Opinion
Why are you reading this?
If you yearn for a better political dialogue, reward those who deliver it with your time and money.
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A deal!
Opinion
Relating teacher pay to teacher performance
In May, about 19,000 North Carolina teachers gathered in Raleigh to “Rally for Respect,” an event organized by the N.C. Association of Educators. The choice of the word “respect” was important. It implied attendees felt disrespected. By whom? The Republican-led General Assembly, of course. You can select all sorts of statistics, but many important ones aren’t consistent with NCAE’s argument. For example, we...
Opinion
What to know about teens, nicotine, and ‘JUULing’
[Editor’s note: This column was updated after original publication to include recent data.] The latest device flooding schools resembles a flash drive but doesn’t store data. Its purpose: delivering a flavored nicotine hit. Called a JUUL, it’s a hipper iteration of the e-cigarette, which debuted a decade ago. Adolescents, who love JUUL’s super-slick appearance, brand...
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You blink first
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Big to-do about the ‘do
Opinion
Courts can’t resolve every dispute
North Carolina’s constitution clearly gives legislators some latitude when it comes to defining the powers of executive officers. Don’t like that? Amend the constitution.
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Separate checks, please
Opinion
Turning data into action to boost low-income math whizzes
It seems reasonable to expect that public school students who achieve the highest-level scores on standardized math tests ought to get the first shot at placement in advanced math classes the following year. A measure moving through the General Assembly would turn that reasonable expectation into state law. The story starts in May 2017. The...
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At least they canceled the swimsuit competition
Opinion
Fake news distorts political debate
Progressive and populist populations have frequently cited the expansion of the gig economy as a justification for pet policies ranging from expanding health insurance to strengthening labor unions and restricting international trade.
Opinion
Bridging the state’s health-care divide
Here’s a simple illustration of the urban/rural population divide in North Carolina: The state’s two most-populous counties — Wake and Mecklenburg — are home to about as many people as the total number of residents in the 18 smallest counties. The spread between dense and sparse is growing. Community leaders and policymakers have noted this...
