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In combating racism, truth telling remains the best and most effective tool
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” “If we do not learn history, we are condemned to repeat it.” Americans often turn to these two aphorisms in discussions of public policy and usually for good reason. Both emphasize the value of openly and honestly confronting the truth – wherever it may lead.
Juneteenth or Abolition Day — which to celebrate?
Yesterday was June 19th — the celebratory day on which African Americans and freedom loving Americans commemorate Juneteenth! Juneteenth represents the day when slaves in Texas found out they were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. To celebrate the day, some Black college students decide to have a small gathering in a common area in the […]
Why even lessons from kindergarteners can and should inform public education policy
Back in the 1980’s, author Robert Fulghum gave rise to a pop culture catchphrase when he authored a book entitled “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” The phrase has become a way to express the notion that things can be really simple if we just take the time to use logic […]
Back to School Series – Our resilient students
This is part of a Back to School blog series that highlight various issues to be aware of as the 2014-15 school year kicks off. (See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6) Our Back to School series ends today just like the first or second week of school […]
Back to School Series – Labor Day
This is part of a Back to School blog series that highlight various issues to be aware of as the 2014-15 school year kicks off. (See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5) It’s that time of year when school starts and the very next week Labor Day is here. It seems […]
Back to school series – What is happening in our public schools?
For most North Carolina public school students, the bell chimed and they will start the school year. The students will return to school this academic year after a summer break where public education discussions seemed to dominate the legislative session, the courtroom and the news. Here of a few of questions that North Carolina public school […]
NC’s education policy changes through the eyes of a student
While it’s not clear that state lawmakers have concluded their business in Raleigh for the year, vastly different stories are already being told about the 2013-14 legislative session and, especially, the changes to our public education system. Some politicians and advocates are already crowing that it was a period of awesome success. Others are wondering […]
Don’t visit the failures of high-stakes testing on special needs children
This week, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan announced that the Department of Education will require states to make a comparison between students with special needs and their counterparts who have not been so-identified. In the past, the United States Department of Education only asked that schools districts follow timelines and procedures by ensuring that correct […]
Helping Our 3rd Graders
There is no doubt that ensuring that 3rd graders read at grade level or above is a great goal. The recently revised Read to Achieve section of the Excellent Public Schools Act is North Carolina’s way to carry out that goal. Very much like other education policies that North Carolina has adopted (vouchers, repealing Common […]
Government and vouchers: Not what they seem
Today, there are several adults and children in the legislative building wearing T-shirts with the logo of Parents for Educational Freedom of North Carolina and the words “Lift the Cap on Opportunity Scholarships.” It is great when students get to see how government works. Rather than the excitement of floor debates (although, they would have […]
Brown v. Board: 60 Years Later
May 17, 2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education. There will be and should be much said about whether the United States is fulfilling Brown’s promise of desegregation in public schools and in other areas of society. Many are likely to answer “no” and there is not […]
The Importance of Place in Education
This blog post is part of a series called Place Matters. The other posts can be accessed here, here, here and here. North Carolina’s education system is entering a new environment. The Common Core State Standards are in full effect providing for new curriculum. The Excellent Public Schools Act’s Read to Achieve section which ends […]