Legislative leaders argue there’s no good reason for the N.C. Supreme Court to step into a dispute now over $1.7 billion in court-ordered education funding. Republican legislators filed a new brief Monday. It opposes a request from the N.C. Department of Justice and other parties backing court-ordered funding. “Although DOJ and Plaintiffs urge the Court...
A new poll from a national advocacy group shows 72% of registered voters support the concept of school choice, a big leap from when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The poll, commissioned by the American Federation for Children and conducted by RealClear Opinion Research, showed support for school choice across party lines — 82% of Republicans,...
The speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives wants colleagues to override the governor’s veto of a bill ending school mask mandates. It would mark the first time in a year that lawmakers have tried to overturn a gubernatorial veto. “This isn’t over,” Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, tweeted Friday. “Looking forward to overriding @NC_Governor‘s veto...
Parents across North Carolina want their voices heard on what’s best for their children, especially after two years of lockdowns, mask mandates, and changing curriculum. Catherine Truitt, superintendent for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction is giving parents that platform through a new Parent Advisory Commission. “This Commission is focused on giving parents a seat...
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed the Free the Smiles Act. The bipartisan measure would have blocked mandatory mask policies in N.C. schools. It’s Cooper’s second veto this year and a record-extending 71st veto since he took office in 2017. “I have encouraged local boards to lift mask mandates, and they are doing it across the...
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is calling for broad reforms to the K-12 education system in North Carolina. Robinson’s comments came during a standing committee meeting on Monday, Feb. 21, that touched on themes of accountability, discipline, and restoring common sense. Robinson, a Republican, specifically called out a lack of discipline in public school classrooms, the...
Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the nationwide push to end mask mandates. King offered these comments during the Feb. 18, 2022, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “Front Row with Marc Rotterman.”
UPDATE: Wake County, including the capital city of Raleigh, will end its indoor mask mandate starting Feb. 25. That announcement came on Friday afternoon, February 18, 2022 The Wake County Public School System announced in a letter to parents on its website Friday, Feb. 18, that masks will become optional in their schools “in the...
A research brief from curriculum publisher Amplify shows that elementary school students continue to lag behind in literacy almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. The mid-school-year assessment concluded that students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade are the furthest behind compared to their pre-pandemic counterparts. Black and Hispanic students are bearing the brunt...
Model legislation proposed by a higher-education reform group in North Carolina would prohibit political and ideological litmus tests in hiring decisions for public K-12 schools and public universities. The legislation applies to schools that require applicants for employment to sign a document affirming their support for the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) agenda. Some applicants...
Few of us would prefer to live in a community where there’s only one place to buy our groceries or clothing, one restaurant to get a bite, one channel to watch, one doctor to visit, or one lawyer to hire.
