Excerpted declaration with_signatures_and_districts
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The document is a declaration by teachers in North Carolina defending public education. It summarizes the ways that the state legislature has undermined public schools since 2011 by underfunding schools, increasing class sizes, cutting support staff, promoting unregulated private schools, and taking steps to de-professionalize teaching. It calls on lawmakers to reverse these harmful policies and restore North Carolina's former leadership in public education by adequately funding schools and supporting students and teachers.
Excerpted declaration with_signatures_and_districts
- 1. Declaration in Defense of North Carolina’s Public Schoolchildren July 4th, 2018 Drafted by Teachers on the Red4EdNC Advisory Board and Board of Directors When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for the people of a state to confront a legislative supermajority that has consistently demonstrated over the course of seven years a hostility to the premise, the constitutional promise, and the provision of a high-quality public education for all, a decent respect to the citizens of that state requires a comprehensive list of the injustices that supermajority has inflicted upon its children and its teacher corps, as well as coherent vision for restoring that state to its former prominence as a leader in public education. We take as our standard, North Carolina’s proud motto: “Esse quam videri — To be rather than to seem.” We hold that the following truth is evident, moral, and pragmatic — that North Carolina students are guaranteed a sound basic education by the North Carolina Constitution, in Article IX, which states: “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools, libraries, and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” We further hold that the citizens of North Carolina have an economic stake to see that the children of the state are well-educated lest we fail to develop a workforce capable of sufficiently providing for themselves and fail to create new generations of citizens who can contribute to and advance our state, nation, and world. North Carolina has a long history of vigorous, bipartisan support for public education. However, beginning in the spring of 2011, the leadership of the majority party, especially in the upper chamber, departed from this tradition and moved to underfund and stigmatize K-12 public education, crippling these long-cherished institutions while simultaneously bolstering unproven, experimental and frequently profit-driven replacements, many of which have had the effect of resegregating North Carolina’s children. We have attended town halls, and we have addressed members of the General Assembly in their offices in Raleigh and in their home districts. We have marched in the streets by the tens of thousands. We have provided comprehensive and empirically irrefutable data to representatives and senators which demonstrate not only the willful underfunding of our schools but the resulting devastating impacts on our state’s classrooms. Despite those actions, state lawmakers continue to enact policies which harm our teachers and students. We hold that the following facts are incontrovertible when it comes to the actions taken and policies adopted by the General Assembly since 2011: • They have failed to restore public education funding to pre-recession levels, compelling county commissions across the state to either raise local taxes or allow educational services to degrade, both paths leading to a state of educational haves and have-nots, reinforcing destructive income inequality trends. • They have burdened local government with unfunded mandates for class-size reductions in early grades with no clear protection for art, music, physical education, technology, and foreign language classes or regard for adequate physical space for those smaller classes.
- 2. • They have cut over 7,400 teacher assistants relative to 2008 levels, resulting in less supportive and responsive classroom environments, especially given the K-3 testing burden. • They have slashed textbook funding to the point where many of our students are forced to do without. • They have increased the volume of standardized testing--especially among our elementary students where least developmentally appropriate--and fostered a culture of fear and anxiety related to assessments that adversely impacts students and teachers alike. • They have provided 3.5% fewer teachers per student than in 2008, increasing class sizes to a degree that teachers struggle to provide students with an orderly environment for learning and individualized instruction. • They have shifted millions of dollars from support of traditional public schools to private schools. Schools funded by North Carolina taxpayer dollars via these “Opportunity Scholarships” or vouchers, do not require state accreditation, teaching qualifications, or regulated curriculum and may intertwine church and state at will. • They have lifted the cap on charter schools and allowed municipalities to finance them with local property taxes, actions which have resulted in and will continue to worsen racial and economic segregation in our state. • They have enacted a "school report card" system where measures correlate more to wealth and poverty than to instructional quality. • They have created salary schedules in North Carolina that compensate principals at a level worse than the other 49 states as of the spring of 2018. • They have directed millions of dollars to unaccountable charter schools, many of them with dismal records of academic performance but clear records of profit-seeking. This action has resulted in the resegregation of North Carolina’s children on the basis of race and class. • They have created policies that, in their totality, have increased achievement gaps for low-income students and students of color dramatically since 2008. • They have eliminated the Teaching Fellows program, a program with an excellent track record of creating high-quality teachers at a relatively low cost, and then replaced it with an emaciated version. • They have taken significant steps to de-professionalize the teaching profession in North Carolina, including the revocation of career status, the termination of compensation for advanced degrees, and elimination of retiree health care benefits beginning with teachers hired in 2021. • They have financed the creation of an evaluation regimen based on secret algorithms (Education Value-Added Assessment System) that precludes equitable and informed treatment for both teachers and students. • They have consistently enacted salary schedules which leave North Carolina far behind the national average in teacher compensation. Salaries of veteran teachers have stagnated to the point where many of our most experienced teachers have left the profession before full and duly earned retirement pension and health benefits may be collected, resulting in a ‘greening’ of our teaching corps which adversely impacts students. • They have consistently placed major education policy initiatives in budget bills rather than moving them through a deliberative committee process, eliminating the debate and public input so essential to the creation of effective policy.
