Teacher shortages
Fewer young men and women want to become teachers, according to a report from the UNC system. It is easy to see why enrollments in schools of education have decreased as much as 23 percent or more... Read More
My Spin by Tom Campbell
The mentally ill are better off in jail
If anyone you love is mentally ill God help you, because the odds of getting adequate help elsewhere are about as good as winning the lottery. I speak from experience. My brother is bi-polar. Even... Read More
We may never know how much our children are learning
The headlines sounded great. 56 percent of our students passed their end of grade tests, compared to just 44 percent last year. A more thorough reading reveals the 11-point gain was a result of... Read More
Gerrymandering: The next ice bucket challenge?
Whoever came up with the ALS Ice Bucket challenge deserves to be enshrined in the Marketing Hall of Fame. It accomplished the dual purpose of focusing attention on Lou Gehrig’s disease while also... Read More
Coal ash questions won't be answered for years
Before legislators could adjourn for the year they had to do two things: give teachers a pay raise and pass a coal ash cleanup bill. Most agree their coal ash solution was weak, leaving more questions... Read More
There has to be a better way to run a state
Exhausted legislators finally saw the closing gavel and heard the fat lady sing the “sine die,” followed quickly by the Hallelujah chorus striking up the perennial tune, “There has to be a... Read More
We can simplify our elections
The special election in November to fill a Court of Appeals judgeship illustrates how complicated, costly and difficult we’ve made elections and how we might simplify voting. The Court of Appeals... Read More
Guarding the henhouse, feeding the beast and real tax reform
North Carolina legislators have been to school in the complications and frustrations resulting from tax policy changes. Some of this session’s conflicts were a result of changes made to the state... Read More
Sometimes the best option is to cut your losses and move on
If you’ve ever made a bad deal you understand how people in the 51 North Carolina public power communities feel. In the 1970’s, fuel prices were rising faster than July temperatures and OPEC was... Read More
What the legislature isn't telling you about 2015
Our lawmakers have been embroiled in contentious debates about teacher pay and Medicaid, among other issues, as they struggle to revise our $21 billion state budget. While these are undoubtedly... Read More
