The Higher Unlearning

Many North Carolinians may be familiar with the controversial – and increasingly evident – academic, financial, and governance failings of a number of North Carolina charter schools . This should come as no surprise: more than a few observers predicted that the legislature’s peremptory style, and its dogged determination to ignore facts, evidence, and the rule of reason in the governance of our public schools, virtually assured the corruption of public charter school initiatives in North Carolina. In most places, being called out for bungled lawmaking, especially in education policy, might encourage a bit of humility and self-restraint from legislators. Not so on Jones Street, where the public good is frequently sacrificed to hubris, and power-mongering all-too-often supplants the wise restraint of good governance. And so when many existing charter school schemes were scrutinized and found wanting , and rumblings were heard that many new proposals might not pass muster eve...

Contributor "Will Davie's Ghost" analyzes what is arguably the most significant instance of politicization of public higher education in the 45 year history of the UNC system. HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE JONES STREET DOMINION As the end of the recent legislative session fades into the past, North Carolinians should know that moment also marks the establishment of a new era for public higher education in this state: lawmakers finally swept aside or transgressed nearly all the checks and balances protecting our universities from partisan political interference. These new statutory provisions are so broad in reach, and ill-conceived in substance, that members of the University community are still struggling to make sense of the implications and intent of this historically unprecedented arrogation of power. The full force of these changes will not be felt for months, and in some cases for years, but when they are citizens will wonder how one of the best systems of ...

  The News and Observer got a first cut on what may prove to be yet another "love them to death" legislative initiative for UNC minority institutions. (NC GAP is the other, but more on that elsewhere, and more on the combination of attacks on HMI's in yet another post) " Lower tuition may be coming to some UNC campuses " (6 Feb 16) tells the story of a legislative proposal to cut tuition costs at some of the most distressed HMI's, including ECSU, WSSU, UNCP, and FSU. The number being floated – $500 a year – is a terrific bargain by any measure. But don't get sucked in too quickly. What isn't discussed in the article but can be discerned by reading carefully and filling in between the lines is that this proposal may be much more costly to the people of this state than may be at first apparent.