Teacher tenure is the source of much debate in our state, now that the North Carolina legislature is reforming employment policy by moving to multi-year contracts for teachers rather than tenure. John Locke Foundation Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops explains the current policy of “tenure” and why the legislature is on the right track in ending it. He also discusses claims that North Carolina teachers are leaving the state in droves, a frequent claim by Big Education advocates. We continue our conversation about education with a look at grading policy. North Carolina high schools offer weighted grades to help encourage students not to shy away from difficult courses. But some observers have questioned whether the weighted grades offer a good reflection of student performance. You’ll hear highlights from a legislative debate about proposals to change the weighted grade system. Then we dig into more details about the teacher tenure reform issue. Now that state lawmakers are replacing North Carolina’s system of public school teacher tenure with one- to four-year contracts, school systems need to develop the contracts. Legislators recently reviewed proposals for a model teacher contract from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. That’s followed by a look at glamour, which can have a major impact on our decision-making process. Author and columnist Virginia Postrel has devoted a recent book to the “power” of glamour. Postrel shares insights from her research into the role glamour plays in our lives. And finally, we look at the impact of celebrity in politics. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson discusses the candidacy of former American Idol singer Clay Aiken, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2nd district seat in Congress. Henderson also discusses the primary challenge to Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers.