December 21, 2024

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
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The Education Wars in 2025: Can Public Schools Win?

The NC education wars will continue when the NCGA begins its 2025
legislative long session in early January. After this past year, supporters
of public schooling worry that we are losing the war.

Universal private school vouchers, NC still stagnating at #48 in the nation
for public education funding, and no Leandro funding on the horizon (no
ruling yet from the February 22 Leandro oral arguments before the NC
Supreme Court) have left our public schools handicapped and struggling to
provide the sound, basic education required by the NC State Constitution.

Can we win the “education wars” and save public education?

Defeating the attacks on public education will take individuals and
communities working together to build strong alliances between parents,
teachers, students and organizations that support public education.

Saving our public schools will require a united focus and clear messaging
that calls for increased funding and equitable policies in our public
schools.

We will need to work together to fight for public education rights.

We will need our supporters to help us educate the public on the value of
public education and to counter misinformation with factual data.

We will need help from education professionals to promote evidence-based
practices and policies that improve student outcomes and how they advocate
for effective educational strategies.

There is a lot of work to be done. We ask you to join us in the work to
save public education and win the education wars! Here’s how:

Stay informed
* Sign up to get our [7]newsletter.
* Visit our website to find relevant research and facts.
* Go to our [8]YouTube channel to view our informative webinars and
videos.
* Use our [9]county profile data to make your case.
* Volunteer with us to share information and help us grow our Public
Education Network ([10]NCPEN).
* Read [11]The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual by
Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider.

Stay engaged:
* Attend and speak at local school board meetings.
* Join the PTA and other community organizations that support public
education (check [12]NCPEN for organizations in your county).
* Attend NCGA meetings or watch online.
* Follow us on social media for up-to-date information and share it.
* Support our petitions and calls to action when bad bills are being
proposed.
* [13]Contact your legislators to let them know your views on public
education legislation.

Stay strong:

Work together (parents, teachers, students, community leaders, and advocacy
groups) to amplify your voices and influence decision-making. Email us with
your questions and let us know how to help you
[email protected].

Let’s make it happen for public schools in 2025!

Help PUBLIC SCHOOLS FIRST NC in our work fighting for public schools by
making a year-end donation!

[14]Donate to Public Schools First NC

These Tragedies are NOT Inevitable

This week the latest school shooting tragedy unfolded in [15]Madison, WI
resulting in the death of a teacher and student, life-threatening injuries
for two other students, and less critical injuries for several other
students. These heartbreaking events and continued trauma for everyone
involved have become far too frequent.

[16]Guns are the #1 cause of death for children ages 1-17 in the United
States. This does not have to be the reality in our country if we're
willing to do something about it!

According to the [17]K-12 School Shooting Database, which includes all
incidents that involved shootings, school shooting numbers started climbing
sharply in 2018 and more than doubled from 2020 to 2021. Although 2024 saw
fewer school shootings than 2023, (327 versus 349), the numbers are more
than 5 times as high as the 60 school shooting incidents in 2017.

It is up to us to put pressure on elected officials to prioritize smart gun
safety laws that will reduce gun violence. Join forces with an organization
dedicated to our children's safety to make a positive difference in the new
year.
* [18]Everytown for Gun Safety
* [19]Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
* [20]Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
* [21]Sandy Hook Promise

Legislative and SBE Updates

The Senate and House have adjourned for the remainder of 2024. Both
chambers will convene in Raleigh on Wednesday, January 8 at noon.

The [22]House Select Committee on Helene Recovery met for the first time on
December 11. You can find meeting materials and [23]audio of the
proceedings here.

We encourage you to contact the [24]committee members to ask why the Helene
response to date hasn't had the same urgency as ensuring that private
school vouchers are funded. Why has it taken more than two months to
convene their first meeting?

Western NC deserves much more than what our legislative majority has done
so far.

[25]Contact Senate Leader Phil Berger to ask why there isn't a Senate
select committee on Helene recovery.

Mo Green: Lift Back Up Public Education!

North Carolina just learned that, for the second year in a row, it ranks
48th in the nation for per-pupil funding and 49th for how much of its
economy it devotes to public schools.

“North Carolina is basically a situation of missed opportunity,” the
research director at the Education Law Center told [26]WUNC. What a damning
statement.

The new State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Maurice “Mo” Green,
sees two major roles in the job: Chief Administrative Officer, overseeing
distribution of more than $11 billion in state dollars and Chief Advocacy
Officer.

In the accompanying video, Green tells Public Ed Works he wants to improve
student outcomes, increase academic performance and improve character among
the state’s 1.4 million public school students.

