The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is mad. And they want you to be too.
For the past several weeks, the organization has been decrying the impact of state budget cuts on schools around the state. Earlier this week John de Ville, a teacher at Macon County Schools and NCAE member, took his turn to say how bad things are. De Ville vented at lawmakers who failed to deliver on jobs, the state’s high unemployment rate, budget cuts and staff layoffs for the public schools. His scapegoat? The Republican General Assembly and the Tea Party. What a surprise.
Once the hot air clears, it’s hard to miss NCAE’s selective indignation. According to de Ville, an unemployment rate of 10.1 percent – the highest level in a year – is a sure sign that candidates who ran last fall as “job creators” haven’t been telling us the truth.
Evidently, de Ville believes that after only eight months in office, Republican leaders in the House and Senate have the ability to trump the policies of a Democratic governor, reverse years of reckless spending and jumpstart a moribund national economy. Of course, Mr. deVille conveniently forgets to mention that Gov. Bev Perdue vetoed numerous bills that would have done much to spur job creation. These included a balanced budget amendment, medical malpractice insurance reform, regulatory reform and energy jobs legislation.
In 2009, President Obama told us the federal stimulus plan was necessary to prevent the national unemployment rate from increasing above 8 percent. Two years and $787 billion later the national unemployment rate is 9.1 percent and above 10 percent in North Carolina. It’s puzzling why de Ville’s anger is targeted at the Tea Party and not at the failed policies of President Obama or Gov. Perdue. North Carolina public schools had significant budget reductions and layoffs in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Yet I wonder if de Ville or other NCAE members shared their opposition with the governor or the Democratic leadership in the General Assembly.
If you read the daily stories on the NCAE web site, you find the organization is opposed not only to the budget cuts, but also to how those cuts are made. De Ville feels legislators “punted” the tough budget decisions to local officials. Such a position tells you a lot about what NCAE and others think of local control.
When priorities have to be established and budgets reduced, does anyone really think state lawmakers can address those concerns better than local school officials? True, Macon County Schools, where de Ville works, was forced to return to the state about $2.8 million in funds over the past three years. The author fails to mention, however, the enhanced flexibility the legislature gave local districts to help manage budget reductions. Do teachers or school personnel really want budget and layoff decisions made by someone in Raleigh?
NCAE’s aversion to local control is something all parents and taxpayers should understand. Let’s face it, NCAE hates local control because it dilutes the organization’s influence. Instead of fighting big battles in Raleigh, the organization would be forced to fight battles in 115 different locations.
NCAE has beaten the drum on the adverse impacts of budget cuts on the public schools. However, its fixation on inputs and its tendency to cherry-pick facts are reasons why the comments of de Ville and others seem to fall on deaf ears.
What do I mean? De Ville is not hesitant about pointing out the budget and staff cuts Macon County Schools have had to endure. But what is left out is equally interesting. For example, from 2003-04 to 2010-11, Average Daily Membership (ADM) enrollment in Macon County increased a mere 209 students – an increase of about 26 students per year, or an increase of 8 percent over the period. However, over the same time, the district added 36 new teachers, or 5 new teachers per year, an increase of about 12 percent.
Despite cutbacks elsewhere, over the period 2003 to 2011, the total number of employees for Macon County Schools actually increased from 603 to 611. Total expenditures jumped from $29.1 million in 2004 to $38.5 million in 2010 (the latest year available). This is an increase of 32 percent or about 4.5 percent annually while per pupil support increased from $7,150 in 2004 to about $9,000 in 2010.
So what has happened in Macon County schools from 2000 to 2010? Simply stated; enrollment increased 8 percent, spending increased 32 percent and per-student spending went up 26 percent.
What did the residents of Macon County get for all this additional investment? The four-year graduation rate increased from 76 to 84 percent. However, scores on ABC End of Grade Reading and Math tests declined in every grade except one (third grade math). In 2003-04, 100 percent of Macon County Schools met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals under No Child Left Behind. In 2010-2011, only 7 of the 11 schools – or 64 percent of schools – met AYP goals.
Citizens of Macon County, or North Carolina for that matter, did not sign up for schools whose costs increases are not matched by comparable increases in student performance.
Mr. de Ville’s comments reflect his commitment to perpetuating a failed system that is financially unsustainable. His aversion to policies that increase fiscal responsibility, accountability and enhance local control of schools reflect the wayward thinking of the organization of which he is a member. For those of you who think the interests of NCAE are synonymous with the interests of schools and students, think again.
Mr. de Ville’s NCAE piece looked strangely familiar since I live in Macon County and am familiar with his posturing and writings in our local papers.
Other than the first two paragraphs, and the last paragraph in his piece, the rest of the contents appeared in the August 24, 2011, issue of THE FRANKLIN PRESS as a letter to the editor which was authored, or supposedly authored, by Mr. Ben J. Utley, Chairman of the Macon County Democrat Party.
I wonder what grade Mr. de Ville would give to a student who let another author do the heavy lifting?
A minor correction to my previous post. After Mr. de Ville quotes a newspaper in paragraph 4, paragraph 5 is apparently authored by de Ville. In addition, Mr. de Ville left out several paragraphs from Mr. Utley’s letter.
It’s open season on Sen. Jim Davis, a Republican who represents this area.
Just to be fair to Mr. de Ville!
Bob Luebke did a great job rebutting Mr. de Ville.
I am also a resident of Macon County and I must correct Mr. Drummond’s sad grasp of the facts. The letter was not a rant nor a form of posturing. It simply stated the facts. The tea party or freedowm works or whatever the group Mr. Drummond is representing has been a thorn in the side of reasonable people in Franklin for the last few years. I have witnessed first hand the ignorance of this group and their leader Sen. Jim Davis. When confronted with facts the Conservative position is to bluster or swagger their way around a subject. When they are called on their lies they try to explain it away as a case of mistaken assumptions (which just means are you stupid enough to trust me) The facts are still the facts Conservatives are gutting our state to fatten their own wallets. Bravo to Mr. Deville for trying to educate the ignorant and warn the naive. We need more educators like Mr. Deville. And FYI as a native of Franklin I am so proud to say… Mr. Drummond and the imposter Mr. Jim Davis are not natives of this state or county. I am and I love this state and I will stand by Mr. Deville and his facts over the rights rhetoric and lies any day. thank you a true NC citizen
Oh FYI our local Senator Mr. Davis was so out of the loop he actually told a group of citizens that the legislature had ended testing in NC. I am wary of anyone who does not bother to learn anything about what he is voting on…but when you get your script from Art Pope I guess you don’t bother to proof read- you just cash the checks… sad
Just wondering if “mtn girl” or Mr. Deville ever thought to call Sen. Davis to request a personal meeting to discuss their concerns. His cell phone number is readily available on the NCGA website. I and many others have learned that Sen. Davis does not run from or fear his detractors. He welcomes mutually respectful conversations.
Mr Davis might not run, but he only provides a face, not his ears. In other words, his mind is made up, his agenda is set and no discussion will be seriously listened to. This is not heresay, but firsthand experience. Jim Davis represents a faction, not a majority. That’s ok, except when the majority is being ignored. I am a Republican, but this man will not get my vote and I know of no one who is aware of his true positions who will give him theirs. And that is a fact, Mr Davis.