Opinion Roundup: N.C. teacher rally, thousands set to march on state Capitol, facts about teacher pay and more

Wednesday, May 16, 2018 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Schools prepare to close as teachers flock to state Capitol, protest exposes current rural-urban divide, education topics will dominate General Assembly, David Tepper to buy Carolina Panthers for $2.2 billion, N.C. files lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturer and more.

KELLY HINCHCLIFFE: As thousands of teachers rally in Raleigh, state superintendent will be 100 miles away (WRAL-TV reports) -- As thousands of teachers gather in Raleigh to push state lawmakers for more education funding, N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson will be more than 100 miles away meeting with school officials near the coast.

VALERIE BAUERLEIN: In N.C., Teacher Protest Exposes Rural-Urban Divide (Wall Street Journal reports) -- Roughly two-thirds of North Carolina’s children will be out of school Wednesday after districts announced closures to accommodate thousands of teachers’ requests for the day off to march on the state Capitol in support of increased school funding.

MORIAH BALINGIT: N.C. schools prepare to close as teachers flock to state Capitol (Washington Post reports) -- The state is the latest where teachers are confronting lawmakers over budget cuts.

PAUL WOOLVERTON: Teachers ready to rally in Raleigh (Fayetteville Observer reports) -- Schools close as educators descend on the capital to tell lawmakers to spend more on public education. Hundreds of teachers and other Cumberland County school employees are expected to participate in a massive rally at the state legislature to call for increased spending for public education. “It’s not just about teacher raises or teacher pay,” said Tamika Walker-Kelly, the vice president of the Cumberland County Association of Educators. The rally is also about school safety and resources, she said.

EMERY DALESIO: As thousands of teachers march, N.C. legislature opens (AP reports) -- Thousands of teachers are set to hit the streets of North Carolina's capital on Wednesday, determined to force a political showdown over wages and funding priorities for public school classrooms in this conservative, tax-cutting state. As many as 15,000 teachers were expected to defy forecasts of rain for a rally in Raleigh as the Republican-dominated state legislature begins its annual session.

N.C. Teachers Rally for More Funds in Latest U.S. School Walk-Out (Reuters) -- Thousands of North Carolina teachers were expected to rally at the capitol on Wednesday for higher pay and increased education spending in a walk-out that follows similar protests from teachers in other states seeking more money for schools.

Legislators should listen when teachers march (Greenville Daily Reflector) -- Though the average teacher salary in North Carolina continues to tick upward, trends over the last 15 years have left many educators less than satisfied with the state of public education. That’s why 15,000 or more of them, including hundreds from eastern North Carolina, are marching.

Education topics will dominate General Assembly (Winston-Salem Journal/Greensboro News & Record) -- There will be many questions for legislators in the General Assembly to address this morning, not the least of which is: How do I get to my office with thousands of teachers taking up so much space? Which introduces the bigger issue: How to respond to all those teachers, who are gathering in Raleigh for a school-closing day of protest that is designed to inspire legislators to pay them more and spend more in general on education.

The one way N.C.'s teacher rally could spark change (Charlotte Observer) -- Thousands of North Carolina teachers will rally in Raleigh. But with this Republican legislature, there is only one way the march will work.

ERICA HELLERSTEIN: We Asked These Triangle Teachers Why They’re Protesting. Their Answers May Surprise You. (Independent Weekly analysis) -- They work second jobs. They buy their kids’ school supplies. They’re losing support staff. They don’t have enough pencils.

ANA VALLE-GREENE: Why I am going to Raleigh (Wilmington Star-News column) -- I am going to Raleigh to stand up for public education. We are protesting on behalf of our students. We are demanding more per-pupil spending. We rank 39th in the nation in that category, yet a quarter of our students live in poverty. Not only do many of my students fail to bring items on the supply list, I send supplies home because they don’t have paper, crayons or pencils there. Twice a year we have to take inventory of our textbooks. It is the easiest task I receive – all I have to do is put a zero in every category.

Protest politics a poor strategy for school fixes (Wilson Times) -- Teachers have legitimate concerns and laudable goals, but today’s protest will only alienate the legislative leaders they need as allies to effect positive change.

Teachers’ Protests Muddy Real Reform (Southern Pines Pilot) -- The General Assembly opens its “short” session today. Not coincidentally, several thousand schoolteachers from across North Carolina will also convene in Raleigh this day for a “March for Students and Rally for Respect.”

RHONDA DILLINGHAM: Teachers’ quarrel isn’t with charter schools (Wilson Times column) -- I hope that your voices are heard in the corridors of power, but I ask that you don’t use your voices to drown out those of the more than 100,000 students whose parents have chosen a different public option for them — a charter school. Remember, when everyone is yelling, no one is heard. For me, I cannot support any effort that sets out to destroy the charter school movement.

