Teacher pay politics

“If teachers were motivated by money, they wouldn’t be teachers.” – A motivated teacher Republican legislators brag about their pay raises for teachers. Governor Cooper says teachers deserve more. But what do teachers want? It’s more than more pay. If you talk with concerned, motivated teachers, they care more about: too much testing arbitrary standards…

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Roy is ready

As I listened to Roy Cooper set a crowd of OBX Democrats to clapping and hollering Monday evening, a wise old political vet whispered what I was thinking: “He’s come a long way.” A year or so ago, Democrats had doubts about Cooper. “He should have run before now.” “Does he really have the fire…

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Remember when…

Governor McCrory is very proud that North Carolina moved up from 42nd to 41st in teacher pay last year. Well, let’s turn back the clock about 20 years. In 1997, Governor Jim Hunt proposed raising teacher salaries to the national average. At the time, we ranked 43rd. With bipartisan support (including a Republican-majority House), the…

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