In “Emails, texts reveal NC superintendent’s internal discussions about teacher rally,” WRAL reporter Kelly Hinchcliffe examined the internal communications of Mark Johnson’s staff in the days leading up to the May 16 teacher walkout in Raleigh.
In the weeks leading up to the rally, State Superintendent Mark Johnson sought advice from three public relations advisers about how to explain to the public why he didn’t support the rally and wouldn’t be attending. He worked to highlight ways he has supported teachers and pondered where he should spend the day on May 16 as thousands of educators descended on downtown Raleigh.
Yup. That’s about it. There wasn’t much more to the text messages and email correspondence than that.
In fact, the story paints a rather flattering picture of Johnson.
The superintendent did not respond to all emails from the public. But when he did, he promised to listen, even to those he disagreed with, and shared a list of his top education priorities, including more literacy support for students and reducing over-testing.
I would argue that one miscalculation was the decision to schedule an out-of-town event for State Superintendent on May 16.
