Category Archives: EDUCATION

Wake County Man Fires Back at News & Observer For Common Core Smears

Posted on March 27, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

The News and Observer (N&O) recently published a staff Op-Ed taking aim at the opposition to Common Core after the last NC General Assembly Common Core LRC meeting. The N&O’s article was little more than a set of smears on those who spoke out at the meeting. The clear intent of that editorial was to make opposition to Common Core look like a bunch of conspiracy theory or religious nuts. We are not.

You can read my take-down of the N&O’s hit piece here:

@NewsObserver Pens Cherry Picking, Outlandish Op-Ed Attacking Common Core Opposition

The following is a letter I received and was given permission to publish here on the blog. It was sent to multiple parties involved in the ongoing controversy surrounding The Common Core State Standards in North Carolina. It was also sent to the N&O, however I have not seen it published yet. If it is, I will link it here.
I’d like to thank Mr. Bruno for sharing this with me and allowing me to post it on the blog.

The letter is as follows, unedited and in full: Continue reading →

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Charlotte Observer Reprints Misleading Common Core Article

Posted on March 26, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

The day of the NC General Assembly Common Core hearing, we had WRAL smear the opposition to the Common Core Standards by choosing to run with the one person who showed up toting an over-sized Bible. Yesterday, the News and Observer had an unsigned Op-Ed from their staff smearing the parents, grandparents, children, teachers and concerned citizens who came out to express their concerns over the Common Core Standards.

Now, we have the Charlotte Observer reprinting another unsigned Op-Ed from the News and Record staff. The title this time is, Uncommonly irrational Common Core fears and it is nearly the same smear piece, just with the pieces moved around. It makes a lot of false claims about what was said and doesn’t address ANY of the repeated concerns of the parents who came to speak out.

Why is the media smearing opposition like this? Why aren’t they covering the actual concerns? Because that would require them to defend the standards — and they can’t.
So the plan becomes: Shut Up. Continue reading →

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@NewsObserver Pens Cherry Picking, Outlandish Op-Ed Attacking Common Core Opposition

Posted on March 25, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Media bias is so fun, especially from an anonymously penned Op-ed the News and Obscurer Observer. The media in NC is no friend to those opposing Common Core. At every public forum, you’re going to get a few speakers who are not representative of the whole, however their concerns shouldn’t be cherry-picked and mocked as they are in this Op-Ed. Right now, N&O has this smear job nonsense up:
Common Core opponents hurt their credibility with outlandish claims

It opens with:

Really? The Common Core State Standards for public schools will lead children and the nation toward communism? The standards promote abortion and feminism?

Go ahead, read the rest. It’s short, but my response won’t be. Continue reading →

Posted in Common Core, Media Bias, NCGA | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Occupy Monday Spreads Again – Chicago

Posted on March 25, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Occupy Monday has shown up in Chicago. Not surprising, since it’s already been there before. Remember the Moral Monday Coalition?
This time, it’s not about budgets but has a connection to the Enloe/Wake County Schools lawsuit brought by various members of BlueprintNC’s ‘slam, cripple and eviscerate’ coalition and NC HEAT. For this group in Chicago, it’s about the “school to prison pipeline” and that school discipline is racist. Continue reading →

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#DM7 Article: Social Justice, STEM and Gates

Posted on March 23, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

This is a reposting of my latest Magnificent 7 article at DaTechGuy Blog. View the original.

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By A.P. Dillon

How many of you missed the news blip Ben Jealous left the NAACP to go be a Venture Capitalist?

He declined to specify his new salary but said it was about the same as it was at the NAACP — $285,000 in 2011, according to tax forms.

When he announced his departure from the organization in September 2013, Jealous said he planned to pursue university teaching and spend time with his young family. But Jealous says the opportunity to work with Kapor Capital was just too tempting, putting him on the cutting edge of helping people who are slipping further behind as the national economy grows. – CNS Continue reading →

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Letter to Wake Schools Superintendent – Partial Reply

Posted on March 23, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

Yesterday I wrote to the Wake County Superintendent, Jim Merrill, about some questions I had with the new budget. You can read the letter here: Letter To Wake Cty Superintendent. I received a reply back from Stella Shelton, interim Chief Communications Officer.

Here is what was received (below). Note that text in blue is Ms. Shelton’s. Text in Black represents my original emailed text. I’ve got a few comments about this reply at the end of this article. Continue reading →

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