NCAE
NEWS BULLETIN April
2016
NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS
Volume 46, No. 8
April 24-29, Join NCAE in Standing Up for Schools Our Students Deserve! On April 25, North Carolina lawmakers will return to Raleigh for the beginning of the short legislative session. NCAE will be ready by unveiling a statewide plan of action called “Stand Up for Schools Our Students Deserve,” which will be an effort to mobilize supporters of public education and deepen their knowledge of what it will take to defend and transform our public schools. “We have strategically coordinated this event to take place the first week that the General Assembly is back in town to let legislators know that NCAE’s presence remains strong and that our fight to save public education continues,” said NCAE President Rodney Ellis. “Our focus is to encourage decision-makers to lead in ways that improve the health of our state’s public schools, not continue down the path of ruin and dismantling.” Activities will take place the week of April 24 through April 29 and will include the following: Sunday, April 24 – Pray-In: Leaders of the faith community will be encouraged to organize services leading their congregations in discussions about engaging in efforts to defend and transform our public schools. Monday, April 25 – Walk-In: This is the morning that the General Assembly will convene. Students, parents, educators, and community supporters are encouraged to hold propublic education events outside of their schools before the school day begins. After the event, supporters are asked to “walk in” to schools and participate in
school-based events or engage in support for educators and students. Tuesday, April 26 – Call-In: All public education supporters are asked to call their state representatives and encourage them to play a leading role in rebuilding the health of our state’s public school system. Wednesday, April 27 – Grade-In: All educators are encouraged to gather in public places with work they would typically take home and engage people in conversations about the public education profession. Thursday, April 28 – Teach-In: Supporters of public education are asked to gather in schools, homes, community centers, etc. to watch a short online workshop and have a discussion that leaves them with a better understanding the action needed to defend and transform our schools.
Friday, April 29 – All In: Public education supporters are asked to gather in public places where there is a lot of car/foot traffic to hold events that declare community support for public schools. As part of its legislative agenda, the Association, along with its coalition partners, has developed five pro-public school resolutions it will bring before lawmakers this session. They are: 1) Freedom of Speech for Educators, 2) Raise North Carolina’s Per-Pupil Expenditure, 3) End the Voucher Program, 4) End the A-F School Grading System, and 5) No Achievement School District. Click here for more details on each resolution. “We know that this year is a critical one for public education, and it is going to take all of us to be ‘All In’,” said Ellis. “If we are going to give our students the education they deserve and if we are going to make sure that you as educators and your schools have the resources needed to be successful, we must be engaged and involved and we must engage and involve the community in our efforts. I strongly encourage all local affiliates to participate in the week of action activities and extend invitations throughout your communities. Let’s show those on Jones Street that the educators and citizens of North Carolina have had enough and will unite to “Stand Up for Schools Our Students Deserve.’” Everything locals will need to assist them in planning these activities can be found here.