November 2022 NCAE News Bulletin

NCAE North Carolina Association of Educators

News Bulletin

November 2022

Vol. 53, No. 4

www.ncae.org

Schools Vote Together!

NCAE members, educators, parents and community allies joined together on the first Saturday of Early Voting, October 22, for the “Schools Vote Together Rally.” The event was held at the John Chavis Memorial Park in Raleigh, where the crowd gathered to hear uplifting messages from guest speaker NEA Vice President Princess Moss, and others. The group then marched to the polls at the same

location to cast their ballots together and participate in a canvassing activity.

Later in the day, NCAE President Tamika Walker Kelly, Vice President Bryan Proffitt, and Moss attended a re-election rally and BBQ event in Wilson for NCAE member Linda Cooper-Suggs, who is running for a second term in House District 24.

Rep. Suggs’ district is one of several

that Republicans will need to flip to gain a highly coveted supermajority in the North Carolina General Assembly.

The balance of power in the Legislature following this election will have a significant impact on whether the state moves toward a multi-racial democracy with public schools at the heart of our communities or allow them to continue the slow dismantling of our public

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What’s the Scoop on Teacher Licensure?

Since the late spring/early summer, your organization has been working to monitor and raise objections to the draft teacher licensure and compensation proposal. This Tamika Walker Kelly proposal, titled Pathways for President Excellence for NC Teaching Professionals, would overhaul how teachers are licensed and paid in our state.

It would move us from an experienced-based pay scale and the current licensing system (which are separate) to a system where they are both tied together by student test scores, observations and other measures yet to be determined.

We believe North Carolina needs a teacher licensure program that respects teachers’ expertise, rewards their time in the profession, offers support throughout their career, and recruits and retains educators of color in a way that reflects the demographics of our public-school student population. In June, we released our position statement of opposition to the draft proposal after holding informational and feedback sessions in the spring. Since the summer, we’ve held several member calls, a press

conference, and a member roundtable with the chair and vice chair of the State Board of Education, Eric Davis and Alan Duncan.

So, what has PEPSC (the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission) been up to? The four subcommittees of PEPSC completed their meetings in August, and throughout September and October, the subcommittee co-chairs met to review the draft proposal with changes. In their October 13 meeting, the members of PEPSC deferred a vote on the proposal until November, citing the need for more time to discuss its practical and financial implementation.

In our all-member call following the meeting, we heard from member leaders Daria Fredrick, Kim Mackey, Lee Quinn, and you about how these proposed changes would affect you in the teaching profession. We also heard from former State Superintendent Dr. June Atkinson about how we need to continue to make our voices heard to members of PEPSC, but also our State Board of Education members.

PEPSC will meet one more time, on November 10, and there are conflicting reports on the agenda. We are hearing both, that PEPSC will vote on the proposal and that they do not have the authority to approve the proposal without changing the general statute. As you know, NCAE will be watching and ready to update you post-meeting. We know the way to ensure that we retain our educators and recruit new ones to the profession is to honor the experience and expertise of our educators. That’s the licensure and compensation system we deserve so that every student has a classroom led by a high-quality educator. This is the way to restore NC’s legacy for public education.

• Monday, November 14: Kickoff Day • Tuesday, November 15: Family Day • Wednesday, November 16: Education Support Professionals Day • Thursday, November 17: Educator for a Day Click here for more info and ideas on how to celebrate.

• Friday, November 18: Substitute Educators Day

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Demetria Harvey, left, with NEA President Becky Pringle, who met with Wake County bus drivers and safety assistants in May as part of her Joy, Justice and Excellence Tour. Harvey is a strong advocate for public education and educators.

Click here to hear one of the reasons why.

Educator, Advocate Demetria Harvey Helps Students and Colleagues Be Their Very Best

F

or 13 years, Demetria Harvey, a safety assistant for Wake County Public Schools, has worked to ensure students with special needs and behaviors are transported to and from school safely. Classified as an Education Support Professional (ESP), she is among the thousands of essential employees who play vital roles inside and outside of the classroom to keep public schools running and ensure students are ready to learn.

On Wednesday, November 16, Education Support Professionals Day, ESPs like Harvey will be celebrated and honored across the country for the work they do to meet the needs of their school communities. This day is observed as part of American Education Week (November 13-19).