LIZ SCHLEMMER: School Closings Impact Cafeteria Workers And Custodians Too (WUNC-FM reports) — A total of 38 school districts will be closed for classes Wednesday while thousands of teachers march to the Capitol to call for better school funding. Some schools will hold an optional workday, with limited operations. That means many hourly employees, like cafeteria workers or bus drivers, could miss out on a day of work.

TRAVIS FAIN: Protest tactics leave bitter taste for some who favor more school funding (WRAL-TV reports) — It's not that the opposition to Wednesday mass teacher's protest is against putting more money toward education. But there are people, politicians and others, who disagree with the method of the protest and the way organizers from the North Carolina Association of Educators have targeted Republican legislators.

WILL DORAN: Here are the facts about teacher pay in N.C. (Durham Herald-Sun reports) — With teachers coming to Raleigh on Wednesday to protest for higher wages and more school funding, people can expect to see plenty of numbers and rankings being thrown around by both supporters and critics of the protesters.

LAURA LESLIE: Teacher rally to test new Legislative Building security (WRAL-TV reports) — The thousands of teachers expected to lobby lawmakers for more education spending and rally outside the Legislative Building on Wednesday are going to need a lot of patience. New security checkpoints put at the building's entrances last week allow only three people to get inside at a time. Everybody must first pass through a metal detector, while purses, backpacks and other possessions are given an X-ray scan.

JANNETTE PIPPIN: Onslow teachers to make strong showing at rally in Raleigh (Jacksonville Daily News) -- Onslow County will have a contingent of teachers joining others around the state in Raleigh in a show of solidarity for public education. While the individual reasons may vary, teachers say they are motivated by one reason. “Investing in our students is No. 1 for everyone going,” said Richlands Elementary School third grade teacher Sarah Barnett. Barnett is one of the several RES teachers and one of hundreds from Onslow County Schools who will be attending the March for Students and Rally for Respect as the General Assembly kicks off its legislative session.

ADAM OWENS: Days before AP exam, Wake County teacher skips rally to help students prepare (WRAL-TV reports) — More than a third of the school districts in North Carolina will be closed Wednesday, as tens of thousands teachers attend a rally in downtown Raleigh. But despite the closure, one Wake County teacher plans to hold class.

CHARLIE HALL: Local women recall breaking school color barrier in 1964 (New Bern Sun Journal reports) -- The face of education in Craven County and the lives of six local students changed forever in 1964 with integration. Two elementary school students and four high-achieving African-American girls were chosen. The girls became the first black students to break the color barrier at New Bern High.

LIZ SCHLEMMER: Students With Disabilities Can Combine School Vouchers For High Returns (WUNC-FM reports) — Eight-year-old Chandler White is a bright-eyed, happy third grader, alternating Tae Kwon Do and spelling homework in his dining room with his mom. But, he used to hate going to school. It's the kind of thing a lot of kids say from time to time, but Chandler was really struggling

ISSAC BAILEY: A Duke University VP was right about a vulgar rap song. Then he got it all wrong. (Charlotte Observer column) -- I agree with Larry Moneta about Young Dolph's "Get Paid." But he forgot something important when he complained about it.

GARY ROBERTSON: Constitution Party gets enough signatures to get on ballots (AP reports) — Some N.C. voters could have even more choices on their ballots starting this fall with another political party. The Constitution Party of N.C. has collected enough signatures from registered voters to qualify as an official state party, according to data posted at the state elections board website. That would allow the party to field candidates starting in November and through the 2020 elections.

Schools, pollution top list of legislative needs (Fayetteville Observer) -- It’s likely to be a little crowded in Raleigh today when the General Assembly returns to the Legislative Building for its even-year short session. About 15,000 teachers are expected to be there to greet them and make a vocal point about inadequacy of the resources lawmakers have provided for the state’s public schools. We’re not at all sure how carefully our legislators will want to listen. From what we’ve seen in advance, the reaction will depend on political party.

TRAVIS FAIN: Beyond protests, what to expect from this legislative session (WRAL-TV reports) -- A budget, no tax increase, an actually short session and perhaps some constitutional amendments.

COLIN CAMPBELL: Broadband availability a challenge in rural areas (Greenville Daily Reflector column) -- When Donnie Shumate moved to Hyde County several years ago, his wife had to quit her work-from-home job with Amazon because the internet speed was too slow for telecommuting.

