# I Pit the North Carolina General Assembly **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 13, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272 "2013-05-13T23:30:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/121 "2013-09-26T22:30:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I recall a bit from the 1991 PBS documentary [_Making Sense of the Sixties_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318906/), where a Boomer recounts how one day the principal walked into his English class and demanded all students give him their copies of _Catcher in the Rye_ and forget they’d ever seen it; as result of which, they all went out and bought their own copies and actually read them – which, he said, they probably would not have if the book had not been banned but were just part of the assigned reading (that’s what Cliff’s Notes are for, after all). You can view that scene [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U0pH_PYlFU&list=PLFEB3007DE22044EA&index=1), at the 1:30 mark. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/122 "2013-10-06T15:01:25Z")
They made the [Sunday comics.](http://doonesbury.slate.com/strip/archive/2013/10/6)… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/123 "2014-01-18T21:06:09Z")
[Federal judge strikes down North Carolina ultrasound law.](http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/01/17/3542219/judge-declares-nc-abortion-ultrasound.html) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/124 "2014-02-04T01:52:37Z")
Bump? Why not bump? North Carolina has introduced a massively dumb program, Read to Achieve. Noting that kids who don’t read on grade level by third grade often go on to perform poorly for the rest of their academic career, and never having heard that correlation != causation, the legislature decided that every kid who didn’t pass the new end-of-grade reading test in third grade would be retained. (summer school, with a retest at the end of it, might prevent the retention). End social promotion, they said! And then results from the new EOG came back, and a little over half of third graders failed. So they added a new option: if kids failed the EOG, but over the course of the second semestery they successfully completed 36 reading passages, that portfolio would keep them from being retained. (There’s a little more to the law than that, but that’s the gist of it). Districts, terrified at the idea of having half their third graders in summer school, have by and large said, “portfolios for everyone!” Parents have said, “What the hell?!” It’s pure joy, lemme tell you what. The idea of subjecting kids who struggle at reading to an additional 24 hours of testing over the second semester–hours they could instead spend in instruction or in authentic reading practice–is just about as far from good pedagogy as I can imagine. It’s like your car might not be up to speed in the Indy 500, so you decide to take it off the track in the middle of the race for an extra 36 checkups in hopes that that’ll speed it up. Now everyone hates the plan. And the NC Legislature has listened, and said, “Oops, we didn’t entirely think that through, let’s change the law.” JUST KIDDING! [They’ve blamed the Department of Public Instruction](http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/03/3588355/third-grade-reading-gets-political.html) for implementing the law they passed. Good times, folks. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/125 "2014-02-04T11:18:30Z")
And this, dear friends, is why I have come to the sad realization that it wasn’t my master’s degree that was a waste of time, it was getting my teaching license. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/126 "2014-02-04T13:59:49Z")
When I was growing up, I had so many people – including a few teachers – tell me to never, ever consider a career as a schoolteacher. ☹ And things weren’t even this bad back then. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/127 "2014-02-04T14:06:55Z")
Phil Berger wins… whatever the award for passive aggressive letter writing is called. From LHOD’s link: > [@](#): > > Legislators questioned Atkinson about problems at a committee meeting last Tuesday, and Berger followed with a letter to Atkinson on Friday, thanking her for agreeing to fix the problems DPI created. > > “Thank you for taking responsibility for the problems associated with DPI’s implementation of the Read to Achieve program and committing DPI to work quickly to solve the problems brought to light Tuesday,” the letter said. “I look forward to seeing the program implemented promptly and successfully.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/128 "2014-02-07T01:31:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Phil Berger wins… whatever the award for passive aggressive letter writing is called. From LHOD’s link: Indeed. Dude’s a tool. Good news, though: the backpedaling that I was sure would happen by April [happened today](http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/06/3596666/school-districts-get-state-permission.html) > [@](#): > > The State Board of Education gave permission Thursday to 30 school districts to use local tests to show that third-grade students are meeting Read To Achieve promotion requirements. > … > The state’s other 85 school districts can submit requests as well. What are the requirements for these tests? Well, this is my favorite part: > [@](#): > > As part of the permission, the state board is requiring school districts to include a letter from their school board leader saying that the request is backed by the board and that the tests they want to use are “a valid and reliable standardized assessment of reading comprehension.” > > Other school districts that weren’t included in Thursday’s group must meet the same conditions. They’ve said elsewhere that they’re going to hold local school boards accountable. In other words: 1. END SOCIAL PROMOTION! 