Harvey said she chose a career in public education because she likes working with children. “Prior to my employment with the school system, I worked with adults diagnosed with mental illness. I decided I wanted to experience working with children, so I sought a position with Wake County Public Schools.”

Although she has been a public school employee for many years, Harvey has only been a member of NCAE for close to a year. During this time, she has become a strong advocate for the profession and a leader of her peers. She serves as the District 4 representative on the Wake NCAE Board. It’s work she says she was “thrown into,” but it’s all good.

“I had heard about NCAE but was always told it was an organization for teachers. However, I learned differently after

participating in the Wake County bus driver walk-out last year. At the rally held at Central Office, NCAE had a huge presence, unlike the Teamsters, of which some of us were members. After hearing all public school employees referred to as ‘educators,’ I joined and recruited a few other colleagues as well. I realized it was an organization that would have our back and give us direction as we began elevating our voices for change.”

Being a leader, Harvey said, is important to her because everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly, and she strives to make that happen. She sees so many issues within the school system – shortage of teachers, lack of resources, not enough bus drivers, etc. -- that need work and she knows these issues affect students in a profound way. “Our students are our future educators, lawyers, doctors. I am using my voice to help pave the way for them.”

Harvey believes public education is the cornerstone of our democracy. She, herself, is a product of the Philadelphia public school system. Her children attended public schools, and her grandchildren are being educated in public schools.

“Public schools put everyone on an equal playing field, no matter their background. It pangs me see our schools not being fully funded, that we don’t have enough counselors, social workers and school nurses. If we don’t do better, we’re going to lose a generation of children. All children deserve access to a quality public education. It’s the right thing to do!”

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Election 2022: It's Time to Speak Up for Students at the Polls Well-funded schools, support for educator unions, and resources for our students—it's all possible if we elect pro-public education candidates.

Civics teacher Brian Link, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators, shared his lived knowledge of the power of every vote with students and colleagues alike in the latest issue of NEA Today magazine.

Civics teacher Brian Link tells his students at East Chapel Hill High School, in North Carolina, that the best way to measure the health of a representative democracy is by asking this essential question: Does every citizen have the right to weigh in on the actions of the government through the ballot and do these citizens choose to exercise that right each and every time they have the opportunity to do so?

“Of course, my audience is teenagers, so my Frank Capra "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" view of how America should work is often met with various levels of skepticism, eye rolls, and shouted queries of ‘Who is Jimmy Stewart?’” Link laughs.

The students sometimes challenge him: Why should we bother voting when we have the electoral college, gerrymandering, the two-party system, and historical and current voter suppression—especially in

communities of color?

That’s when Link offers snapshots of the alternative. The first presidential election he could vote in was when George W. Bush ran against then Vice President Al Gore, in 2000.

Link was excited. As a college student away from his home state of Florida, he diligently followed the rules to request an absentee ballot. He punched the holes in his paper ballot, and, after sealing the envelope, his roommate signed as a witness. He mailed it well in advance of Election Day. He encouraged his friends to vote absentee, too.

To this day he does not know for sure whether his ballot was received, opened, and counted correctly. “What I do know is all the uncast ballots of my friends who chose not to vote had a profound impact on me and the country,” says Link, reflecting on Al Gore’s narrow defeat that hinged on

losing Florida.

“I didn’t know yet that I was on a path to become a teacher, but my parents were both public educators, and through them I felt acutely the impact of what happens when you end up 537 votes short: Rod Paige became the secretary of education, declared educator unions to be terrorist organizations, and helped usher in the era of high-stakes testing and merit pay through the No Child Left Behind Act.” It would take decades to undo the damage wrought by these policies.

STUDENTS PAY THE PRICE FOR UNCAST VOTES In this November’s midterm elections, many races for U.S. Congress as well as state and local office are expected to be extremely tight. In other words, your vote and (See Every Election on page 5)

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NCAE News Bulletin

Every Election is High Stakes When It Comes to Public Schools (Continued from page 4)

your ability to get out the vote can be more powerful than ever before. When Link first moved to North Carolina, one of the first things he did was register to vote for the 2010 midterm elections.

“I wanted to help continue the Old North State’s commitment to public education as the home of the first public university in the nation—my alma mater, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill,” he says. “But I discovered that many of my fellow building colleagues and new from out-of-state Early Educator Program teachers didn’t feel the same urgency to vote for primarily state-level races. We had already elected President Obama, they’d say, wasn’t that enough?”

