Education (PreK-12)

School districts' mask requirements reveal deep differences about who should make decisions about children’s health and how they are educated. Florida allows parents of children who were threatened or bullied because of mask choice to attend another public or private school of their choice. North Carolina should consider similar legislation; giving parents the choice over how and where their child is educated is key to ending the mask wars.

Critical race theorists argue that white supremacy is an underlying structure at the heart of American institutions, social structures, and professed ideals. Marxism offered a starting point for the development of Critical Theory and Postmodernism in the twentieth century. These intellectual movements sought to extend Karl Marx’s critique of capitalism to other aspects of society, politics, and culture. Starting in the 1970s, a group of legal scholars borrowing heavily from Critical Theory and Postmodernism began creating an intellectual foundation that would become critical race theory.

The North Carolina General Assembly is still finalizing a two-year budget. Budget proposals from the House, Senate, and governor would have varying effects on North Carolina’s fiscal future. Spending restraint, tax cuts, and considerable savings would contribute to more opportunities and bigger paychecks for North Carolina families.

Proficiency rates on most state English, math, and science tests plummeted in 2021. Cooper consistently failed to weigh the costs and benefits of imposing restrictions on in-person learning in 2020. The broad educational, psychological, social, and economic effects of pandemic-era education policies will take years to understand fully.

Nearly every public school district in North Carolina is forcing face masks on students. Researchers are sounding the alarm about the psychological, physical, social, developmental, and academic harms of masks on young schoolchildren. With the benefits so uncertain and the potential costs so large, we must be asking whether these mandates are really worth it.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson released the first report from the F.A.C.T.S. Task Force, which highlighted various parental concerns about classroom instruction. At the same time, lawmakers have proposed legislation that would offer additional tools for increasing transparency and accountability. While the submissions are not indicative of the scope of the problem, it is undeniable that thereis a problem with indoctrination in some public school classrooms.

The state House budget would restore salary supplements for public school educators with a master’s degree. Decades of empirical research failed to establish a relationship between master’s degrees and student performance. Possible research-based compromises include restoring master’s pay for teachers who obtain their degrees in their teaching subject or supporting teachers who pursue National Board Certification.

House budget writers proposed a $25.7 billion biennial budget that would grant an average 5.5% raise to teachers and give multiple bonuses. The House budget would expand private school choice and ease regulations on public charter schools. Lawmakers propose extensive measures to augment academic transparency and accountability.

The House budget plan, per previous agreement, would spend about the same total amount as the Senate plan. Differences exist, however, primarily with a less aggressive tax cut plan and more aggressive pay raises to teachers and state employees. Similar to the Senate plan, the House proposal would set aside significant funds in the Savings Reserve and Capital Infrastructure funds.

Teacher training programs actively promote critical race theory (CRT). A white paper published in 2020 by three North Carolina State University education professors outlines a five-step process for transforming prospective English language arts teachers into disciples of CRT. CRT-informed English instruction prioritizes activism over student achievement.