education

Mark Robinson's Carolina Teachers Alliance - A Closer Look

Submitted by teddyrooseveltp... on

I did a “deep dive” into some Google searching this morning to find out more about the Board of Directors of Mark Robinson’s new Carolina Teachers Alliance. To be an organization for educators, it seems to mostly consist of folks who are conservative activists.

Here’s a rundown of what I found - others could likely figure out more, particularly with their connections to other “dark money” conservative and evangelical groups around the state.

Meanwhile at a local Board of Ed Meeting

Submitted by Huh on

The Harnett County Board of Education held an emergency meeting this week. It seems the current superintendent recently submitted his resignation / retirement effective February 1st. The board had undergone some recent changeover as a result of both the election (one of the two Democrats on the board was defeated), and a couple of resignations with appointed replacements. Up to this point it all seemed like a fairly normal event that might occur in most any county.

ALEC Whistles; NC Officials Show Up

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

You, too, can scroll through the agenda ALEC has set for its annual meeting late this week in San Diego.

At this web site you can wonder about such things as:

Who is 'exhibiting' and what are they showing??

Is ALEC really interested in 'consumer protection?' Or is the discussion on how to get rid of it?

Saving rural NC as simple as one, two, three

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

Great article in this week's Indy by Jeffery Billman, called What's Driving the NC Senate's Animus Towards the State's Metros? BIllman explores possible reasons our state Senate Republicans dislikes our state's cities. I don't know about you, but I have never heard an urban politician campaign on hurting our urban environments, but to hear what is happening in NCGA, one would think there was a cabal of cities out to destroy the countryside. However, the greatest harm to our rural brethren has come from the Senate Republicans themselves. (I've put a link at the bottom of this piece. Read his article for more.)

Charters have Privileges Public Schools are Not Allowed

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

SB 480 has passed the crossover deadline and will head to the House. If passed there, it will make it illegal for any employee of a local board of education to politic while on the clock. Teachers, principals, teacher's aides will not be able to send home info on bond referendum or any legislation affecting schools.

However, charter schools are free to do so. Charter schools can use school facilities and time to call for support for legislation. And I have seen kids who receive vouchers actually lobbying at the Legislative Building. The following has gone out from Voyager Academy to its parents. Sauce for the goose is no longer sauce for the gander.

Our Schools Are Saved!

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

At last! Help for our ailing public school system!

Reps. Justin Burr & John Torbett have filed HB 858 to collect $500,000 from lottery proceeds to create funding for suitable portraits of George Washington for every public school that requests one from the governor's office!

SECTION 1.(a) There is established in the Office of the Governor for the
2015-2017 fiscal biennium a grant program to provide funding to the State's public schools for the purchase of suitable framed portraits of George Washington so that each public school that requests funding may display the likeness of the first United States President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in a dignified location and manner so as to educate students about one of the most important figures in the nation's history and an enduring model of character, leadership, and civic responsibility.

Not enough money for textbooks, teachers, teachers' aides, computers, copy paper, but Thank, Goodness, there will be pictures… excuse me, Portraits, of George Washington for our children to gaze upon in their schools.

Common Core & Ft Bragg

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

When I had the opportunity to speak at NCGA's Education hearing on the Common Core (CC), one of the points I made was that having the same expectations nation-wide was not a Communist plot but merely common sense. My family moved a lot during my childhood. Although we were not a military family, in 12 years of public education I attended 10 schools in 4 states.

A PEP for NCGA

Submitted by Vicki Boyer on

It wasn't too long ago that we were hearing teachers cannot be trusted to assess the progress of their students and we needed all kinds of tests run by outside businesses (at big expense) to see how our kids were doing in school. It is so nice to see Sen. Jerry Tillman has a newfound trust in our teachers:

“The good teachers are doing informal assessments all the time, and they already know what they’re doing…"

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