It wasn’t. An influx of out-of-state money led the North Carolina General Assembly to a Republican majority for the first time since Reconstruction. Four years later, in the 2014 midterms, when union educators voted at their lowest rates in decades, a Republican supermajority resulted in the General Assembly. And once again, the ballots not cast had devastating consequences.

Career status, longevity pay, teacher assistants in classrooms, and steps for veteran teacher pay were eliminated in North Carolina. Voucher schemes were initiated and expanded, and the state’s colleges and universities experienced deep funding cuts that they are still recovering from.

But, with great effort led by the North Carolina Association of Educators, the state’s education voters made a comeback in the 2016 election and helped pro-public schools candidates win critical seats on the state’s Supreme Court and in the state attorney general’s office. They also helped elect Gov. Roy Cooper.

This momentum continued into the 2018 midterm elections, when educators helped break the conservative supermajority in the General Assembly.

Those actions had immense positive consequences for educators and students. The governor kept North Carolinians safer during COVID. And elected school boards have protected LGBTQ+ students and ensured that educators can teach honestly about history.

Other positive outcomes resulted. The state Supreme Court struck down voter ID laws and ruled—after more than 25 years of litigation—that the state constitution requires the General Assembly to fully fund public education. For educators and students, the stakes are high in every election.

But the reality is that if educators don’t keep casting ballots for pro-public education candidates, progress could be lost in states like North Carolina, and never achieved in places that desperately need it. Every election is high-stakes when it comes to public schools and the common good.

Members Share What Inspires Them to Vote and Why It’s Important Voters are making their way to the polls to cast ballots for candidates running for everything from local school board to the United States Congress. Some are taking advantage of Early Voting and some will follow the traditional route of voting on Election Day, November 8.

We know all elections are critical to the welfare of our students, the profession and you as educators, so we took an opportunity to ask: “What inspires you to vote?” and “Why is it so important for public school employees to vote?” Here is what a few of your colleagues said.

Sandi Shover, Lee County “What inspires me to vote is I know one vote CAN make a difference, especially in close local elections. It’s important for public school employees to vote because our only collective bargaining right now is found at the ballot box. We need to vote based on what candidates will do for education!”

Sarah Shaw Jones, Guilford County “What inspires me to vote is the hope that my vote will be part of the wave that shifts the power from individuals who are looking out for themselves and their friends, to individuals who truly care about actually funding public schools so all children get a fair chance.”

Helen Davis, Brunswick County “It is important for those who work in public education to vote because public education is paramount! Yet, those who work or have worked in public education are frequently overlooked. No educator should have to acquire a second job in order to provide the basic needs for their family. It saddens me deeply to know people who spend a lifetime teaching and learning to ensure students are receiving a quality education are not getting the wages and recognition they rightly deserve."

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New Staff NCAE welcomes Sarah Garfinkel as the new director of Communications. Prior to coming to NCAE, she lived and worked in Washington, D.C. as a senior director at West End Strategy Team, a strategic communications firm. Her clients were primarily non-profit organizations as well as political groups, cultural institutions and foundations. She also has worked at the intersection of religion and politics fighting for social justice, equity and inclusion of marginalized communities and individuals.

“I am thrilled to put my skills and experience to use working for the educators of North Carolina’s public schools,” Garfinkel said. “My primary goal in this

position is to ensure NCAE is communicating regularly and clearly with our members as well as public officials, parents, students, and others who have a vested interest in North Carolina public education.”

The proud product of public schools and the daughter of a retired educator, Garfinkel said public education is important to her because it is at the center of building an engaged and informed society. “Our communities rely on schools to prepare children for the future and educators deserve more resources in order to do that.”

Garfinkel is a native of Peoria, IL, and attended Bradley University, where her mother taught for many years. After interning for a year at her hometown newspaper, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she earned a master’s degree in media and public affairs from George Washington University.

When not working, Garfinkel enjoys spending time with her nephews, sister, brother-in-law and mother. She also loves musical theater, spending time outside by the lake or at the beach, and looks forward to exploring all North Carolina has to offer. A surprising fact about her is she played trumpet and violin as a child and attended performing arts magnet schools grades K-12.

Educator Victory!

