From Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary: Definition of special : distinguished by some unusual quality; especially : being in some way superior : held in particular esteem a : readily distinguishable from others of the same category : uniquethey set it apart as b : of, relating to, or constituting a species : specific : being other than the usual : additional, extra : designed for a particular purpose or … Continue reading What Should Really Be “Special” in North Carolina
“May the Good Lord be With You Down Every Road You Roam” – Rod Stewart And Being An Advocate
Not going to lie, I do like many a Rod Stewart song. But now I really think a lot of Rod Stewart as a person. Just take a look. http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/27/health/rod-stewart-disabled-kids/index.html (CNN)Three weeks ago, a group of children with disabilities and their parents chartered a bus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and headed to Washington to protest … Continue reading “May the Good Lord be With You Down Every Road You Roam” – Rod Stewart And Being An Advocate
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
A Letter to Secretary DeVos from a Special Normal Public School Student
Malcolm will be thrilled with this! Thanks.
Stuart Egan teaches high school in North Carolina. His son Malcolm was born with Down Syndrome. He is in third grade in public school and is thriving. Stuart helped Malcolm compose this letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos. Malcolm wonders if she cares about kids like him.
The letter starts like this:
“Dear Secretary DeVos,
“My name is Malcolm and I just finished third-grade in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system. I have vibrant red-hair and blue eyes like my mom, wear cool glasses, have a wicked follow through on my jump shot, and am quite the dancer. My dad also wears glasses, but he does not dance very well nor has much hair. My sister is in high school. She is very smart and she helps me with my homework.
“I also have an extra chromosome because of a condition called Trisomy 21. You may know it as Down Syndrome. It…
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caffeinated rage 