Gates Backed Non-Profit Shuts Down In NC

Posted on April 30, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

Apparently there is a new vacancy in the education non-profit Potemkin Village.

The ‘education non-profit’, NC New Schools is shutting down according to the News and Observer.

Excerpt:

Financial problems are forcing the closure of NC New Schools/Breakthrough Learning, a champion of specialty and early-college high schools, the nonprofit announced Thursday.

The organization had expanded rapidly, said Jeffrey Corbett, president of its board of directors, and the expansion outpaced its funding.

“We ran into cash flow problems that were directly related to growth and the speed of growth,” Corbett said. “It was very, very unfortunate.”

The North Carolina New Schools Project started 13 years ago with a five-year, $11 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to restructure secondary education by creating smaller high schools. The Gates Foundation funding for restructured high schools ended, but New Schools continued its work with funds from a variety of sources, including federal and private foundation grants and some state money.

NC New Schools received far more from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation than just that whopping $11 million, by the way:

GRANTEE YEAR ISSUE PROGRAM AMOUNT
North Carolina New Schools Project, Inc. 2009 and earlier College-Ready US Program $1,612,877
North Carolina New Schools Project, Inc. 2009 and earlier College-Ready US Program $385,801
North Carolina New Schools Project, Inc. 2009 and earlier College-Ready US Program $1,463,346
North Carolina New Schools Project, Inc. 2009 and earlier College-Ready US Program $14,518,052

In 2013, they reported over $7.3 million in net revenue. Part of that 2013 revenue was $81,400 from the biggest funder of far Left leaning BlueprintNC — The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

In 2012, their filings show revenues over $9.2 million. In the 2013 filing, Habit was paid $176,481 in total compensation. View their filings at ProPublica.

This news was not a total surprise to me, as a citizen reached out to me on Twitter asking about odd financial information regarding NC New Schools:

Those involved in the fight against Common Core know that NC New Schools, under the direction Habit, was a leading Common Core proponent in the state.

Sometimes between 2013 and 2014, NC New Schools hired former DPI Employee, Dr. Angela Quick.  Dr. Quick was instrumental in NC’s roll out of Common Core for the Department of Public Instruction.

Fun fact: Just this past December,  The News and Observer’s “Tarheel of the Week” was none other than NC New Schools President, Tony Habit.

Posted in Big Ed Complex, Common Core, EDUCATION | Tagged , | Comments Off on Gates Backed Non-Profit Shuts Down In NC

News Observer’s Fact Check on Teacher Pay Misses A Big Point

Posted on April 30, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

The headline at News and Observer reads, Teacher pay above $50,000 still wouldn’t be NC’s best ever.

 

Oh, really? Let’s rate this claim.

The article is penned by Will Doran, who is also one of the News and Observer staffers operating PolitiFactNC.

politifact-falseDoran seems to be relying only on the National Center for Education Statistics for his dollar figures.

Those figures look at base salary and don’t include supplemental pay. They do not include how state tax rates impact those salaries.  Doran therefore seems to be making the argument based on the value of the dollar using inflation only.

North Carolina’s tax rates have been revamped and lowered in the last 2-3 years (dropping to 5.75% single file rate). This means the net pay is higher now that it would have been in the past for any given salary, therefore we rate Mr. Doran’s claim false.

Related Video:  The Facts About State Level Education Spending in North Carolina

Update:
Doran’s article bullet point says, “But accounting for inflation, North Carolina teachers have earned more” . 

Doran cites the NCES for this source, yet at the bottom of the table footnote 1 reads, “Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state.”

Doran’s article also didn’t look at the average experience or degree level of the teacher population for the years he cited.

*This article has been updated;current single file tax rate.
Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, Media Bias | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Durham Public Schools Passes Policy Adding ‘Gender Identity’ To Language [Updated]

Posted on April 29, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

As previously reported on this blog, the Durham Public Schools board met yesterday afternoon. One of the topics on their agenda was adding ‘gender identity’ to their anti bullying policy number (4000).

You can read the full text here, but part of the new text reads:

The Board prohibits discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on any of the following protected classifications: race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, immigration status, or any other classification that is protected by law, regulation or this policy.

The Board further prohibits discrimination against a person perceived to have any of the above characteristics or against a person for associating with someone protected by this policy.

The board passed it.

WNCN seems to have the only coverage of this point, so far:

Also Tuesday, the school board updated its nondiscrimination policy to include gender identity.

The board started looking into the change months before House Bill 2 passed.

The Keep NC Safe Coalition spoke out against the change by telling the board it would violate students’ privacy in bathrooms.

But board members said the change has nothing to do with bathrooms but rather protecting kids from being harassed.

