Public Schools First NC (PSFNC.org), an organization that supports advocacy of public education in North Carolina, regularly sends out very informative factoids through social media that give texture to the landscape of the politics associated with public education. With the current recess of the General Assembly after its disastrous budget proposal for public education, it … Continue reading The NCGA’s Plan to Make School Performance Grades Fuel Voucher Expansion
Author: caffeinatedrage
Dear Rep. Pittman – As a Teacher, You Will Never Arm Me With a Gun in School
As a teacher, I cannot legally give a student an aspirin tablet. My high school has five counselors for over 2400 students. There is one part-time social worker. There is one school psychologist assigned to multiple schools at one time. A school nurse is on campus only one day a week. As a country we … Continue reading Dear Rep. Pittman – As a Teacher, You Will Never Arm Me With a Gun in School
Keeping It Partisan – Our State Superintendent
"And some of those tasked with making schools better are more focused on preserving tired partisan wedges rather than looking for innovative ways to provide more and better opportunities in rural communities." - Mark Johnson, February 7th in an op-ed he wrote entitled "What I meant about $35K teacher pay" in the News & Observer … Continue reading Keeping It Partisan – Our State Superintendent
The 32-Minute “Run” That Decided the Conference Championship
In sports, there are times when a team may go through a stretch in which it totally takes over the game, grabs the momentum, and seems to score in bunches either wiping out a deficit or increasing a lead. In football, we may call it scoring "unanswered" points. In baseball, it is putting together some … Continue reading The 32-Minute “Run” That Decided the Conference Championship
What Happens At Schools Should Teach Us All, Especially What Happened At Douglas High School
The mass shooting at Columbine High School occurred in 1999. It was my second year of teaching. It changed the American high school landscape. Procedures. Drills. Even the construction of classroom doors altered to be more resistant to break-ins. Furthermore, Columbine involved no gang members. It took place in an affluent area. The killers had planned to … Continue reading What Happens At Schools Should Teach Us All, Especially What Happened At Douglas High School
The Privatization of North Carolina’s Public Schools – A Who’s Who
Remember Michelle Rhee’s visit to North Carolina last year for a “closed-door” meeting (February 7th ,2017) with lawmakers brokered by an educational lobbying body of business leaders called BEST NC (coupled with the NC GOP’s invitation to Betsy DeVos who had just been confirmed as Trump’s secretary of education)? It was another ominous omen of … Continue reading The Privatization of North Carolina’s Public Schools – A Who’s Who
Remember Ladies, You’re The Titans
I imagine most of you have seen the movie Remember the Titans about a public school in Virginia the 1970’s being desegregated and how its football team became a vehicle for positive change. I watch it every chance I get. There’s a hopeless romantic still inside of me that likes a feel-good movie that actually is based … Continue reading Remember Ladies, You’re The Titans
“As Clear As The Setting Sun” – Sen. Phil Berger Should Not Be Re-elected
To be or not to be: that is the question. Whether to suffer under Berger more, Or elect someone who works for us all And not swim against a sea of troubles. If Shakespeare has taught us anything about human nature and our lives (actually he has taught us much), then we would certainly know … Continue reading “As Clear As The Setting Sun” – Sen. Phil Berger Should Not Be Re-elected
When a “Zero” Becomes a “50” And Other Miracles in Educational Reform
So, are you a glass is half- empty person or a glass is half-full person? It’s a generic question. I know. Preferably, I would like to be around a water source and not worry if I had enough to fill a glass and just drink my fill. But there is another way to never have … Continue reading When a “Zero” Becomes a “50” And Other Miracles in Educational Reform
When a North Carolina Lawmaker Says, “Well, We Are Spending More on Education Than Ever Before,” Then Consider This
Say in 2008, a school district had 1000 students in its school system and spent 10 million dollars in its budget to educate them. That’s a 10,000 per pupil expenditure. Now in 2017, that same district has 1500 students and the school system is spending 11.5 million to educate them. That district is spending more … Continue reading When a North Carolina Lawmaker Says, “Well, We Are Spending More on Education Than Ever Before,” Then Consider This
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