The Mecklenburg Bar Foundation’s Ayscue Professionalism Award is presented annually to honor a current or former member of the Mecklenburg Bar who exemplifies outstanding professionalism. CHARLOTTE – John Wester is a litigator at Robinson Bradshaw, trying cases and arguing appeals in complex civil litigation cases and class actions in federal and state courts. He has… READ MORE
Seats at the table
RALEIGH (September 4, 2025) – My grandfather – a humble and pious craftsman – built this chair for me. He had a lathe that was big enough to turn bedposts, yet he turned these little chair legs for me when I was a toddler. It only recently dawned on me just how much love went… READ MORE
What Leandro is and why you should care
How did it begin? Back in the early 1990s, parents and school boards in five rural counties (Hoke, Halifax, Robeson, Vance, and Cumberland) sued the state of North Carolina. They argued that their schools didn’t have the resources like teachers, textbooks, buildings, or funding to give kids the same opportunities as students in wealthier areas…. READ MORE
Our Opinion: Killing them slowly: GOP lawmakers don’t care about public schools. Do you?
Editor’s Note: The following editorial appeared Sunday, June 15 in the Greensboro News & Record and the Winston-Salem Journal. It is reprinted here with permission. In the 1993 film “The Fugitive,” which you may have seen one of the hundred million times it has aired on cable TV, the title character, played by Harrison Ford, is cornered on the… READ MORE
A new chancellor, a big raise and a new accreditor?
RALEIGH (May 16, 2025) – The UNC System’s governing board hired a new chancellor for Elizabeth City State University this week. It gave the System President a big raise. And the President raised the prospect of creating a new accrediting agency. The UNC Board of Governors named Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, formerly the provost at… READ MORE
WEBINAR: Business Leaders Discuss The Value of NC Public Schools
In December of 2024 Public Ed Works’ Chairman, Paul Fulton asked; “Do we see the connection between business and public schools?” He concluded his remarks by inviting business leaders to play a bigger role in supporting public education. This webinar will be the first of, hopefully, several conversations with successful North Carolina business leaders sharing… READ MORE
Public schools face deficits while private schools profit
By Heather Koons Public Schools First NC RALEIGH (March 29, 2025) – Public school districts across the state are working through their budget planning for next year facing threats of looming budget shortfalls expected from the loss of federal funds and the revenue shortfalls predicted at the state level. Some, like Wake County, which announced… READ MORE
Kevin Howell named NC State’s 15th Chancellor
RALEIGH (March 18, 2025) – Kevin Howell has been the “first” any number of times. But mainly, he is simply been a good, good person. To Howell, everyone is “my friend.” The UNC Board of Governors yesterday elected Howell – with his familiar face and smile – as the 15th Chancellor of NC State University,… READ MORE
A glimmer of hope for teacher pay?
RALEIGH (March 6, 2025) – North Carolina treats its public-school teachers horribly. But there might be a glimmer of hope. The state has languished toward the bottom of national rankings on teacher pay for the past 10 years. North Carolina dropped to 38th place last year in average teacher pay – almost $13,000 below the… READ MORE
Revere our teachers
By David Rice Executive Director, Public Ed Works WINCHESTER, VA (January 8, 2025) – I’m the son of two teachers – one a highly successful football coach and excellent math teacher, the other a strict home-ec teacher. Rather than The Brady Bunch, I grew up watching game film on our living room wall – forward… READ MORE