- 3. • They have drastically cut corporate tax rates, crippling the General Assembly’s capacity to adequately fund the traditional classroom — $3.5 billion has been lost in annual revenue and that figure will increase to $4.4 billion beginning in 2019--despite business leaders’ stated desire for increased funding for public schools. In direct contrast to these harmful actions, Red4EdNC offers the following restorative vision: ❑ An increase in per-pupil funding, adjusted for inflation, to pre-recession levels. ❑ Salary restoration, adjusted for inflation, to 2008 levels, and a move toward compensation which encourages our most experienced teachers to stay in the profession. ❑ Cessation of tax practices which favor individuals over the collective good. ❑ Elected representatives must return to a focus on removing poverty-related barriers to student success. We must adopt policies which promote racial and economic integration rather than policies which have the effect of segregating along racial and economic lines. ❑ All North Carolina children deserve the opportunity to learn from great teachers in clean, adequately- supplied classrooms. They all deserve to enter each school day healthy, free of hunger, and focused on learning, either because of a supportive home life or because adequate supports are in place to address afflictive childhood experiences and trauma. ❑ Assessment regimens should be developmentally appropriate, informed by best practices in terms of span and focus, and should authentically assess mastery. Assessment should inform future instruction rather than determine bonus pay for teachers and principals. ❑ Major education policies should be crafted and debated openly in committee settings and on the floor of representative legislative bodies. ❑ Policymakers must develop processes that allow consistent input from educators, agency personnel, and subject experts. We, therefore, the assembled teachers of North Carolina’s public schools, representing almost all 115 Local Education Agencies in North Carolina’s 100 counties, appeal to the voters and the lawmakers of North Carolina to reverse the harmful course outlined above and restore our state to its former position as a national leader in public education… Red4EdNC is committed to supporting and advancing public schools, educators, support staff, and students. Red4EdNC is a non-profit association registered with the NC Secretary of State. For more information, visit www.red4ednc.com
- 4. Taylor Allen Valencia Abbott Deborah Abel Anna Christian Allen Peri Alletto Christine Alston Barbara Anderson Yvonne Anderson Lauren Andrew Marlow Artis Kimberly Arwood James Atkinson Stacie Bailey Elizabeth Balazs John Baldwin Kenneth Ball Patricia Ball Jasmine Barcelona Ellen Barefoot Annas Jonathan Barnes James Barrett Corey Barringer Deborah Barron Lara Bartholow Basha Beach Joseph Beamon Vince Beasley Alison Bellamy Lauren Benfield Joanne Bernard Christine Bertson Melany Blinson Savannah Blystone Holly Borden Jennifer Bourne Hannah Brady Kristine Branch Hannah Braunstein Wendy Brautman Jane Breaux Andrew Brennan Victoria Bridgers Allison Briggs Lawrence Brinson Tricia Brodbeck Eric Broer David Brooks Carla Brookshire Amy Brown Trina Bruner Francis Bryant Jill Bryant Jeff Bryant Alisa Bryant Jeanna Bryson George Burbella Ashley Burch Kathleen Burke