A little over two years ago, an extended editorial appeared in newspapers across North Carolina concerning public education. I happened to read it in the Winston-Salem Journal. It was written by Walter McDowell, a board member of BEST NC. McDowell, a former executive with Wachovia, talked of the dire need to transform education in North Carolina. … Continue reading North Carolina Should Not Allow the ACT to Have This Much Power Over Our Schools
Public Education
I Will Never Carry a Gun in School But Will “Ready” Myself With Voter Registration
I will never carry a gun in school as a teacher. If I am asked to do so, I will refuse. If I am required to do so, I will not be teaching any longer. That does not mean I would not in any way shape or form try and defend a student from harm. … Continue reading I Will Never Carry a Gun in School But Will “Ready” Myself With Voter Registration
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Censorship and the Fear of Free Thought – Dropping Great Books From Curriculum
When Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451, he was living in a time of the rising Cold War and the end of Nazism. The novel is a futuristic look (in 1950) into what society might be like if reading books were banned by the government. Firemen, who were the government workers who burned rogue books, would use … Continue reading Censorship and the Fear of Free Thought – Dropping Great Books From Curriculum
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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
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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
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“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
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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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“Snowbirding” on the Court of the Class Size Fix
When a player on a basketball court refuses to go and play defense and only wants easy passes for wide open shots to pad their stat sheet, that player is "snowbirding." Rather than doing the heavy lifting, playing hard to make a stop and secure the rebound, this player raises his hands, yells for the … Continue reading “Snowbirding” on the Court of the Class Size Fix
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HB90 Shows That NC’s Public School Children Are Political Pawns
News today that a "fix" for the class size mandate was "agreed" upon by both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly should seem like a welcome outcome. On the surface, it is a victory for parents, advocates, and schools in that the mandate will be pushed back for a while and some extra funding … Continue reading HB90 Shows That NC’s Public School Children Are Political Pawns
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“Less Than Stellar” – The State Superintendent Is Right
“Less than stellar.” That’s what State Superintendent Mark Johnson said about his recent 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 been … Continue reading “Less Than Stellar” – The State Superintendent Is Right
caffeinated rage 