With all of the talk about the rather misnamed "Parents' Bill of Rights" legislation being rushed in the NC General Assembly, it seems obvious that the aim of those in Raleigh is to weaken public education even further. To have a bill that literally says "to enumerate the rights of parents to DIRECT THE UPBRINGING, … Continue reading Actually, NC Needs A Students’ Bill Of Rights.
They Want to Gerrymander The State Board Of Education
One might think that allowing voters to decide who serves on the NC State Board of Education would be good and democratic. As of right now members are appointed to represent different parts of the state (as well as those Council of State members automatically included on the state board. But while voters might get … Continue reading They Want to Gerrymander The State Board Of Education
Thou Shall Not Lie! NC Is 48th – Not 10th.
Thou shall not bear false witness about how the NC General Assembly funds its public school system. Especially when you are a seven-term state representative who has been a part of the damaging group of lawmakers who have attacked public education this last decade. And he's a minister on top of that. In the video … Continue reading Thou Shall Not Lie! NC Is 48th – Not 10th.
Remember Longevity Pay? It’s Now Over Eight Years That Teachers Have Been Denied.
As August approaches, teachers will begin a new school year and their “step” will increase by another year. That “step” is the number of years served in schools. Not long ago, teachers who served the state for at least ten years would receive what was called “longevity” pay as part of their commitment to public … Continue reading Remember Longevity Pay? It’s Now Over Eight Years That Teachers Have Been Denied.
Parents Don’t Need A “Bill Of Rights” – Parents Already Control Public Education In NC (Some Are Just Louder Than Others)
In major political cycles, it is a strong bet that most of the signs that I will see on the sides of roads and in yards will pertain to who is running for the local school board. In my school system, all seats are up for grabs every four years. They are elected by those … Continue reading Parents Don’t Need A “Bill Of Rights” – Parents Already Control Public Education In NC (Some Are Just Louder Than Others)
“Ratting Out” Transgender Students To Parents Should Never Be Part Of A Teacher’s Job
Below is a screenshot from the statutes of the General Assembly concerning the “duties” of teachers. They include a variety of “duties,” some more defined than others: discipline, “teaching,” reporting, provide for well-being, medical care, keep order, etc. Now throw in some other factors and variables that have a direct effect on those “duties” like … Continue reading “Ratting Out” Transgender Students To Parents Should Never Be Part Of A Teacher’s Job
Where Has The Money Already Budgeted For Vacant Teacher Positions In NC Been Going For The Last 18 Months?
According to TeachNC on November 3rd of LAST school year (2021-2022), there were over 8500 vacancies in North Carolina for classroom teachers ALONE. In all, there were over 23,600 vacancies. Just looking at those teacher vacancies – the average salary of a teacher in NC is right around $55,000 a year (according to the report from … Continue reading Where Has The Money Already Budgeted For Vacant Teacher Positions In NC Been Going For The Last 18 Months?
Before We Challenge Books, We Should Be Challenged By Them – In Defense of Being Uncomfortable And What Toni Morrison Taught Me
Toni Morrison passed just a little over three years ago. She was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature and what she did (and still does) for this white, upper middle class male teacher is something that I will always value as a life-long student: she made me understand that I … Continue reading Before We Challenge Books, We Should Be Challenged By Them – In Defense of Being Uncomfortable And What Toni Morrison Taught Me
Ever Read “The Handmaid’s Tale”? Well, There’s A Gilead To The South In Its Public Schools
The last few years have proven that the Read to Achieve initiative championed by Phil Berger has failed to do what it was promoted to do. Kris Nordstrom summed it up best from a report in January of 2019. In October, researchers from NC State’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation helped to confirm what many educational … Continue reading Ever Read “The Handmaid’s Tale”? Well, There’s A Gilead To The South In Its Public Schools
Our School Systems Need Calendar Flexibility
Calendar flexibility is an issue that received much more attention in this last school year, and for good reasons. By 2017, North Carolina was one of only one of 14 states that had state laws that governed school calendars. The graphic below is from the Feb. 2017 Final Report to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee … Continue reading Our School Systems Need Calendar Flexibility
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