STEPHANIE CARSON: SNAP Work Requirements in Farm Bill Could Cost NC (Public News Service analysis) -- The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, more commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. While the name might imply it will influence only the country's agriculture industry, the impact extends far beyond that. At stake in this year's legislation are measures that would institute work requirements for SNAP recipients. While it may sound like a reasonable expectation on the surface, Beth Messersmith, North Carolina campaign director for MomsRising, said the implications run deep in the Tar Heel State.

LAUREN OHNESORGE: Research Triangle Park tops Apple's short list (Triangle Business Journal reports) -- Multiple sources say Silicon Valley electronics giant Apple is zeroing in on Research Triangle Park for a new campus.

MARGARET MOFFETT: Greensboro panhandling ordinance on hold for now (News & Record) — Due to an odd and complicated series of events Tuesday, the city now has no ordinance governing panhandling, aggressive or otherwise — at least temporarily.

EMERY DALESIO: N.C. beer distribution law: Brewers' suit bubbling (AP reports) — Craft brewers in a froth over a state law requiring beer-makers to hand over substantial control of their product to an outside company on Tuesday sought communications involving one of the state's most powerful political interest groups.

MARK PRICE: Fort Bragg chaplain fighting government over deportation of his husband of 17 months (Charlotte Observer) — A Fort Bragg Army chaplain who served in Afghanistan has been put in the awkward position of fighting the government he serves in an effort to save his marriage of 17 months.

D.G. MARTIN: Former State Sen. Marc Basnight Is Still ‘Serving’ (Southern Pines Pilot column) -- Former State Senate Leader Marc Basnight’s restaurant near Manteo evokes two of my favorite things: politics and people coming together for good food.

SARAH RANKIN: Court vacates key federal permit for Atlantic Coast Pipeline (AP reports) -- A federal appellate court has vacated a key permit granted to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, an order that means all work on the multistate project must stop, according to attorneys who argued the case for environmental groups. Earlier, a coalition of public interest groups filed a complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's civil rights division, arguing that North Carolina failed to protect the civil rights of residents of color when it approved permits.

BETSY LILLIAN: Republican U.S. Senators Fight For Solar Tariff Exclusions (Solar Industry magazine) -- Citing the preservation of American jobs, several Republican U.S. senators including Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are urging the Trump administration to exclude 72-cell, 1,500-volt solar panels from the 30% tariffs recently imposed on solar products.

MARK HIBBS: River Advocates Celebrate Dam Removal (Coastal Review reports) -- The removal of a longstanding dam on the Neuse River in Raleigh is already having positive effects, advocates say, and a celebration set for Saturday offers a chance to see the changes firsthand.

JOHN DOWNEY: Duke Energy Progress customers will see bills go up — again — due to rate error (Charlotte Business Journal reports) -- N.C. customers just getting over sticker shock from Duke Energy Progress' recent 6% rate hike may want to brace for a small aftershock.

JANINE BOWEN: N.C. files lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturer (WRAL-TV reports) -- Attorney General Josh Stein filed a lawsuit against drug manufacturer Purdue Pharma, alleging it made deceptive and misleading statements in marketing prescription opioids.

TAYLOR KNOPF: Stein Sues Purdue Pharma Over Deceptive Marketing of Opioids (N.C. Health News reports) -- The Attorney General joins law enforcement leaders in other states and counties across the U.S. who are accusing the pharmaceutical giant of deliberately misleading physicians to make a profit.

MICHAEL GEBELEIN: Opioid Epidemic Inundating Public Health, Foster Care Systems (Carolina Public Press) -- A forum in western N.C. last week examined the effects of the ongoing addiction and overdose crisis in that part of the state.

ANDREW BEATON: David Tepper to Buy Carolina Panthers for $2.2 Billion (Wall Street Journal reports) -- David Tepper, the billionaire hedge fund founder, has agreed to buy the Carolina Panthers for an NFL-record of approximately $2.2 billion.

Rusty Goode, who brought jobs and freeways to Charlotte, dead at 86 (Charlotte Observer obit) -- Seddon "Rusty" Goode Jr., who helped bring thousands of jobs to Charlotte while shepherding construction of an outer beltway around the city, has died at 86. Goode was born in the Eastern N.C. town of Clinton and raised in Lakeland, Fla., but made his mark in Charlotte. He helped build University Research Park, 10 miles northeast of the center city, into what is now the region's second-largest employment center with 30,000 people. … He was a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation, the N.C. Global TransPark Authority, the N.C. State Ports Authority, the N.C. Advisory Budget Commission, the Charlotte Chamber, the State Teachers Retirement System and the UNC Charlotte Foundation.