All School Districts Now Able to Provide Salary Supplements Teachers in North Carolina have acquired a huge win with the implementation of a state-funded salary supplement that the General Assembly passed as part of the 2021-22 state budget. This supplement is in addition to the local supplement provided by a vast majority of districts and ensures that teachers in all districts receive one.

According to NCAE Chief Lobbyist Marge Foreman, prior to the statefunded supplement being implemented, some districts could not afford to give a supplement because they did not have the tax revenue. Wealthy counties have always been able to generate more tax revenue and provide supplements based on a percentage of a teacher’s base salary and the number of years taught in the district.

She added some low-wealth districts that could, set aside small amounts for supplements, such as $100 or $200 a year. Now because of the state-funded supplement, some teachers in these

districts will receive as much as $5,000 a year based on the funding provided by the state.

Foreman said each county receives funds based on a formula, which is multiplied by the number of teachers in the district, to determine the amount of money distributed (click here for more information).

Underserved counties such as Greene, Bertie, Northampton, etc. receive more funding, which helps them in attracting and retaining teachers.

More wealthy counties like Wake,

Durham, Guilford and Mecklenburg were not included in the state distribution because legislators felt wealthy counties generate more tax revenue enabling them to offer generous supplements.

“This is a win for educators in North Carolina,” said Foreman. “NCAE supported this move because of our continued stance to advocate for better compensation for educators.”

Foreman added the House Democratic conferees pushed for the state-funded supplement, which comes from a permanent revenue source, to help underserved districts.

The General Assembly gives districts flexibility on how they can distribute the funds, Foreman said. Districts can choose to pay supplements in a lump sum, distribute via a monthly payment, or provide two payments, one before the December break and the other at the end of the school year.

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Running for NCAE Office? The Deadline for Election Forms is January 10, 2023 If you are interested in running for an NCAE office in 2023, now is the time to begin thinking about the process and getting your information in order.

The following state and regional positions are open: NCAE President, NCAE Vice President, NEA Director, Regional Directors, NEA delegate positions – Categories 1 and 2 (Category 1 - non-supervisory personnel and Category 2 - supervisory personnel), and positions within the Division of Principals/ Administrators, the Education Support Professionals (ESP) Council, and the Student Services Division.

Forms for all positions are available by clicking here.

Biographies and photographs of all candidates for president, vice president, NEA director, regional directors and councils/divisions will be published in the NCAE News Bulletin. Submit a biographical statement and professional-quality photo via e-mail (ncaeelections@ncae.org) or by certified mail to Derevana Leach, 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 510, Raleigh, NC 27612, postmarked no later than January 10, 2023. The form is available by clicking here.

All materials should be sent to ncaeelections@ncae.org. Should you have questions, please send an e-mail to ncaeelections@ncae.org or contact

Derevana Leach at (919) 755-5565 or 1-800-662-7924, ext. 203. Information submitted after the January 10 deadline, or without all the proper documentation, will not be published in the NCAE News Bulletin.

NOTE: April 2, 2023, beginning at 7 p.m. through April 16, 2023, ending at 11:59 p.m. are the days the NCAE Board of Directors has allocated for voting in the 2023 election of officers.

Local elections must be held at the same time as the NCAE/NEA elections. The deadline for submitting local nominations for elections is February 16, 2023.

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Join the Movement to Stop Hunger and Homelessness Each night across North Carolina thousands of citizens have nowhere permanent to lay their heads and many of them go to sleep hungry.

They are your students and possibly acquaintances you see on a regular basis. During the week of November 12-18, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, join the movement to end this suffering that plagues far too many of our community’s families.

Here are some statistics relevant to North Carolina: • As of January 2020, North Carolina had an estimated 9,280 people experiencing homelessness on any given day. Of that total, 485 were unaccompanied young adults ages 18-24. Eight hundred nine (809) were family households.

(Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) Public school data reported to the U.S. Department of • Education for the 2018-19 school year shows an estimated 34,765 public school students experienced homelessness

Enter to Win a Getaway Prize and Help Underserved Children The NC Foundation for Public School Children is sponsoring a "Thanksgiving Giveaway" Package which includes: • • •

FOUR tickets to the N.C. State/UNC Chapel Hill football game on Friday, November 25, at 4 p.m. at Kenan Stadium.

A $100 gift card to Sheetz One night's stay at the Fairfield Inn Southpoint in Durham, NC

ENTER NOW TO WIN! Each entry is $25.

