Jessica Wakeman’s excellent recap of the August 17 Republican Conference on Public Education in Hendersonville highlights how politicians weaponize the most important aspects of children’s learning. [“Education Battleground: Edwards, Republican Panel Talk ‘Leftist Agenda’ in Schools,” Aug. 24, Xpress].
Instead of emphasizing the importance of a public education that embraces both facts and open debate, critical thinking and creative problem-solving, the political candidates at hand attack anyone who tries to save public education, It appeared to be telling a blatant lie about parental access to the school board. The system has been relentlessly defunded by Republicans over the years.
What many teachers call the Republican “war” on public education, its path to defunding has been marked by billions of dollars withheld from school districts, especially in poor and rural areas. I’m here. Our Congress diverts tax dollars to charter schools and religious schools, many of which are run by commercial corporations.
Additionally, the Republican strategy is to abolish public K-12 education altogether, drag out funding lawsuits in court, and delay the payment of compensation to promote school equity. Another of his tactics is to demoralize teachers with dismissals, silencing advocacy groups, and low wages. For example, today the National Education Association ranks North Carolina 34th in average teacher salaries and 41st in spending per student, with spending per child $3,308 lower than the national average. I’m here. North Carolina public schools received a C-minus rating. education week 2019 Quality Report.
At the same time, the state’s Supreme Court is debating Leandro’s decades-old lawsuit, filed in 1994 by a struggling public school seeking fair funding. Today, a court is contesting whether the Republican-dominated Congress has the authority to levy her $785 million from public schools. “Congress has added $500 million to the budget reserve, but they are underfunding public education to death and stifling public education.
The Hendersonville Republican conference ignored the funding issue. Senator Chuck Edwards (48th District) received $1.1 million from the federal Payment Protection Program for McDonald’s franchises and introduced a bill to give himself and other lucky business owners tax breaks. Most famously, it argues that parents need a “school choice.” Edwards is running for Congress today in District 11. He wants to get rid of state school boards as “irresponsible” and “bullies.”[ing](in his words) In fact, the General Assembly has teased ways to sacrifice the public education system that was once the pride of the Southeast.
Amy Lynn Holt, deputy chairman of the Henderson County Public Schools Board, denounced a “left-wing agenda” in which local teachers asked students to read. new york times Article about Donald Trump. Holt did not specify whether the students were asked to do fact-checking or to identify the author’s source. I came up with the erroneous dilemma’ nugget. “We have to stop talking about pronouns and start talking about protons,” he said. As if teachers can’t manage both.
Education needs are complex. His 22% of today’s high school students not heterosexual, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showing respect by allowing discussion of gender identity is reasonable. In clubs and counseling, if not in class. Complaining that Democrats don’t care about parental involvement on school boards is another useful lie. I belong to the board of education of almost all districts in the country.
And if Senator Edwards wants his kids to talk more about protons than pronouns, how about funding state-of-the-art science labs in public schools with decently paid teachers? It’s an important American value. It’s not about mimicking your parents’ prejudices or spouting out memorized facts. It’s all about creating a curious mind and learning about the world right in front of you.
— Ariel Emmett
Hendersonville
Editor’s Note: Emmett is a Fulbright scholar and journalist. News reports of the Law on Payroll Protection Program Loans passed by the United Nations General Assembly last year said: WBTV (avl.mx/c0m) and WRAL (avl.mx/c0n).
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