Aug. 9 - 15, 2013
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996 • nwobserver.com •
We asked, you answered:
How will the N.C. budget impact education? NW GUILFORD – The month of July thrust the state of North Carolina into the national spotlight following a New York Times editorial on “The decline of North Carolina,” the increased numbers of those attending “Moral Monday” protests in the state’s capital since April and a $20.6 billion two-year state budget that critics say will negatively impact our educational system. For the fifth time in six years N.C. teachers will receive no increase in
compensation; N.C. teacher salaries rank 46th in the nation. In lieu of a raise, teachers will receive five “bonus” vacation days which will expire on June 30, 2014. Among the budget’s other provisions, salary increases for teachers who earn advanced degrees will be eliminated after next year. Teachers earning the additional pay in 2013-14 will continue earning that pay in the future. Teacher tenure will be phased out as of 2018
and replaced with teaching contracts of one to four years. Statewide, the budget cuts $286 million this year and $246 million next year in funding for classroom teachers by increasing class sizes. The Northwest Observer recently surveyed town leaders, educators and community members on issues surrounding the two-year state budget that N.C. legislators approved on July 26. What follows are some of the responses
we received after asking this question: Educators in North Carolina have been in an uproar since legislators recently approved the two-year state budget, which keeps teacher pay the same for the 5th year out of 6 years, allows classroom sizes to increase, eliminates tenure (as of 2018), and eliminates pay increase for advanced degrees. Do you think these changes will negatively affect our state’s educational system?
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IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief .....................................3 Your Questions .................................4 Oak Ridge Town Council ................6 Around Town Photos ...................... 10 Community Calendar................... 11 Celebration .................................... 12
See story on p. 5
Bits & Pieces .................................... 12 Photo by Mike Shaw/NWO
The Britt and Chambers families were presented with two shadow-boxed jerseys at halftime of the J’s for Jaiden and Melissa charity basketball game on Aug. 2. The jerseys were stitched with the names and favorite numbers of Melissa and Jaiden Britt. More than $12,000 was raised at the event for Jaiden’s former school, Muirs Chapel Christian Playschool.
Business Notes ............................... 12 Crime/Incident Report .................. 14 Grins & Gripes ................................ 15 Letters/Opinions ........................... 16 Classifieds ...................................... 18 Index of Advertisers ......................23