Recently I asked my 14-year-old son to identify the biggest problem at the public school he attends in Wake County. He didn’t hesitate to answer. “People who pay with cash or check in the lunch line,” he said. He explained that it takes longer for…
Each week, staff at Carolina Journal looks back at the week in N.C. politics and chooses what we think are some interesting, relevant stories you may have missed. Here’s a week in review: Donor perks: WRAL reports the Office of State…
To understand the educational zeitgeist of voters, start here: Most want choice and change. Republican or Democrat? Gen Xer or millennial? It doesn’t matter much. Views on initiatives or implementation may differ, but conceptually, school choice garners broad bipartisan support. It’s time to push past political polarization…
The pillars of the Fourth Estate, i.e. the press, are taking a beating. “Fake news” has become a ridiculous cliche, yet the mantra is starting to damage those pillars like so much wind and rain. The stately columns are weathered. Cracked and chipped. Tweets and social…
Wake County parent Dina Bartus garnered national attention recently for exposing a controversial assignment given to her child and other 10th–graders at Heritage High School in Wake Forest. The “diversity inventory” assignment was a worksheet that inquired about the gender, race/ethnicity, age, sexuality, ability,…
Anyone with a smartphone knows these devices are devilishly distracting. But can taking a break with smartphones cause brain drain? A new study shows it might, depleting cognitive capacity for challenging work. This is significant news for educators and parents, since most tweens and teens own smartphones; many are…
Clarification: After publication, a UNC spokesman contacted Carolina Journal to correct a portion of the Martin Center’s report. The Campus Free Speech Act doesn’t stipulate “institutional neutrality,” but rather states that a “constituent institution may not take action, as an institution, on the public policy controversies of the day in…
There’s a loneliness epidemic among youth today. That’s the growing consensus among researchers, with implications for school culture. One reason: Lonely, depressed kids are more likely to bully or be bullied. Given new evidence of widespread bullying nationwide, this is more relevant than ever. Fortunately, new research also illuminates…
More money and iPads are coming to K-3 classrooms to bolster literacy instruction, but critics question the methods used to improve reading scores. The Department of Public Instruction will make an additional $400 available to all K-3 classrooms for literacy instruction. The department will also send…
North Carolina has a new program to attract teachers. TeachNC officially launched during an Education Cabinet meeting attended by myriad state and education officials. The initiative aims to address critical teaching vacancies by boosting teacher recruitment and retention efforts through a statewide media campaign…
