In my latest Spotlight report, I had a great deal of fun exposing the voting record of the State Board of Education over the last four years. It was a trip through the twilight zone.
I found that board members reached unanimous agreement 94 percent of the time. This only includes final votes on substantive motions. Thus, votes on motions like the approval of minutes, changes to the agenda, and ceremonial votes were not included. Occasionally, I did find actual disagreement among the board members (and even some votes opposing a motion or two), but this was very rare.
Lately, I have heard a lot of tough reform talk from members of the board, but it is all smoke and mirrors. They are incapable of entertaining any idea that is not given to them by the education establishment. The board’s groupthink has reached an unprecedented level of refinement, and, with it, education reform in North Carolina has reached an unprecedented level of stagnation.
