Most students and their families invest time, effort, and resources into higher education for vocational reasons. They expect the knowledge, skills, and relationships acquired at a college or university will lead to good jobs — which will, in turn, generate income for graduates to support themselves and their families as well as the satisfaction and...
Some legislators have proposed that the General Assembly send some tax money back to us. That sounds like fun. I have another idea: Use whatever money is in mind to pay down state debt. State debt currently stands at $8 billion. This would not change the state balance sheet. It would reduce the chance of...
The movement to have North Carolina join other states in exercising the call for an Article V Convention to propose amendments to the US Constitution has been brewing steadily in our state legislature since 2013. As consistent supporters and sponsors of the current Resolution HJR235, here are a few reasons we believe North Carolina needs...
A scholar from the libertarian Cato Institute recently publicized North Carolina's unique constitutional provision protecting economic liberty.
It’s National Charter Schools Week, and there is much to celebrate about North Carolina’s charter school movement. Public charter schools in our state now educate 145,000 students in 63 counties, and charter popularity continues to grow with families. In fact, the state’s charter school waitlist now features over 85,000 student names. Despite widespread popularity, however,...
“It is a delight!” That’s what a recent reviewer said about my novel Mountain Folk, which she called an “entertaining and instructive” blend of American history, folklore, and fantasy. “As a long-time teacher of middle school and high school students,” she wrote, “I think Mountain Folk would be a great addition to school reading lists.”...
In recent weeks, pro-Palestinian protests have roiled college campuses nationwide. In many instances, protests led to encampments, which in some instances resulted in takeovers of university grounds, facilities, and buildings. Thus far, North Carolina’s colleges and universities have been spared the worst effects of the protests and rioting, thanks in no small part to quick...
The latest Carolina Journal poll was a satisfying reminder of the continuing good sense of residents of my adopted home (in great contrast to where I grew up inside the DC Beltway). Their common sense shone through especially on questions related to economics and the role of government. With the state anticipating a $1-billion surplus,...
