Who says teachers don’t work during the summer? Angela Panel Scioli, Justin Parmenter and I collaborated this summer on a UCLA Law Review article which tells the story of why we see #redfored in N.C. We hope this article may serve as one-stop shopping for those who wish to get up to speed with how... Continue Reading →
Threats of litigation undermine efforts to hold elected officials accountable
“An evil magistrate intrusted with power to punish for words, would be armed with a weapon the most destructive and terrible. Under pretence of pruning off the exuberant branches, he would be apt to destroy the tree.” Benjamin Franklin © Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence In the summer... Continue Reading →
Common App Essay: Students succeed in spite of state education policy, not because of it
Common App Prompt #2 The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Many obstacles I encountered throughout my education were put there by those whose... Continue Reading →
We will remember this September come next November
If you need to get up to speed on the hijacking of democracy in North Carolina, read this. If you're wondering what you can do this fall instead of waiting for next fall's election, here are some ideas: 1. By next week, reach out to 5 people (in person) with whom you normally avoid “discussing... Continue Reading →
It’s refreshing to receive an invitation to discuss education policy: A lesson for lawmakers
This Sunday on Spectrum airing at 11:30am and 8:30pm you can watch the episode of In Focus with Loretta Boniti where Lauren Piner and I discuss our concerns about the Economics and Personal Financial Literacy Act. The lawmakers on the show did not expect teachers to have been invited to give our perspective about this... Continue Reading →
A prayer for courage to achieve serenity
I read it daily as it sits on the floor of my bedroom (one day I'll finish decorating!) It speaks to me as a teacher with thousands of unique students having passed through my classroom, thousands more yet to come, and around 180 this coming school year. Known as the serenity prayer, I bought this... Continue Reading →
Pardon me if I’m skeptical of Treasurer Folwell’s motives in the current State Health Plan debate
Thank you to NC Policy Watch for helping to spread the word - read the commentary here.
Dear Treasurer Folwell, Health care providers should not charge secret prices, and the NCGA should not underfund the State Health Plan. The $34 billion + in unfunded liabilities assumes all employees retire at once. Please stop using this number to raise alarms, and focus instead on the $400 million annual underfunding as of 2017. Please... Continue Reading →
Civics 101: Impeachment
Impeachment by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images Most people mistakenly equate “impeach” with “kicked out of office.” With the increased level of use and interest in this word in light of yesterday’s Mueller hearings, here’s a review of what it really means. “The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the... Continue Reading →