For every $25 you donate, your name is entered into the drawing: $50 = 2 chances, $75 = 3 chances, $100 = 4 chances, etc. All donations are tax-deductible! The drawing for the winner will take place November 18, 2022, at 4 p.m.

Check Payments accepted. Checks payable to: NCFPSC 3700 Glenwood Ave, Suite 510 Raleigh, NC 27612

over the course of the year. Of that number, 1,211 students were unsheltered, 3,334 were in shelters, and 4,986 were in hotels or motels.

•According to a 2020 report by TalkProverty.org, a project of the Center for American Progress, 19.3 percent of North Carolina’s children lived in poverty. The state ranked 41st in the country for children living in poverty.

•13.1 percent of households in North Carolina faced hunger and food insecurities at some point between 2017-2019 according to TalkPoverty.org (2020 report), ranking the state 42nd in the country.

Click here for more information about Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Visit the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness website for information on solutions and tools for action and an interactive map to compare North Carolina’s homelessness statistics to those of other states.

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Is your retirement plan on target?

Ask yourself these important questions How much

retirement income will I need?

What sources

of income will I have after I retire?

What do I need

to do today to reach my retirement goals?

Contact your local Horace Mann representative to get help answering these questions.

Get a handle on student loan debt.

Tools are available through NEA Member Benefits at www.neamb.com /studentloandebt.

YOU DESERVE MORE Including a clean break

Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com.

SCAN & GO

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You deserve to celebrate life, without the looming stress of student debt. Get a fresh start with NEA Member Benefits. You’ll have access to tools made to help members repay student loans, and resources to help navigate the forgiveness process. Which means you can focus on what’s ahead.

Prepare for your future at neamb.com/studentloandebt

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DEALS

2022

for NEA Members

Dates to Remember

N C A E

5th 8th 9th 11th 13th 19th 23rd 24th

Daylight Saving Time Ends National S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. Election Day World Freedom Day Veteran's Day (NCAE Offices closed) World Kindness Day: Link American Made Matters Day Thanksgiving Day (NCAE Offices closed as well as the 24th) Random Acts of Kindness Friday: Link

Children's Grief Awareness Month: Link MADD's Tie One On For Safety Holiday Campaign (11/1-12/31) Military Family Appreciation Month: Link National Gratitude Month National Native American Heritage Month: Link National Family Literacy Month

Eve ry

NEA Discount Tickets Program Fall is officially here, and we’ve got an exciting lineup of attractions and entertainment discounts to help make the most of the ‘cozy’ season. Save up to 40 percent on tickets to autumn festivities, theme park adventures, favorite sporting events and so many other ticket offers from coast-to-coast. Visit https://www.neamb.com/ products/nea-discount-tickets-program today!

November

erves an ed des e u n o “Change is the end result of all true learning.” — Leo Buscaglia

n tio ca

NEA Discount Marketplace The NEA Discount Marketplace, powered by Rakuten, enables members to earn cash back when they shop and save on brand-name merchandise from over 3,500 top retailers and online stores. Check out the following member-exclusive deals in November at neamb.com/ marketplace: • Dell -- Shop the latest Dell computers and technology solutions including laptops, desktops, all-in-one PCs and gaming equipment and accessories. Deals in the Dell Outlet offer “same as new” warranties.

• Kohl’s -- Find great savings on clothing, shoes, toys, home décor, appliances and electronics for the whole family. Plus, enjoy free shipping and easy returns every day!

• Aerie -- Check out cold weather clothing and activewear including the latest styles in leggings, joggers, sweatshirts and sweaters. Aerie offers a full line of intimates, too. Get 25 percent off your purchase when you refer a friend!

• Zappos -- Shop a huge selection of shoes, boots, sneakers, slippers and even athletic clothing. Your order comes with fast, free shipping and a 365-day return policy!

Ulta -- Choose from over 25,000 hair care, skin & • nail care and cosmetic products from the largest beauty retailer in the U.S. Gift collections and fragrances are perfect for holiday giving! Get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

Follow NCAE events and activities on:

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Positions stated in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of NCAE unless so identified. The NCAE News Bulletin, a journal of the Association, is published by the North Carolina Association of Educators, 3700 Glenwood Ave., Suite 510, Raleigh, NC 27612, 1-800-662-7924.

Linda Powell, Editor/Designer

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