NCAE
NEWS BULLETIN August
2015
NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS
Volume 46, No. 1
Members Continue to Lift Their Voices
in Support of Students and Public Education
As the General Assembly works to finalize a budget, NCAE members are continuing to make their voices heard on issues that would further dismantle public education. Over the summer, members participated in a variety of activities in their local affiliates and districts, as well as the June 23 NCAE Lobby Day in Raleigh. Since the release of the Senate’s budget, they have ramped up efforts to speak out on issues that will help our students be more successful – issues such as more textbook funding, adequate funding for per-pupil
expenditures, keeping teacher assistant positions intact, and providing professional salaries and benefits Ashley to attract the best Johnson educators, just to and Janis name a few. HendersonBrooksetta Davis of Hunsucker Charlottemeet with Mecklenburg decided Rep. Bryan it was time to step Holloway. outside of her comfort zone to express her feelings. People don’t seem to value education anymore, she commented. Also, her niece is studying to become an educator; a career choice that Davis unfortunately does not support. “When she talked to me about becoming a teacher, I honestly was not excited and have tried to talk her out of the decision,” Davis said. “I never thought I’d feel this way because my mother taught for 42 years, my grandmother taught for more than 30 years, and I have been a teacher for 33 years. The job of being an educator is so difficult now!”
One of the most contentious items in the Senate’s budget is the possible elimination of 8,500 teacher assistant positions. For Lakisha Mills, the reality of this occurring hits home because her sister is a TA. “Contrary to what lawmakers may think, our teacher assistants are a large component of the classroom setting,” said Mills, also of CharlotteMecklenburg. “They are a vital asset, providing small group and one-on-one instruction to students.” [See Page 4 for more on TAs.] Some of the other unfavorable elements in the Senate’s budget include eliminating funding for driver’s education, providing additional funding for vouchers each year of the biennium, not providing salary increases for education support professionals or central office personnel, no cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, and eliminating free health coverage during retirement for new state employees. To see a sideby-side comparison of the House and Senate budgets, visit the Members’ Only section of the NCAE Web site.
FROM LEFT: Ronda Gordon of Forsyth Co. and Karen Green of New Hanover Co. speak at press events about proposed budget items that will hurt education; Guilford Co. members Paula Harrison, Amy Harrison and Deb Green talk with Rep. Jon Hardister; A group of members from Charlotte-Mecklenburg had an opportunity to meet and express their concerns with several legislators during the June 23 Lobby Day.