Julia Burrows Michelle Burton Megan Busick Maria Butner Martha Byrd Cicely Cable Jennifer Cace Sarah Cade Marie Calabro Jan Caldwell Chris Campbell Kyle Candia-Bovi Marjolein Cannon Elizabeth Carespodi Lisa Carr Hogan Carringer Sam Carter Matthew Casella Angela Cathcart Nancy Cattrell Tiffany Caudill Laura Chalfant Donna Charneskie Michelle Chase DeeAnn Cherveny April Cheuvront Mary Christ Janice Citrin Ginny Clayton Tamara Coburn Mark Colebrook Allison Collins Brandon Combs Karen Conner Garrett Cooperman Jessica Cosma Rebecca Costas Teri Couch Jessica Courtney Michelle Craig Tom Crane Whitney Cress Patricia Cumpston Tina Curran Doug Cutshall Elizabeth D'Herde Wendy Dahlin Scarlett Dalrymple Laytora Dash Wendy Davidson Pamela Deal LeAnna Delph Sarah Delph Brittney Dennis Lisa Denstaedt Candice Denton Philip Depasquale John deVille Nandita Dhulia Sherry Difilippo Heather Dinkenor Paul Dinkenor Lea Dixon Gina Dmeza Shayla Doyal Kathy Drew Courtney Dubis Kelsey Duffy Carol Dukes Joanne Duncan Marsha Dunn Stephanie Dupree Bethany Dykstra Mary Beth Earp Melissa Easley Stephanie Easley Ellie Easter Glen Edwards Stuart Egan Davin Eldridge Stacy Eleczko Paula Elks Monica Ellis Sheila Ellis Carter Elmore Amy Emery Jayne Emma Alirio Estevez Hallie Evans Donna Everett Terese Ewing Carla Fassbender Jessica Feahr Wendolyn Fernandez Lynn Ferrell Holly Fishback Carolyn Floyd Bruce Foley Katherine Ford Savanah Forsythe Susan Foulks Kolani Fowler Denise Francis Jack Fryar Morgan Fullbright Carol Gardner Kathleen Gehron Jenni George Lisa Gerardi Kirstin Giordano Susan Giska Denise Glover Andrew Goettman Alexa Goff Jennifer Gold Kelly Goodman Jerry Goodnight Rachel Gorton Matthew Graham Howard Graham Peggy Grantham Sheena Greiner
- 5. Eva Griffin Bitsy Griffin Valeria Guerrero Julie Guillaume Mary Gulledge Todd Gunsher Liz Hackney Laura Haerri Losa Hagen Jessica Hall Brandi Hall Stacy Hancock Megan Handy Anne Hardinger Stephanie Harrell Susan Harrington Tamara Harrington Lee Harris Sam Hart Leta Hartley Kim Hartrum Marci Harvey Jason Harwood Esther Hauber Michael Hayes Julie Heilig Heather Heinze Robert Heller Daniel Helms Lorry Henry Jeanne Herbert Kirstin Herrin Stacey Hess Ashley Hester Julia Hicks Tricia Hill Noel Hill Kalee Hill Farrah Hilton Christel Hirsch Shawn Hodge Ted Hoeffler Kelly Holden Alyse Hollingsworth Marjan Hong Chrisy Horgan Katherine Horne Elizabeth Hourigan Kristin House Cynthia Hutchings Pamela Imhof Linda Ingle Chelsea Ingram Mackenzie Inman Paul Irvin Elizabeth Irvin Jeffrey Israel Emily Jackson Larry Jackson Angela Jackson Ann Jacob Stephanie Jamison Keri Jefferies-McKenzie Amanda Jewelk Amy Job Hilliary Johnson La’Tasha Johnson Sarah Johnston Sarah Jones Jennifer Jones Baria Jordan Michele Jordan Justin Josey Ashley Joyce Cristi Julsrud Betsy Kaiser Laurie Kaliff Leslie Kasserman Aaron Kelley Tamika Kelly Cathy Keys Yohannes Kibret Tiffany Kilgore Diane Kimbrell Jamie King Tiffany Kinnaird Kim Kirkhum Lindy Kirkman Celeste Kittinger Shayne Klein Jim Knight Shannon Knott Amy Koch John Kolena Denice Kopf Janet Kraft Karen Kreitzburg Connie Krupa Kathleen Lackey Susanna Lambert Jamie Lambert Gordon Lampley Pam Lancaster Leah Landrum Catherine Lang Jeff Langer Sibyl Langley Nancy Lassiter Jasmine Lauer Paige Laurain Chris Lavignette Stacey Layden Heather Layton Pattie Le Sueur April Lee Heidi Lee