North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 05/28/1996

Ier. It's Tuesday May 28. Tonight taking character you know our schools in North Carolina now. Right. Hello I'm Rima trace thank you for joining us on for this Tuesday edition of North Carolina. Now on tonight's program we'll explore the money gap between rich and poor schools in our state.

You may remember a controversial court ruling this spring on the issue of school funding equity. Now that matter is in the hands of lawmakers Producer Derek long. We'll have that story. Also tonight another big issue on the topic of education schools in our state may soon have the option of teaching lessons in integrity respect kindness self discipline and other positive character traits in their classrooms. The state Senate last night approved an amendment that would allow but not require teachers to include character education as part of their curriculum. The amendment is part of the APC's of education a school reform plan devised by the State Board of Education. The purpose of A B C's of education is to give more local control to the schools while at the same time holding them responsible for student performance. Joining me now is John Wilson the executive director of the North Carolina Association of educators Mr. Wilson welcome back to the program to glad you're here. You've been here a couple times before we appreciate you coming back again. Well what is the end see a position on this amendment.

Well actually we think someone was playing politics and amending the ABC bill with this particular piece of legislation and that we actually addressed character education in the last session with a bill that went through the legislature and the State Department Public Instruction has had a curriculum to assist people in developing character education. But NCAA has always believed that teachers have always taught character education by what they do in the classroom and how they model for students those character traits that promote good behavior like honesty and respect and self-discipline. Part of the APC's of education is not only to give more local control to the various schools but also on the other side to hold the schools accountable for the progress of their students. Now given the fact that this is now been thrown in there the character education how do you. Judge the progress of teaching character. Well I'm not sure you can do that. I think that that's why it was inappropriate to put it in this piece of legislation where they are trying to measure the progress of our students in reading

writing and math and character education just once again with more political posturing and I think when the legislature decided to make it permissive they were just trying to get out of a political sensitive situation and making it permissive they did that part of the debate in the Senate was whether or not this should be optional or mandatory they opted for optional which I'm assuming from any answer to the previous question that you would prefer to have it that way as opposed to mandatory. Well certainly I think that they talk a lot about flexibility for local school systems and then to turn around and say Now we're going to require you to do something. It certainly goes against what their philosophy has been in giving schools the flexibility and and we believe that character education is best decided at the school level because parents and teachers administrators in the community should really determine what is going to be the ethics of that school and what character traits fit the culture and the character of that school and what you're promoting. And it's best on

school by school but somewhat even argue that that's something best figured out at home as opposed to at the school rival I think that we're making a big mistake if we ever say to the parents that they have no responsibility for teaching character because they have the first responsibility for doing bad. But I think schools can integrate the character traits that we determine are important to having good citizens in the state and integrate that into the curriculum. We definitely do not need to add anything else to to our schools. They are overwhelmed with trying to teach kids the basics. So the big question in my mind still is how do you go about teaching character are you talking about integrating it into the curriculum. Give me some specifics of how this might be done. Well I think that in integrating the curriculum you might take a piece of literature. And depending on what that story was if it was if there was a situation where there was honesty and volved in that you might point out to the students

that this person had been artist and have been rewarded for being honest in that and how that's a good character trait to have as that honesty is a good thing for a student to possess. It could be a situation with respect and some type of piece of literature. But we're not talking about a specific specific you go to math class you go to English class you go to character class. We're right we would not think we need to add on to the curriculum. But I think that in every day life experiences there are opportunities to highlight what are good character traits in students. And I think teachers do that now. I mean you know we deal day to day with that. But what we're hoping is that parents don't forget their responsibility and that churches don't forget their responsibilities and leave it up once again to the public schools. I would like for our responsibility to be teaching reading writing and math and that others for

feel their responsibility when we have the opportunity to integrate that into the curriculum. And we'll take that opportunity as teachers have done for. Thousands of years. Well I know that this is something that is very new and it was just taken up by the legislature last evening. But from your perspective now that this looks like it might might be optional The House still has to take the matter up. But if you're given this OK this is an optional teaching character in the classroom. How many school districts do you think will take this up and will this really make a difference in the long run. Well I think there are lots of school districts who are interested in having character education programs. And I and many in North Carolina already have that. So I think that it is something that's going to be a part of the schools. But I'm thankful that that it has been done in a responsible way and that it has been a part of integrating this into the curriculum rather than having an add on program. So I believe that so far we've seen a lot of responsibility in

implementing character education. OK well Mr. Wilson on that note we'll end it and I want to thank you for being here tonight. Thank you. Well there's another serious educational issue facing lawmakers that is what can be done to help poor counties so-called low wealth districts that can't afford to give their students some of the basic education tools that are taken for granted and many of the wealthier parts of the state. Some counties turn to the courts for relief but didn't have any luck. Now they're hoping the general assembly will take action. Producer Derek Long spoke with some of the people involved in this ongoing story. One of the things that's made me very sad here over the last few years is the school board and arbiters in Durham County have passed a bond issue to renovate our building and we did that. But there was two year last year that again next year is to be to keep the outlying money which means that repairs. So when our roof leaks and it ruins the new tile floor the bond issue paid for we then are in a worse situation than we were because

