Inabilities of State Government

Today I received an email from my professional organization, NCAE (North Carolina Association of Educators) - it is not a union since North Carolina is a "right-to-work" state, any such combination would be seen as in restraint of trade and would therefore be illegal... whatever. Anyway...

Today NCAE sent me an email highlighting some disturbing information concerning a member of the NC Senate. Essentially, this Republican Senator is a liar. There is no mincing words, he is a liar. Let me explain.

As is the case across the country, North Carolina is no exception when it comes to budget shortfalls, especially in this difficult economic time. And, according to the NC State Constitution, the Governor MUST propose a balanced budget based on estimation of tax revenue for the upcoming 2 years (the North Carolina budget is biennial, it is a two year budget). This budget must then be approved by the NC General Assembly (NC House and NC Senate), just like any other bill. Once the governor proposes her budget, the House reviews it and makes its changes, followed by the Senate. Fortunately, the NC Senate rejected the House's budget, now the dirty fight begins.

The House's budget proposes to cut THOUSANDS of educators' positions across the state, especially in the classroom. Meanwhile the Senate Minority Leader, Phil Berger (R) says that there will only be a cut of 45 positions, and those will be from the Department of Public Education, positions that are mostly vacant at this time. Here is the email:

Berger's Whopper on Educator Cuts

Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) sent emails to NCAE members this weekend claiming that the House budget only cuts 45 teaching positions this coming year.

Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) sent disturbing emails to NCAE members this weekend, including educators whose teaching positions are facing elimination, and erroneously contended the "House budget cuts 45 funded positions, not 12,000, not 1,000, not even 100."

Berger even went so far as to claim that "NCAE is spreading false information" about the severity of budget cuts and even offered the possibility that the organization was disseminating a "purposeful lie."

Further down in the email, the longtime Republican Senate leader provided a web link (http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/sessions/2009/budget/2009/budgetreport06-13-09.pdf ) for members to review the 214-page House budget proposal for themselves.

"It was an odd link to provide in an email message falsely claiming only 45 positions were eliminated," said Government Relations Manager Cecil Banks. "The documents explain with no ambiguity whatsoever that thousands of educator positions are cut in the House budget proposal."

Banks points to page 21, item 20 in Berger's attachment. There it provides a $183 million cut by increasing class size in grades 4-12. "Where does he think the state will realize that cut?", asked Banks. "The $183 million comes from eliminating about 2,500 teachers."

Item 22 of the same page above, eliminates 200 literacy coaches at a cut of $12 million in the budget.

On page 22, line 24 of the document, over 4,000 teacher assistants are completely gone in the 3rd grade under the House plan at a cut of over $130 million. "There's also the non-instructional support positions facing elimination," said Banks.

So why is Berger claiming only 45 educator positions are cut?

Sen. Berger, shown here with Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam, his Republican counterpart in the House, is known for his right-wing ideology and anti-public schools stance.

DPB can only guess (or hope) that Sen. Berger has not reviewed the House budget carefully. Short of that, Sen. Berger seems to be referencing page 23, item 35 of the House budget linked above. There it cuts 45 positions at $3.2 million from the NC Department of Public Instruction.

"It is mind-boggling how a five-term senator could find that one line-item and come to the erroneous conclusion that ONLY 45 positions face elimination," said Banks. "And then to question NCAE for simply reading what is clearly in black-and white. This is very disturbing."

To read the full text of Sen. Berger's email to a member on Saturday, click here.

Feel free to send Sen. Berger a note at phil.berger@ncleg.net. His office number is (919) 7....

And, Sen. Berger, feel free to drop NCAE an apology at sheri.strickland@ncae.org. DPB will even print the full retraction.

This is the nonsense that this state must endure. Either this Senator did not read the bill himself and is making his decisions on ignorance, or he he believes that the people are ignorant and will not read the bill themselves. (Actually, I am thinking he is both - ignorant and believes the people are ignorant). Never have cuts to education solved problems, they have only created new ones. At the same time, I am not, myself, ignorant to the need to tighten our belts when necessary, but cutting more than 10,000 teaching positions is NOT tightening of one's belt, it is stupidity.