It's June 19th. Juneteenth. On this day in 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas became the last to learn of the Emancipation Proclamation. I do not remember ever studying the origins of this day in high school. It took two years after Lincoln declared slavery in 1863 abolished for people in Texas to find out. Today … Continue reading It’s Juneteenth. Not A Day For…, But A Day For….

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in my native state of Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp and state school Superintendent Richard Woods are asking the federal government to waive the public school testing requirement for another school year. And there's more. Georgia will also look to not use a school grading system next year that is a little … Continue reading Georgia Just Did This For Its Schools. It’s Time The NCGA Did The Same For Ours.

Yesterday, the News & Observer ran a story on the return of temperature checks and other preventative measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the chambers of the NC General Assembly. Paul Coble, the legislative services officer, had stopped measures of screening in the past few days. He said that it cost a … Continue reading So, If It Costs This Much To “Protect” The NCGA, Imagine What Schools Need

Rep. Larry Pittman is no stranger to public school advocates and those who have been calling for changes in North Carolina about how we treat our citizens. Remember when he wanted to give teachers guns in schools? A North Carolina lawmaker says allowing teachers to bring guns to school would save lives in situations such … Continue reading Apparently, I Am A “Loser Communist Democratic Teacher Thug” – And I Want Rep. Larry Pittman To Be “Unelected” This November

This is the salary schedule that was in effect for teachers this past school year (2019-2020). Remember that teachers who entered the profession after 2014 no longer receive graduate degree pay increases (unless they were grandfathered in by actually being in a graduate program in 2014). Those same newer teachers will not get due-process rights … Continue reading Dear NC Lawmaker, Explain How This Salary Schedule Creates This All-Time High Average Teacher Salary

Today former Gov. Pat McCrory tweeted the following in response to the US Supreme Court's decision on LGBTQ rights. McCrory once studied to be a history teacher at Catawba College. It seems that he needs to look at his own history. Remember HB2? The bathroom bill? Does McCrory remember his signing it into law and … Continue reading What Former Gov. Pat McCrory Said Today About LGBTQ Rights

Many surveys have already been sent out to teachers, parents, and guardians about possible ways to open up schools this fall. Options across these surveys offer multiple scenarios and often take less than five minutes to complete. They are needed to a great extent... ... but are they really getting a sense of what really … Continue reading What If There Was A Teacher Working Conditions Survey About What Should Happen In The Fall?

On June 11th, the State Board of Education met to discuss guidelines for opening schools and vote on their adoption. Those guidelines were put together by state health experts. No one of the State Board of Education is a state health expert, especially Dan Forest. From NC Policy Watch's Greg Childress on June 12th: "Lt. … Continue reading The Dangerous Contradictions of Lt. Gov. Dan Forest’s ReOpening Schools “Plan”

Remember that teachers no longer receive longevity pay like other state employees. Remember that bonuses are not salary increases. They are usually one-time payments. Also remember that bonuses get taxed and that none of it can go toward retirement. Senate Bill 818, which was revised as late as yesterday, includes a one-time bonus of $350 … Continue reading The NCGA Wants To Give Teachers A “Bonus” – Here’s What They Could Do With It

There is no question that doing what we can as educators to help students with mental health is an important endeavor. In fact, caring for the mental and physical health of all of our students should be paramount. And a recent bill signed into law by Gov. Cooper tries to tackle mental health  issues and … Continue reading Another Unfunded Mandate From The State For Public Schools