students.  – NC State Constitution. There is one thing that the … Continue reading Combating The NCGA’s Fear Of A Well-Educated General Public – Reason #33 To March For Students & Rally for Respect On May 16th

Memes- a new best friend. And the movie 300 - spray-painted abs and the best collection of one-syllable words in one movie.  

“Less than stellar.” That’s what State Superintendent Mark Johnson said about his January 2018 comments concerning teacher pay in rural counties. It’s one of the first times that he has been correct in gauging his performance as the top public school official in the state. But in truth, Johnson’s entire tenure as state superintendent has … Continue reading The “Less Than Stellar” Comments About Teacher Pay From the State Superintendent – Another Reason to March For Students & Rally for Respect On May 16th

Rally (noun) – 1a : a mustering of scattered forces to renew an effort 2: a mass meeting intended to arouse group enthusiasm (merriam-webster.com) It is the right of every American to come together and peacefully speak out for an issue. What someone rallies for speaks for their interests and values. When a lawmaker or an elected official attends a … Continue reading When Your State Superintendent Won’t “Rally” For Public Schools – Reason #31 To March For Students & Rally for Respect On May 16th