“Please consider a solution that respects all students’ and parents’ beliefs and rights. Do not expand the nondiscrimination policy of the school system to include gender identity to make a political statement,” said Amy Wilmoth of Durham.

Heidi Carter, chair of Durham School Board, said the policy is about not allowing bullying.

“This policy is about not allowing bullying of our students or harassment. That’s what this policy is about. There’s no mention of the word bathroom,” Carter said.

The school district works with families of transgender students to accommodate them in bathrooms with one stall or in faculty bathrooms.

A district spokesman said the policy does not violate HB2.

Doesn’t violate HB 2? Some parents might disagree. If you are a parent unhappy with these changes and would be interested in taking legal action, contact me at  my email address: TheLL1885@gmail.com

No mention of the word bathroom, but they just opened the door for rationalizations of ‘gender identity’ being added to any other policy — including facilities access.

All a student now has to do is complain that by not being allowed access to the facility of their choice, they are being bullied. Is the Durham Board that daft? Or perhaps they’re just that smart.

UPDATES

There is video of this meeting now available. Skip ahead to the 3:29:17 mark to hear the speakers who showed up to oppose this policy change.

Board member Carter’s response was to imply that the speakers had not read the policy and they needed ‘clarity’.  The reality was these speakers read the policy and understood the implications — that’s why they were there to address the board in there first place.

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, LGBTQ Issues, YWBMTC | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Durham Public Schools Passes Policy Adding ‘Gender Identity’ To Language [Updated]

Poll Reveals More About Zip Codes, Party Affiliations than #HB2

Posted on April 29, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

pollsurveyHB 2 is widely supported by North Carolinians.

Just as the estimated 4,000 who turned out to support it Monday.

HB 2 is widely supported, that is, unless you ask Public Policy Polling (PPP). The same PPP who got their poll on Amendment One WAY wrong.

That PPP poll showed support of Amendment One as passing by only a 14 point margin. Amendment One passed 61% in favor to 38% opposed, which is a 23% margin.

Here’s BlueprintNC partner, Progress NC Action hyping the latest PPP poll:

PPP characterizes their poll results as showing HB 2 as “deeply unpopular“.

Meanwhile another poll from Civitas shows people overwhelmingly think the Charlotte ordinance was dangerous. PPP’s poll didn’t ask a single question about the Charlotte ordinance.

So, here’s the funny thing about that PPP poll: I took it.

They called my home last Friday. I usually hang up on polls but I decided to take this one since HB 2 has been such a hot topic.

What’s interesting to note is that I did not know who the pollster was until I had completed the poll questions. PPP did not announce who they were until the very end. By the way, the poll was of 960 people.

When I do answer polls I never give my actual demographics and I suspect a large number of folks out there do the same.   PP asked the demographic questions – party affiliation, race, age, sex.

HEHI was amused their question on sex only offered two options: “If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.”

Where was the ‘what do you identify as’ option?

So, as I said, I mess with pollsters regularly. So I answered I was a black male somewhere in the age of 25 and up and that I was an unaffiliated African-American.

Q19 of the poll denoted what Area Code the person was in. The three top area codes are all fairly liberal leaning.

Here is the breakout with the region and translation from the percentage of the people these area codes represent:

252  – 11% (Greenville) (105.6 people)
336  – 25% (Greensboro) (240 people)
704  – 18% (Charlotte) (172.8 people)
828 –  11% (Asheville) (105.6 people)
910  – 16% (Fayetteville) (153.6 people)
919 –  19% (Raleigh) (182.4 people)

This is the exact same set of area codes PPP used for their Amendment One poll, by the way.

Area code 336 had the most respondents. That’s Greensboro, which has a heavy Moral Monday presence and the area from which many of those arrested at the protest Monday are from.

704 is Charlotte, which is the city whose Ordinance  led to this whole mess. 919 is the Raleigh area.  That’s where I am.

Party affiliation was Democrat heavy with 40%, Republicans 33% and unaffiliated at 27%.
Those percentages figures translate to 384 Dem, 316.8 Rep, 259.2 Unaffiliated.

Now, bear in mind that for the last two years, the number of voters switching to unaffiliated has  increased in more than half of the one hundred counties in the state. A quick comparison between the last presidential election year of 2012 and the current one, 2016:

2012 D: 2,858,086 R:2,042,194  U: 1,703,934
2016 D: 2,651,083  R: 2,004,323 U: 1,888,230
Diff:  D: -207,003   R: -37,871        U: +184,296

Perhaps PPP’s sampling should include more unaffiliated voters or at least a closer balance between the three?

The majority of respondents described themselves as being politically “moderate” (30%). Yet, when you look at the break out of the HB2 ideology questions (p. 8), it’s the “very liberal and liberal” who overwhelmingly complaining about HB2.

