Category Archives: EDUCATION

The Real Deal On The NC Common Core Bill

Posted on May 21, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

First Things First – Clearing the air
Those who follow this blog know I have been on the front lines of this fight for coming up on two years. Speaking for myself, I’ve given more time to this issue than I care to think about. It’s cost me friendships, time with my family and has been a big source of stress overall. Having said that, I wouldn’t change any of it since I’m fighting for my children and the children of NC.

Myself and others have done the presentation circuit and the radio shows. We’ve been testifying at various forums and in front of the Common Core Study committee. We’ve been writing, researching and meeting with legislators. All of this has culminated in a HB1061/SB812 – Replace Common Core To Fit NC’s Needs. This bill now has a companion in the Senate. Here are the bills that are relevant to the fight against Common Core:

SB815 – Ensuring Privacy of Student Records
SB812 – Replace Common Core To Meet NC’s Needs

Getting HB1061/SB812 passed is critical to being able to move forward with getting rid of the rest of it. It is critical we get the commission to replace up and running. Common Core is like a hydra, you can’t cut off all the heads at one time. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, NCGA, Pat McCrory | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Protests At Apex School – Sign: Teachers Have No Union

Posted on May 21, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

children in this manner is appropriate. It’s not. I wonder what would happen if a bunch of moms started protesting Common Core in front of the school? Would that be appropriate too?
Today in Apex, one such protest happened (tweet below). Note one of the signs “NC has no tchrs. Union.” Those poor tchrs. No union.

More than 60 teachers rally outside #apex high school for better pay, more support in #NC pic.twitter.com/JnSxqIQF2e

— Tara Lynn (@TLynnNews) May 21, 2014
Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, NCAE, Organize2020, Unions | Tagged | Comments Off on Protests At Apex School – Sign: Teachers Have No Union

Action Alert: Common Core And Data Privacy Bills At NCGA

Posted on May 21, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Folks, yesterday two bills concerning Common Core and Data Privacy cropped up in the Senate. They are on the calendar for TODAY. The Senate meets at 2 pm today and usually ends by 5 or 5:30. We need to shoot out an email or get on the phone and contact our Senators. If you are not sure who represents you, go HERE.
The bills in play TODAY are:

SB815 – Ensuring Privacy of Student Records
SB812 – Replace Common Core To Meet NC’s Needs Continue reading →

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All Due Respect, Common Core Has To Go

Posted on May 20, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Of course everyone wants high standards. This is why we oppose Common Core.
“The biggest fallacy of the Common Core standards is that they have been sold to the nation without any evidence that they will accomplish what their boosters claim.” – Diane Ravitch

All due respect to John Locke Foundation’s President, John Hood, but his latest article on Common Core is really a rather depressing pat on the back to the English Language standards and likely setting ablaze the hair of parents like me reading it. The rest of the article kind of hangs on this premise in this paragraph: Continue reading →

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Granville School Officials Get Raises; No Board Approval

Posted on May 19, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Top earners got bigger share of the education dollar pie in Granville County without the approval of the board education too, it seems. Either they have really fuzzy memories in Granville or their board needs a serious look at. What a mess.
OXFORD, N.C. — An audit released Friday found that Granville County school leaders, including the superintendent and associate superintendent, received large pay raises and contract extensions without the approval of the Board of Education.

“Most board members expressed that they were surprised to learn the details” of the contracts, according to Jill Wilson, an attorney with Brooks Pierce in Greensboro, who was hired by the school board to do the audit.

In several instances, the contracts noted that the board “voted unanimously” to approve pay hikes and other changes, but the auditor found that there was “absolutely no evidence” in the board’s meeting minutes or from board members’ recollections that the votes ever occurred.
– WRAL 5/16/14

I’m sure we’ll hear about this from the teachers with complaints about their pay scales right? *Crickets*

A couple of the findings from the audit: Continue reading →

Posted in EDUCATION | Tagged , | 3 Comments

NC Civics Test Question On The Constitution

Posted on May 19, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

With all the crazy examples of ‘modified’ teaching of the U.S. Constitution floating around out there coupled with the fundamentally flawed and experimental Common Core Standards, parents these days have to scrutinize what is being put to their kids more than ever. Take the example sent to me from Buncombe County, North Carolina. In April, a 9th grade student in Buncombe county schools found themselves answering “E” to this question:

8. Which best demonstrates the US Constitution is a “living” document?

A. Over 20 Amendments are added to the Constitution each year.

B. Extends rights of criminals so that they can have equal justice under the law.

C. There have been 27 Amendments added to the Constitution.

D. The President, with the help of his cabinet, can make revisions to the Constitution.

Sigh. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Common Core, EDUCATION | Tagged , , | 3 Comments