we don't have the money to make those needed repairs. I think that it affects the integrity of the building and it certainly affects how parents and students see us. And then we go to schools in some of the poorer systems in North Carolina. We have an adequate supply in adequate technology buildings certainly facilities that don't function as they should. And then we ask those children to compete across our state for the opportunity to go to our universities. And yet they can't they haven't been given the walker Trinity to do it. And then we ask them to compete in the business world. And they're not as well-prepared. What frustrates some teachers parents and legislators is not only the lack of funding but the fact that schools across the state are not equally funded. In 1994 such disparities prompted parents in five low Well school districts later joined by six urban school districts to sue the state.

They argued that current funding did not provide a general and uniform system for public schooling. But in March the courts ruled against them. What the court decision implied is that students have a right to enter into a schoolhouse door and they have a right to an educational program. They do not have a right to an equitable educational program across North Carolina. We have no technology money here. Here are computers and printers and all that sort of thing is just brainwashing and of course getting smaller every move in North Carolina of paying for our public schools has really always been a shared responsibility of state and local government.

Local government pays most of the cost of school buildings and the state pays most but not all of the cost of operating the public schools. There are many many people who just do not want to allocate as funds on an equity basis. The problem that the legislature has recognized is that all counties are obviously half sane and their ability to help pay for this is not the same. Education should be fair to all children North Carolina regardless of where they live. And there is a battle between those who have and those who do not. If the community doesn't have the tax base to enable it to provide those local resources to the educational. Feel old then children are are going to be lacking. And here you're talking about things like computers in the classroom. You're talking about additional guidance counselors librarians library books. I think it would be a real mistake for us to advocate any allocation formula

that is based on the Robin Hood principle. And by that I mean taking the current funds that we have and simply re-allocating them. In 1991 the legislature created a supplemental fund to help offset the funding inequities for small and low wealth districts. Currently the legislature puts about 40 million dollars into a fine but between 150 to 200 million is needed to effectively address the needs. It will not equalize the offerings to all of our children. It will only bring the children in low wealth counties up to the state average for the amount of money that local governments put into their schools. And until we do that these low well schools are always going to have substandard offerings and that's simply not fair for the children. But school funding problems aren't limited to program an instructional deficit. School districts are finding themselves buried under an increasing burden of school facility needs. In response the General Assembly established

a school Capitol Construction Commission in the 1995 session to conduct a comprehensive study of public school facilities across the state. The commission recommended that the General Assembly adopt a major bond issue of nine hundred fifty million dollars or of one point eight billion dollars as well as the establishment of a permanent trust fund. If we don't provide some means like a trust fund to make sure that we pay for schools as we need them in the future well then in five or six years we'll face the same kind of backlog that we have now even after passing a bond issue. We have a bond bail proposed deal with a trust fund that takes low wealth counties into consideration. Forty five percent of the money will go to the low Well formula which means that it will be treated differently than other counties. It cost about $25000 to incarcerate someone in prison. And we're spending somewhere in the night. Four to five thousand dollars

from the children and elementary and secondary education. I think sometimes parents and students see lack of money in the schools as the value on education and you hardly ever hear kids today say I want to go into teaching they say no I can't make a living. And it's an issue in terms of how society itself now uses education. The House is scheduled to take up the school bond issue in its finance committee tomorrow. Well coming up a Fayetteville native breaks down racial barriers to follow her dreams of hitting it big on the country music charts. But before we get to that Michel Louis is out sick today so we turn to Shannon Vicary at the news desk for a summary of today's statewide news plus the latest going on down of the legislature today. Good to see you tonight Shannon. Thanks Maria. Good evening everyone. At today's state legislative session the House could soon vote on a measure which could deliver a punch to your pocketbook. The bill would remove the cap on interest rates and fees charged by companies that issue credit cards in the

state. The measure would also allow increases in rates on home equity lines of credit and other loans. Right now credit card interest rates are capped at 18 percent and fees can exceed. Twenty four dollars a year so water say midsize banks need the changes to stay competitive. And they warn some banks could move out of the state if the law isn't changed. But consumer advocates say banks are already profitable enough and raising rates would hurt card holders. And a group is trying to sway lawmakers into passing a plan to make teenagers earn their driving privileges more slowly than they do now. The group a public safety state and federal groups held a rally today in Raleigh. They say young people need more time to learn how to drive. Pointing to the fact that most fatal accidents for teenagers occur in the first four months after they get their license as a para court judge was among those speaking in favor of the plan. Indeed our own son narrowly escaped death recently in January when he was riding with or afford a 0 0 0 new license. He had a

