Category Archives: EDUCATION

NC Superintendent Holding Her Own Common Core Commission

Posted on August 31, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

CCSSO President Elect and NC State Superintendent, June Atkinson, is apparently holding her own little Common Core Commission.

“So parallel to the work of this commission, we will be looking at the standards by inviting teachers who have used the standards for at least two to three years to give us input,” she said.
– Citizen Times

Oh really? Look out, we’ve got a “bearing false witness” alert here.CC June False Witness
Atkinson can’t be on the commission, so she will make sure Common Core gets a seen as superior with her hand-picked “parallel” group.

KEEP READING Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC DPI, NC State Standards | Tagged | 3 Comments

Common Core Replacement Commission Named

Posted on August 31, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

The NC House and Senate have named their appointees to the Academic Standards Review Commission, a.k.a Common Core Replacement Commission (see below).

HOUSE (Tillis Appointments)

Mrs. Sara “Katie” Lemons of Stokes County – English Teacher
Dr. Jeffrey A. Isenhour of Catawba County -Middle School Principal
Ms. Tammy J. Covil of New Hanover County — New Hanover County Board of Education
Mrs. Sharmel “Denise” Watts of Mecklenburg County — Project Lift in Charlotte
SENATE (Berger Appointments)

Dr. John. T. Scheick of Wake County – Retired Professor
Laurie McCollum of Rockingham County – Assistant Principal
Ann B. Clark of Iredell County – Deputy Superintendent of Schools, CMS
Jeannie Metcalf of Forsyth County – Winston Salem, Forsyth County Board of Education
Over the coming week, profiles of each of the members will be posted here at LadyLiberty1885. Anyone wishing to contribute to said profiles can do so by emailing me at TheLL1885@gmail.com. The same applies for corrections, deletions or updates once the profiles are posted.

Watchdogging The Commission
I call on citizens across North Carolina ….

KEEP READING Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Academic Standards Review Commission, Common Core, NC Board Of Education, NC State Standards | Tagged | Comments Off on Common Core Replacement Commission Named

Stop Me If This Voucher Statement Sounds Familiar….

Posted on August 30, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Does this statement sound familiar?

‘The voucher tax credit is bad public policy for public education and our taxpayers, diverting millions of dollars in taxpayer money with no accountability or oversight to religious and private schools.’ Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION | Tagged , | 4 Comments

About that North Carolina Teacher…

Posted on August 30, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Policy Watch’s Rob Schofield has an article up titled A North Carolina teacher weighs in on the reality of Common Core repeal. The article is really by Rod Powell, a Common Core true believer affiliated with the Center for Teaching Quality and who has engaged me on Twitter defending the standards and on this blog. Powell should update his piece — The Commission members from the House and Senate have been named.

I am certain Mr. Powell is an excellent teacher. He was one before Common Core and he will be one after it is gone. Having said that, this turn of phrase is used by many Common Core true believers and it should bother everyone.

“The Common Core provided consistency and a curricular anchor for new teachers like my new colleague—as well as teaching veterans like me . The standards helped us push our students further and shape them into global citizens for the 21st century.”

“Consistency”? You had standards before.
“Curricular anchor”? Admitting that the endgame of a national curriculum is the point here? Thanks. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core | Comments Off on About that North Carolina Teacher…

Required Reading For The NC Common Core Replacement Commission

Posted on August 29, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Over at the Pioneer Institute, Jim Stergios has a must read for the Common Core replacement commission. In fact, this is a must read for the legislators at the North Carolina General Assembly, who will be hearing from parents if the Commission is used for ‘show’ by those attempting to force a rebrand scenario.
The article addresses the false hand-wringing we saw over Race To The Top money, the unfunded mandate Common Core places onto the states and the unpredictability of future costs.

Some other main points the article draws, but pointing to Ohio and how they appear to be getting repeal done ‘right’: Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, EDUCATION, NC State Standards, Testing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

NC Board Of Ed Plans To Stick With #APUSH

Posted on August 29, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Right, Left and Center, the Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) rewrite has come under fire. To be blunt, this rewrite is disastrous. It’s so bad, the authors of the APUSH framework have had to write a letter explaining themselves. We have one of the authors right here in NC, Ted Dickson of Providence Day School. Read the letter they wrote, then read the take down of it by Larry Krieger, a History expert with over 35 years of experience. Krieger also earned his degrees in North Carolina — B.A. and M.A.T. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and M.A. from Wake Forest University.

The framework authors aside, we have our own disaster to deal with in North Carolina. Bill Cobey, the Chairman of the NC State Board of Education, says no one has asked for APUSH be dropped (emphasis mine):

Board Chairman Bill Cobey said no one has suggested that the state kill the course.

Teachers are forwarding an email chain with advice to contact State Board of Education members. Cobey said he’s gotten some, and wants to assure the public the course will continue. – News and Observer

In one line, Cobey says no one is suggesting they kill the course. In the next one, he acknowledges he has received emails to KEEP it. Chairman Cobey is either having his cake and eating it too or pulling a Captain Literal on the reporter for the News and Observer hoping they won’t follow up. Don’t worry Bill, they won’t.

Chairman Cobey must be ignoring the resolution from New Hanover County Schools, which asks for at least a delay for APUSH and which was sent TO the State Board of Education: Continue reading →

Posted in EDUCATION, June Atkinson, NC Board Of Education, NC DPI | Tagged , , | 1 Comment