By Paul Fulton Chair, Public Ed Works RALEIGH (December 5, 2024) – Once upon a time, North Carolina was a leader in public education. The president of the state Chamber of Commerce was also the chair of the State Board of Education. Average teacher pay in North Carolina ranked 19th in the nation in 2001.1… READ MORE
Thanksgiving 2024: Thanks to you
RALEIGH (November 27, 2024) – It’s been a tumultuous fall. But on the eve of this uniquely American holiday, we give thanks for you, our followers and subscribers. We share a common belief in public education in our state. And even if we don’t always agree, we are thankful that we can do so agreeably,… READ MORE
Legislators can finish the job
RALEIGH (September 6, 2024) – When they return to Raleigh on Monday, state legislators have an opportunity – an opportunity to finish their job. Less than two months before Election Day – and with a billion-dollar surplus in hand – they can: Show they appreciate North Carolina teachers – who left classrooms at an alarming… READ MORE
Metal detector manpower
WINSTON-SALEM (August 29, 2024) – There is nothing so fundamental as for children to walk into their school safely every day. A day after a school-resource officer took a 9mm handgun and live ammunition from a student at Carver High School last week, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. repeated an earlier call for middle… READ MORE
Choice – at the expense of public schools
RALEIGH (August 15, 2024) – Republican state legislators want to spend hundreds of millions more of our tax dollars on vouchers for students to attend private schools. Bills passed separately this spring by both the state House and Senate would boost funding for vouchers to $625 million next year and $825 million a year by… READ MORE
A dysfunctional legislature
RALEIGH (June 27, 2024) – “Budget deal eludes GOP,” said a headline this week in the News & Observer.1 So let’s get this straight: Republicans have a supermajority in both houses of the General Assembly – they have enough votes to override the governor’s veto even if he doesn’t like their version of a state… READ MORE
House budget: A gesture to help
RALEIGH (June 20, 2024) – At least the state House is making an effort. At a stalemate in budget negotiations with the state Senate, the 2024-25 budget Republican leaders in the House are moving this week responds to at least some screaming needs: In a state that lost 10,000 K-12 public school teachers last year,… READ MORE
Run government like a business? Pay attention to DEI
RALEIGH (June 13, 2024) – News Item: “Across U.S. corporations, 72% of C-suite and HR leaders intend to increase their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the next two years, and only 4% plan to cut back or eliminate programs.” Then why, pray tell, are the people who say government – including state… READ MORE
Protesters crossed a line
CHAPEL HILL (May 2, 2024) – Pro-Palestinian protesters crossed a line Tuesday. Yes, in response to atrocities committed by the militant group Hamas, Israelis have engaged in quite literal overkill among Palestinians in Gaza. And yes, Palestinian supporters have a constitutionally protected right in this country to protest what they see as genocide. But when… READ MORE
Will legislators listen to Cooper? Good luck.
RALEIGH (May 2, 2024) – In a state where 10,000+ teachers – 11.5% – left its public schools in 2023,1 Gov. Roy Cooper proposed a budget last week to rebuild North Carolina’s teacher pipeline. But will Republican state legislators listen? Good luck with that. Instead, they’re in love with vouchers funded by taxpayers to subsidize… READ MORE
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 11
- Next Page »