Vouchers

For Once I May Have Liked What Lt. Gov. Dan Forest Said – But Not For the Reasons He Would Like

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Lt. Gov. Dan Forest’s recent comments concerning “bridging the digital divide” at the “Advocacy Day for Making Rural School Districts a Priority” event were actually very heartening to hear – for more than one reason. If you have followed the North Carolina public school funding discussion, disparities between affluent metropolitan areas and economically depressed rural … Continue reading For Once I May Have Liked What Lt. Gov. Dan Forest Said – But Not For the Reasons He Would Like

About Betsy DeVos’s Op-Ed in USA Today

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Not only does she speak incoherently in confirmation hearings. Not only does she tweet her own platitudes. She now writes op-eds full of glittering claims without any data with a hint of some outlier data with simply no analysis bookended with enough bullshit to leave a stench in your nose to make you blame it … Continue reading About Betsy DeVos’s Op-Ed in USA Today

The NC General Assembly Should Cap Class Sizes and Fund For Arts and PE – Jesus and Churchill Would. It’s About Investing In Our Kids, Not Using Them As Pawns.

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Arika Herron’s recent Winston-Salem Journal column this past Sunday entitled “Too big to learn? Schools seeking waivers for exceeding class-size limits” brought to mind the ongoing disconnect that legislative leaders in our state have with reality when it comes to curbing class sizes in public schools. As reported last fall in a variety of media … Continue reading The NC General Assembly Should Cap Class Sizes and Fund For Arts and PE – Jesus and Churchill Would. It’s About Investing In Our Kids, Not Using Them As Pawns.

If You Ever Wanted to Know About the Unwise Use of the Opportunity Grants Then Read This Report on NC School Vouchers by The Children’s Law Center at Duke Law School Of Law

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The always vital voice of Lindsay Wagner of the Fletcher Foundation tweeted about this earlier today by posting the following table found in the Children's Law Center's recent March 2017 report called SCHOOL VOUCHERS IN NORTH CAROLINA : THE FIRST THREE YEARS. Let those blank spaces sink in for a minute. The lack of oversight by … Continue reading If You Ever Wanted to Know About the Unwise Use of the Opportunity Grants Then Read This Report on NC School Vouchers by The Children’s Law Center at Duke Law School Of Law

For Those NC Lawmakers Who Blindly Believe In The Opportunity Grants, Read This

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As a loyal follower of Dr. Diane Ravitch's blog, I came across this nugget that she posted today. And while I do not make it a habit to repost stuff as of yet in this relatively young blog, this bears attention in light of the voucher-happy North Carolina General Assembly. Ravitch's blog entry references another … Continue reading For Those NC Lawmakers Who Blindly Believe In The Opportunity Grants, Read This

“CheeBerger, CheeBerger!” -Sen. Phil Berger and the Art of Walking Contradictorily

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Sen. Phil Berger’s words that introduced BEST NC’s fourth annual legislative meeting which featured Michelle Rhee is yet another indication that the powers that be in North Carolina are still addicted to reform ideas that not only further harm public schools but erroneously claim that schools should run more like businesses. But at least he … Continue reading “CheeBerger, CheeBerger!” -Sen. Phil Berger and the Art of Walking Contradictorily

Mark Twain and the Fight Against “Eduperialism” in North Carolina

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“We believe that out of the public school grows the greatness of a nation.” – Mark Twain The above quote by Mark Twain was delivered on November 23, 1900 in a speech to the Public Education Association at a meeting of the Berkley Lyceum, New York. It is sometimes called his “Boxer Speech” as Twain … Continue reading Mark Twain and the Fight Against “Eduperialism” in North Carolina

Open Letter to Sen. Richard Burr – Do Not Confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education

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Senator Burr, As the senior senator of our state embarking on your third term in office, your voice in the national arena carries both weight and experienced perspective. And while you and I share many differing opinions on issues that affect our country, I do believe that we share a passion to make sure that … Continue reading Open Letter to Sen. Richard Burr – Do Not Confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education

Excuse Me, Elected Officials? It’s Okay to Listen to Others

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It’s OK to listen to others. On November 8th North Carolina elected/reelected to serve in the NCGA, and while I may bemoan the fact that there still exists a supermajority in the General Assembly for the GOP, I hope that the actions seen in other states’ races and ballot items might allow for some perspective … Continue reading Excuse Me, Elected Officials? It’s Okay to Listen to Others

Opportunity Grants and Missed Opportunity Refunds

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Irony makes this world go ‘round and North Carolina is providing plenty of it in the form of vouchers, or as proponents call them in North Carolina, Opportunity Grants. In truth, they should be called Missed Opportunity Grants, because the money that the North Carolina General Assembly has spent and wants to spend on vouchers … Continue reading Opportunity Grants and Missed Opportunity Refunds