2. Okay, your students can pass third grade IF THEY CAN PASS 36 ADDITIONAL TESTS! 3. Okay, or you can make up your own test for them, BUT YOU HAVE TO PINKY SWEAR IT’S A GOOD TEST! Raise your hand if this is fooling you. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/129 "2014-02-07T11:33:53Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > In other words: > > 1. END SOCIAL PROMOTION! > 2. Okay, your students can pass third grade IF THEY CAN PASS 36 ADDITIONAL TESTS! > 3. Okay, or you can make up your own test for them, BUT YOU HAVE TO PINKY SWEAR IT’S A GOOD TEST! > > Raise your hand if this is fooling you. Perhaps social promotion would be ended by stopping all the unnecessary testing. No, no, that makes too much sense for the NCGA in its infinite wisdom. They know best. Their wisdom is indeed infinite. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/130 "2014-02-07T13:22:08Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Indeed. Dude’s a tool. > > Good news, though: the backpedaling that I was sure would happen by April [happened today](http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/06/3596666/school-districts-get-state-permission.html) > > What are the requirements for these tests? Well, this is my favorite part: > > They’ve said elsewhere that they’re going to hold local school boards accountable. > > In other words: > > 1. END SOCIAL PROMOTION! > 2. Okay, your students can pass third grade IF THEY CAN PASS 36 ADDITIONAL TESTS! > 3. Okay, or you can make up your own test for them, BUT YOU HAVE TO PINKY SWEAR IT’S A GOOD TEST! > > Raise your hand if this is fooling you. 1. Race and socio-economic achievement gaps continue. _Say_: Lazy teachers didn’t implement the verified and guaranteed curriculum properly! _Dog whistle_: Look! Proof that some groups are just inherently less capable than others. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/131 "2014-02-07T20:50:00Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Phil Berger wins… whatever the award for passive aggressive letter writing is called. There is no award. No, it’s fine. It’s not like we need one, or anything. I mean it would’ve been _nice_, but really, it’s fine. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/132 "2014-02-09T23:50:57Z")
[Moral Monday had quite a rally in Raleigh this weekend – 80,000 to 100,000.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/09/3268901/moral-monday-north-carolina-gop/) ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/133 "2014-02-10T03:51:30Z")
I was there! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/134 "2014-02-10T04:12:46Z")
> [@C3](#): > > I was there! How was the energy? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/135 "2014-02-10T04:19:04Z")
It was great - very enthusiastic, friendly, positive. I do think the 80-100,000 estimate is high (I think that number was provided by the NAACP to the media). I’d guess somewhere in the 10s of thousands, though. I was with the Unitarian Universalist crowd (the “Standing on the Side of Love” people). We had over 1500 people in attendance. I think this is going to be a good momentum builder for 2014. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/136 "2014-02-10T15:50:14Z")
> [@C3](#): > > It was great - very enthusiastic, friendly, positive. I do think the 80-100,000 estimate is high (I think that number was provided by the NAACP to the media). I’d guess somewhere in the 10s of thousands, though. I was with the Unitarian Universalist crowd (the “Standing on the Side of Love” people). We had over 1500 people in attendance. I think this is going to be a good momentum builder for 2014. I do wonder how it’s all going to play out in November. Hard to imagine NC going Dem at this point – but is there any chance of a moderate-Pub insurgency succeeding? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/137 "2014-02-10T15:56:37Z")
I didn’t see that on a single newscast. “Liberal media.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/138 "2014-02-10T17:23:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I do wonder how it’s all going to play out in November. Hard to imagine NC going Dem at this point – but is there any chance of a moderate-Pub insurgency succeeding? Well, McCrory just announced a plan to give beginning teachers a raise of about 15% over two years, so that’s not nuthin’. McCrory ran on a campaign of being a moderate, more of a manager type than a firebrand. I think that’s who he is at heart, but he completely lost control of the party to the firebrands last year. He appears now to be in the process of trying to bring the party back toward the middle. We’ll see how successful he is. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/139 "2014-02-10T17:48:24Z")
Is it still the Bullshit, “I’ll give you a raise, if you give up job security,” offer? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272/140 "2014-02-10T20:20:53Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Is it still the Bullshit, “I’ll give you a raise, if you give up job security,” offer? No, this is a real one: [here’s the story](http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/10/3608266/mccrory-increase-teachers-base.html). He’s proposing it as a raise to “base salary,” which could mean one of three things: 1. Only first and second year teachers get it–the rest is unchanged. 2. Everyone who’s earning less than the new base salary gets bumped up to the new base salary for starting teachers; if you’re above that new base salary, yours is unchanged. 3. Everyone sees a similar raise. I’m almost certain it’s not #3. If it’s #1, then I as a seventh year teacher will be paid about $3,000 less than a first-year teacher, and I might just have to throw down. If it’s #2, well, that’ll be something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-north-carolina-general-assembly/658272.md?page=8)