Emily Leslie Cindy Levinson Pam Lilley Patrick Linn Kevin Lloyd Karen Lohman Francine Long Angela Longano Timothy Longest Jennifer Love Kelly Lovelace Christopher Lyerly Mary Lyons Ashlie MacDonald Lesley Mace Kim Mackey MaryEllen Magee Justice Mansour Karen Marquard Jenifer Marr Hilary Marshall Tracie Marshburn Pamela Martin Lorna Martin Erin Martin Teena Martin Mary Mason Tim Mateer Kimberly Mawhiney Dora May Kimberly Mayes Ruthann McComb Rebecca McCord Brooke McCurdy Megan McDonnell Lisa McDowell Ashley McIntyre Ryann McKay Christy McLean Eugene McLemore Kate McMahan Brandon McMahan Sean McManus Michelle McNair Keisha McNeil Elyse McRae Leslie Meadows Stephanie Medeiros Katherine Meeks Katie Melin Elisa Mendez Jessica Merry Bethany Meyers Laura Miles-Kaplan Rob Miller Deanna Minetola Holly Minnear Marissa Minnick Christina Minnish Kerry Ann Miquel Meg Miranda Sharon Mitchell Kristianne Mobley Katy Molony
- 6. Alyssa Montgomery Sara Moore Wendy Moore Kirsten Morgan Naomi Morrison Nancy Mosley Elizabeth Mosley Mark Mosley Ashley Moss Melissa Mottet Angela Moxley Victoria Mullinax Rebecca Mullis Kathryn Murchison Christie Murphy Megan Myers Mary Napier Jody Neill-Shaughnessy Leslie Neilsen Cynthia Nelson William Nesbitt Amy Newsome Rebecca Newton Lindsay Nielsen Samantha Noe Laura Noto Bernd Nuss Alyssa O'Connor Tara O’Loughlin Jazzmin Oates Steve Oreskovic James Ottaway Danielle Overcash Bobby Padgett Susan Parker Christin Parker Justin Parmenter Jenna Parry Alysse Pearson Stephanie Peo Andrea Perrone Kara Peterson Robert Phillips Andrea Phillips Rodney Pierce Lauren Piner Kathryn Pingel Vickie Poole Heather Powell Elizabeth Pratt Douglas Price Patsy Prickett Kaylee Pridmore Suzie Pruett Dana Queener Lee Quinn Stacey Rader Georgina Ray Thomas Rebant Julia Redwood-Sawyerr Judith Ann Reed Kristin Reich Susan Reynolds Krista Ricks Susan Ringo Gerri Roberts Sonya Robinson Bridget Robinson Tamara Robinson Tabitha Rogers Areda Rogers Susan Ross Nancy Rountree Melissa Rousseau Celia Rowland Emily Rucki Cathy Rush Mary Russ Kirsten Russ Shaun Russell Rebecca Saliba Dana Sampson Paige Sanduski Heather Santos Scott Schaefer Emily Schmidt Becky Schmitz Victoria Schmoyer Heidi Schoffstall Holly Schuur Peter Schwartz Jeff Schweickert Matt Scialdone Angie Scioli Rachel Scott Jennifer Seamon Scott Sears Patti Secresdt Jen Seha Patty Selah Matt Sellek Katherine Shannon Patty Sharp Sherry Shaw Leslie Shoffner Sandi Shover Aimee Sigmon Anna Sill Cynthia Simpson Premi Singh Paige Sinkiewicz Jackie Sinor Sam Sirois Julia Skaggs Elizabeth Slater Carolyn Smart Marie Smith Shelby Smith Jennifer Smith Kristy Smith Beth Smith Barbara Smith Cheri Smith Tate Rachel Snyder Traci Snyder Haley Sparrow Elizabeth Spence Robert Spencer Lisa Staats Alyssa Stafford Shannon Staley Kathy Stamp Kerra Stephens Sherry Stephens Angie Stephenson Laura Stewart Rebecca Stewart Dorothea Stewart Rebecca Stith Patty Stringer Chris Sullivan William Swann Dawn Swift Ashley Tabron Amy Talley Ann-Marie Taranto Mary Tarrant Katrina Tarson Khadijah Tart Stephanie Tavera Van Hassel Charlotte Taylor Laurie Taylor Charlotte Taylor Jessica Thigpen Meghan Thompson Julia Thurley Mary Todd Melissa Tolbert Amanda Trivett Barbara Truette Mary Tubilleja Candi Tucker Pam Turner Trudie Turner Mika Twietmeyer Elizabeth Tyler Priscilla Tyson Jenny Umbarger Valerie Vajay Teresa Vandiver Mechelle Vaughn Liza Veilleux Vicki Vest Becky Vodek Lesley Wade Julie Waldroup Sarah Wall Carol Walters Lindsey Ward Amy Ward