The same holds when broken out by party;  Democrats siding with the Liberal ideology overwhelmingly hating HB 2 (p.12), yet 30% of respondents said they were “moderate”.

Mmkay.

 

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EXCLUSIVE, LGBTQ Issues, NCGA, YWBMTC | Tagged | 3 Comments

Sick of Activist CEO’s Bullying NC? There’s an App for that.

Posted on April 29, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

Time To Fight Back

Are you tired of Activist CEO’s from big companies like Apple, PayPal and Target bullying your state over laws like North Carolina’s common sense facilities protections in HB 2?

There’s an app for that.

It’s time to fight back. You can make your voice heard thanks to the NC Values Coalition.

Go to  and click on the app to send an email to these corporations doing the biding of the LGBT activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign and Equality NC.

The app also allows you to post to Facebook and tweet to the CEO’s individually.  Go use it!

The text from the page reads as follows:

TELL CEO’s TO STOP BULLYING NORTH CAROLINA

Today we are asking corporate CEOs to reconsider their recent opposition to North Carolina’s Bathroom Privacy Act (HB 2).

Contrary to the misinformation campaigns by the Human Rights Campaign & Equality NC, HB 2 is a commonsense, bipartisan response to an irresponsible and unconstitutional municipal ordinance that outlawed separate men’s and women’s restrooms, locker rooms, and showers in Charlotte.

Their opposition to this commonsense law demonstrates either a misunderstanding of the law or a callousness toward the privacy and safety of 70% North Carolinians who supported repealing Charlotte’s bathroom ordinance. 

When signing into the tool you will be sending an email, Tweet and/or Facebook post to all the CEOs who signed the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) opposition letter, asking them to reconsider their opposition to HB 2 and a neutral position by removing their name from the HRC list of businesses demanding a repeal of the bill.

Here’s the text of the email that the app will send for you:

I am thankful that you publicly took a stand to support North Carolina’s new law HB 2, The Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act to protect my family’s safety and privacy when entering a bathroom, shower or locker rooms.

Contrary to the misinformation campaigns by certain opposition groups, HB 2 is a commonsense, bipartisan response to an irresponsible municipal ordinance that outlawed separate men’s and women’s restrooms, locker rooms, and showers in Charlotte.

Your support of this commonsense law demonstrates you clearly understand the law and the importance of safety of North Carolinians. Male anatomy should never be in the same restroom or shower as young girls. More importantly, restrooms are one of the most prevalent places in which sexual assault and rape occur. For women and girls who have been victims of sexual abuse, the mere presence of a male, regardless of his intentions, in an intimate setting like a restroom or changing room triggers psychological and emotional harm.

I will considering using your business the next time I am in need of the products and services you offer. Thank you for standing with North Carolina.

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), LGBTQ Issues, NCGA, YWBMTC | Tagged | 1 Comment

PROJECT VERITAS Video Exposes NC University Officials Enabling Predator Behavior

Posted on April 28, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

HB 2 has been all over the news. The Charlotte ordinance that started it all? Not so much.

The theme come out of the opposition to HB 2 has been along the lines that nothing bad happens in bathrooms, supporters are fear mongering and supporters are painting transgender persons as pedophiles or predators.

No. That is the opposition’s narrative. It’s false.  The opposition created this theme and the media ate it up like red meat.  The media of course left out the man who originally was leading the charge for this ordinance was a registered sex offender.  In fact, no media outlet has interviewed him since that information came out.

Supporters have said, from day one of the Charlotte Ordinance mess, that the ordinance would open the door for abuse by giving predators and pedophiles a legal pass into areas and facilities they did not have legal access to before.  It has been about protecting woman and children from that.

Opposition has reacted to that concern with the argument ‘criminals don’t follow laws’ or ‘a predator is going to attack regardless of a law’.  That’s true, but does that mean you remove the law just because criminals don’t follow it?

It’s against the law to break into a car. Do you lock your car when you leave it anyway?

At any rate, I’ve said before that HB 2 is critical because I saw the Title IX fight coming.

What I didn’t see coming was Project Veritas.

James O’Keefe and his team hit the very liberal UNC Asheville to see what officials would do there regarding following HB 2 and Title IX.  Read the write-up that accompanies the video below.

Director of Diversity Education, Deborah Miles , condescendingly made air quote gestures with her hands when she said, “That’s what the people who passed the bill, their main thing was to protect women and children”.

The first video is below. I say first, because Project Veritas has a habit of dropping more than one.

How these officials reacted will make your skin crawl.

WATCH:

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Higher Ed, LGBTQ Issues, NCGA, THE LEFT, Video, YWBMTC | Tagged , , | 4 Comments