serious accident. Unfortunately he's one of the lucky ones he and the other two escaped death although there were several serious injuries involved. A bill expected to be filed in the general assembly next week could allow a teenager with a learner's permit to receive a limited license after 12 months of violation free driving. The limited license would prohibit driving between 9 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. they could receive a full license after another six months without a violation. State agriculture officials are testing a new farming concept that could reduce chemical runoff. The concept is called No Kill farming and it means farmers would plant their crops without breaking the soil. They would use a special machine that would insert the seed in nutrients into the land by leaving the land intact. Agriculture officials say the process would reduce erosion and it would help lessen the amount of nitrogen that washes into rivers. Researchers are testing no till farming with corn and soybean crops near Goldsboro eastern North Carolina is a long way from home for coyote's.

But somehow they've made it here and now farmers say they're killing livestock in the Paks past six months coyotes have killed more than 80 farm animals. Park rangers in the National Forest say they have no ideas where the wild pack animals came from. They suspect someone brought them to the state about five years ago. Cody's normally live in the western U.S. and their natural predator is the cougar. They're not considered a threat to people and state wildlife officials say they can't. Control measures at the coyote's become missing. And our state lawmakers and their staffers had the opportunity to learn more about taking care of themselves today wrecks health care and health source of North Carolina kicked off an effort to help our state legislators learn how to start an exercise program and prevent disease to help the eating. With a one mile walk. Organizers were pleased with the turnout especially in light of the gloomy weather. Lawmakers hope staying healthy can help them be more productive. Well looking ahead at tomorrow's weather it should be a bit warmer across the state Wednesday. Elizabeth City will be the

cool spot here in North Carolina with a high of only 76 and several cities will be close to 90 partly cloudy skies will shroud the state and you can expect a chance of thunderstorms or showers pretty much wherever you are in North Carolina on Wednesday. In business news RJR Nabisco is facing renewed pressure to split its tobacco in food operations after a class action lawsuit was dismissed last week. Meanwhile its subsidiary R.J. Reynolds is about to launch a full scale testing of its new smokeless cigarette. The new cigarette known as eclipse will be available in Chad of Chattanooga Tennessee stores on Monday. The company says eclipse produces less smoke than regular cigarettes. But the key to the product's success will be whether or not smokers are willing to spend an extra 10 cents a pack to buy it. Now for a look at what happened today on Wall Street. If you hear the names Randy Travis Charlie Daniels and Ronnie Milsap you probably think of

three of the nation's best known country music stars and all these singing sensation's got their start right here in North Carolina tonight Shannon Vicary introduces us to a new voice who hopes to be the next Tar Heel. To find her own niche in the country music chart. She you you may not recognize her yet but if 34 year old Jan Petit gets her wish you'll soon know her as the first African-American woman to hit it big as a country music star. We've already had black women hit the chart made a point to sisters have have hit the country charts. There's just as there's never been a black female who only did country until male Ganpati first started over country tunes when she was nine years old but when the Fayetteville native with Bell Town a country head winds were

telling her young want girl but you see Mike's music they look at country music because the white music and a lot of black people just don't feel comfortable in this. But usually the whole crowd is white people and when it came to her family Jan got even less encouragement. So at age 15 she left Fayetteville for the bright lights of Los Angeles a journey that would later inspire her to write a song called The Good Life the two she hopes will become the first hit song. The girl told me the windows

she had everything that he bought a good home good life you know things like that. She just wasn't happy. Today Jan Petty is a long way from that young girl who left home at 15. She's finally doing something she never thought she would do. Helping others through the power of her songs in addition to country music clubs. Jan also sings for school children and the elderly. In fact she's a favorite among veterans groups. I don't like the first thing that is love the thing I don't want to do whatever I can to help people. And the only thing that I really truly feel that I'm good at is thing. Welcome Party. Oh so today Jan is truly a movie and the way I went of the

music industry. She's working on her first album so I'm looking for a corporate manager as her current manager will tell you in the country music business has got to move fast to hit it big. The target time frame will be to have a show development within the next 90 days. The management which we hope will be online within the next 30 days. The actual target performance should be within the next four to five months. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go anywhere it's going to take two. Just to say if I get a recording contract that's great. If I don't I'll be just fine. In fact for Jan the big payback isn't in dollars and cents but fame and fortune but in something less tangible but still measurable She says it's simply the number of smiles she sees when she looks out into the audience. A

great talent with a great attitude we wish her well. Jan says she hopes to have her first album called Jan Petit the good life Elton record stores early next year. You are. Well that's our program for this evening on tomorrow night's edition of North Carolina national and Victoria Texas to Hendersonville to show us how that mountain community is preparing to play host to the New Zealand swim team prior to the Olympics. Well enjoy the rest of your evening

have a great day tomorrow and please make plans to be back here again tomorrow night. Good night everyone.