Dear Secretary DeVos, I wanted to write you a small note to thank you for what you have done in your capacity as U.S. Secretary of Education, but not for the reasons that you might think. It is not because of your zealous crusade to expand vouchers at the expense of traditional public schools to … Continue reading A Very Serious Thank You Letter to Betsy DeVos
Public Education
Trying to Own What Is Not Yours – BEST NC, Shamrock Gardens Elementary, and Opportunity Culture
When it pertains to academics, it is not a good practice to not cite sources or to claim credit for ideas and concepts that are not yours. The same applies to the business world especially when it is relates to a business consortium talking about academics. Simply put, Brenda Berg and BEST NC attempted to … Continue reading Trying to Own What Is Not Yours – BEST NC, Shamrock Gardens Elementary, and Opportunity Culture
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Being a Teacher Who Lives With a “Special -Needs” Child
I am the proud parent of a child. Actually, two children. One is a highly intelligent and academically driven young lady who looks like her mother. The other one is what some in the educational field might call “special.” He looks like his mother as well. Specifically, that child has Down Syndrome and needs … Continue reading Being a Teacher Who Lives With a “Special -Needs” Child
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The Total Soulless Educational Eclipse of 2017
On August 21, 2017 parts of western North Carolina will be subject to a total solar eclipse. Other parts of the state will certainly witness the once in a lifetime event. Ironically, most people affected by the eclipse will be in rural areas. On July 25, 2017 all of North Carolina became subject to another … Continue reading The Total Soulless Educational Eclipse of 2017
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Budget Cuts to DPI – A Case for Laying Off Mark Johnson
“I don’t think anybody’s going to like the cuts we make, because they’ll have to be in the area of services to the districts,” State Board of Education Chairman Bill Cobey. No truer words have been spoken. Mr. Cobey’s words are in reference to the $3.2 million dollar cuts that are part of the North … Continue reading Budget Cuts to DPI – A Case for Laying Off Mark Johnson
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Actually, School Starts In One Week
Sure. Most people here in North Carolina might think of the beginning of the school year as being closer to the end of August, but it actually begins much earlier. Well before students will begin roaming the halls to re-acclimate themselves to a bell schedule, teachers will report to school for "pre-planning," which is a … Continue reading Actually, School Starts In One Week
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About That BEST NC Perspective on Shamrock Gardens Elementary – It Was the Community, Not the Model
This past week, BestNC’s president and CEO Brenda Berg published an op-ed on EdNC.org focusing on Charlotte’s Shamrock Gardens Elementary School and its success at transforming itself into a school where all teachers are high-performing and student proficiency has risen “by 15 points – from 42% to 57% – an achievement reached by fewer than … Continue reading About That BEST NC Perspective on Shamrock Gardens Elementary – It Was the Community, Not the Model
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SB599 on Steroids – The Fast Tracking of DeVos and Johnson
This past month, I wrote about SB599 in a post called The Stench of SB599. In it I stated, “The overall premise of this bill is to ensure that we have a proper teacher pipeline going into the schools.” - Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, R- Wilkes, in response to questions about SB599 on House floor in … Continue reading SB599 on Steroids – The Fast Tracking of DeVos and Johnson
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Betsy DeVos and Mark Johnson – Social Vegans in a Job For Omnivores
I came across this picture of a restaurant’s sign located in Texas, and while I am not in any way trying to criticize people’s dietary choices, I did have to chuckle. God knows anyone who knows me knows the dietary adventures that I have had in my life. But what this sign is saying … Continue reading Betsy DeVos and Mark Johnson – Social Vegans in a Job For Omnivores
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The Best Spirit Wear You Can Own Comes From Your Local High School
Sometimes you can get a glimpse of the culture of a school by the amount of garb students, faculty, and community members wear that dons the name, mascot, or colors of the local high school. At my school, they call it "West Wear." And I have a closet full of it much to my wife's … Continue reading The Best Spirit Wear You Can Own Comes From Your Local High School
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