- 7. Lina Warren Charles Warren Shelley Wasko Michael Waters Megen Watkins Kim Watson Jaime Webster Emily Weisz Rheta West Emily Westbrook Sarah White Jennifer White Lauren Whitley Wanda Wiley Monica Wilkerson Judith Williams Sammi Williams Danisha Williams Sandra Willmott Coretta Wilso Karah Wilson Billie Wilt Melani Winter Jennifer Wise Liz Witte Heather Wolf Connie Wood Wende Woodard Brianne Wooten Karen Worlds Bill Worley Jamie Wortg Tiffany Wuzzardo Jessica Yates Jane York Kim Young Emily Young Sara Young
- 8. Districts with Signers Signers are individual teachers and do not officially represent the school district Alamance-Burlington School System Alexander County Schools Alleghany County Schools Anson County Schools Asheboro City Schools Asheville City Schools Avery County Schools Beaufort County Schools Bladen County Schools Brunswick County Schools Buncombe County Schools System Burke County Public Schools Cabarrus County Schools Caldwell County Schools Carteret County Public Schools Caswell County Schools Catawba County Schools Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Chatham County Schools Cherokee County School District Cleveland County Schools Clinton City Schools Columbus County Schools Craven County Schools Cumberland County Schools Currituck County Schools Dare County Schools Davidson County Schools Davie County Schools Duplin County Schools Durham Public Schools Edenton-Chowan Schools Edgecombe County Public Schools Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Elkin City Schools Franklin County Schools Gaston County Schools Gates County Schools Graham County Schools Granville County Schools Greene County Schools Guilford County Schools Halifax County Schools Harnett County Schools Haywood County Schools Henderson County Public Schools Hickory City Schools Hoke County Schools Hyde County Schools Iredell-Statesville Schools Jackson County Schools Johnston County Schools Kannapolis City Schools Lee County Schools Lenoir County Schools Lexington City Schools Lincoln County Schools Macon County Schools Madison County Schools Martin County Schools McDowell County Schools Mitchell County Schools Montgomery County Schools Moore County Schools Mooresville Graded School District Nash-Rocky Mount Schools New Hanover County Schools Newton-Conover City Schools Onslow County Schools Orange County Schools Pamlico County Schools Pender County Schools Perquimans County Schools Person County Schools Pitt County Schools Polk County Schools Randolph County Schools Richmond County Schools Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Robeson County Schools Rockingham County Schools Rowan-Salisbury School System Rutherford County Schools Sampson County Schools Scotland County Schools Stanly County Schools Stokes County Schools Surry County Schools Swain County Schools Thomasville City Schools Transylvania County Schools Union County Public Schools Vance County Schools Wake County Public School System Warren County Schools Washington County Schools Watauga County Schools Wayne County Public Schools Whiteville City Schools Wilkes County Schools Wilson County Schools Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Yadkin County Schools