[27]video

[28]Read more at Public Ed Works

In Case You Missed It

[29]Charlotte-Mecklenburg teacher surprised with National Milken Educator
Award

[30]New NC legislative committee dedicated to Helene relief: A look at top
priorities

[31]Helene exacerbated rise in homelessness across western North Carolina

[32]NC stays near bottom in latest U.S. school funding rankings

[33]Charter school is replacing teachers with AI

[34]Wealthy school voucher supporters send disapproving taxpayers the bill

[35]Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for
elementary schools

Neglected Schools

By Richard M. Moore, AG teacher at Jones Elementary School, Greensboro

As a teacher who is in his 45th year of teaching in Greensboro, I feel
compelled to comment on this battle between our legislators, public and
private school funding and the conditions of our schools.

In 2016 and 2017 I taught in a classroom with no air conditioning or heat.
This went on for two years. They finally got it fixed.

Now, just in the past year, our school has had several classrooms with no
working heat or air conditioning, including the media center. I have to
wonder what would happen in Raleigh if our inspired legislators had to work
without heat or air conditioning even for one day.

I also wonder how the General Assembly can justify offering millions of
dollars to private schools for vouchers. There’s no accountability, or
limitations on income to receive the vouchers.

And let’s not forget about teacher pay. I find it odd that teachers who
drive across state lines in South Carolina and Virginia can make about
$7,000 more per year.

To quote the Buffalo Springfield, “There’s something happening here/ But
what it is ain’t exactly clear.”

This letter first appeared in the [36]Greensboro News & Record

NC Supreme Court: Still No Leandro Ruling

On December 13 the NC Supreme Court released rulings on 13 cases, but the
long-awaited decision on Leandro was not among them.

The NC Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the current iteration of
Leandro on February 22, 2024 so a ruling should have been announced.

The Leandro case was filed 30 years ago in 1994 by parents and school
districts who claimed that the state was not fulfilling its constitutional
requirement to fund public schools. The suit soon came to include all
districts in the state due to across-the-board underfunding and low
performance.

In four subsequent rulings, the NC Supreme Court ordered the state to
remedy the situation through better funding. The last ruling, in November
2022, signaled the Court's impatience with the NC General Assembly's
continued refusal to fund schools adequately. The Court ordered a transfer
of funds according to a payment plan previously established by the State.

Legislative leaders refused.

Prior to the oral arguments, Public Schools First hosted Jack Boger and
Jane Wettach (prominent NC legal experts) to discuss the Leandro Case: Is
the NC Supreme Court Poised to Undo Leandro? Legal Experts Weigh In. The
webinar provides an excellent overview of the case and the impact on
education in North Carolina.

[37]Watch the Leandro Webinar

Send a Postcard to Your Legislators!

Do you want to send a message to legislators?

[38]Community Conversations has created festive holiday postcards to help
raise awareness and make it easy for you, your friends, family and
colleagues to reach out to state level officials about delivering on our
promise to the next generation.
* Write postcards to your officials then post either a picture of your
cards or a video of you reading them so your friends and family can learn
about Leandro. Please tag Community Conversations!
* Incorporate postcard writing as an activity for your holiday gathering
* Open your office/store front to serve as a location where people can
drop in and write a card at their convenience.
* Write your own postcards during breaks in your holiday festivities

Check out their many designs at [39]WRITE YOUR REP! and either print your
own copies or order them online.

Next, [40]SIGN THE PETITION to urge your legislators to fully fund public
schools via Leandro.

Did You Miss a Webinar?

If you missed one of our webinars, the winter break is a good time to catch
up. You can[41] watch them HERE (on our website under Events). Below are
the most recent webinars. Watch them all to gain a better understanding of
the history and current dynamics of education in North Carolina.

The NCPTA and Public Schools First review of the history and impact of
private school vouchers in NC.

Karey Harwood, author of Why the Battle over Diverse Public Schools Still
Matters

Derek Black, author of Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the
assault on American Democracy

Jack Boger and Jane Wettach, Is the NC Supreme Court Poised to Undo
Leandro? Legal Experts Weigh in

Jon Hale, author of The Choice We Face: How Segregation, Race, and Power
Have Shaped America’s Most Controversial Education Reform Movement

Legislative Update with Rep. Julie von Haefen

Save the Date!

How to Fight Vouchers in 2025: A Toolkit for Advocates

On Wednesday, January 15, at 2 p.m. ET, representatives from PFPS and
invited guests will share information, resources, tools and tips to support
advocates in preparation for state and federal legislative fights over
private school voucher programs in 2025. More information about the webinar
and a link to register are coming soon!

Good Reads for Winter Break

There's nothing better than a good book to read over holiday breaks. Public
Schools First NC has a terrific selection of books we've featured over the
years in our webinars and conferences.

When you make a tax-deductible donation of $50 or more to Public Schools
First NC, we'll send you your book choice.

Another great gift idea is a Public Schools First NC t-shirt. Wear it
yourself and give as gifts to show your public school pride!

[42]BUY BOOKS and [43]T-SHIRTS

Words to Remember

"What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the
community want for all of its children. Any other ideal for our schools is
narrow and unlovely; acted upon, it destroys our democracy."

— John Dewey (1907)

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit
focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents,
teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across North Carolina
to advocate for one unified system of public education that prepares each
child for productive citizenship.

[44]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

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