Departing NC Teacher of the Year challenges State Board, legislators to do more for public schools

Yahoo

2 days ago

North Carolina State Board of Education honored its departing NC Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year at its June 5th meeting. (NCDPI Screengrab)
When Kimberly Jones was selected as the 2023-24 North Carolina Teacher of the Year she earned a two-year appointment to the State Board of Education. This week, as the veteran Chapel Hill English teacher attended her final meeting in that leadership capacity, she challenged both the board and state legislators to invest more in public schools.
Jones urged the State Board of Education on Thursday to stay grounded in the constitutional mandate to provide every North Carolina child with a sound basic education.
'Be wary of oversimplified solutions to complex challenges,' Jones advised. 'Invest not only in outcomes, but in the conditions that produce them — teacher retention, culturally relevant pedagogy, instructional materials that reflect diverse experiences and perspectives and learning environments that allow our students to feel safe, both physically and emotionally.'
During her time on the board, the Trump administration's U.S. Department of Education has sought to block diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs nationwide. Jones cautioned her colleagues to never confuse neutrality with justice.
'Please make equity, access, or whatever synonym meets the current criteria to guide your compass, even when that path is hard to navigate. The very future of our democracy and our society depends on how courageously you continue to steward this responsibility,' Jones said.
As Newsline has previously reported, this legislative session state Republican lawmakers have advanced multiple proposals to eliminate DEI from all corners of the public sector — government, higher education and K-12 education.
At the same time, the North Carolina House has passed legislation that would promote 'wholesome' content for students, but that critics have derided as an invitation to censorship. The bill would require the State Board of Education to maintain a database of all banned media across the state with annual updates.
Jones reminded the board that reading and inquiry are not a nuisance, but rather an engine of learning.
'In my classroom, we use complex questions to feel reading, research, and rigorous dialogue to build empathy and to strengthen civic understanding,' she said. 'I believe students of every background and every region of our state deserve access to such curricula. Ones that affirm their identity, reflect their communities, inspire their best efforts, and invite them into meaningful conversations about the world they are inheriting and shaping.'
Jones, a high school English and AP African American studies and Holocaust educator, said students should be encouraged to explore not just what was said or written, but why it mattered.
For legislators who will be working on a compromise budget in the weeks ahead, Jones urged improved funding for schools and better respect for educators.
'Public education cannot be reimagined if it is consistently underfunded, undermined, or politicized,' she said. 'If we are to recruit and retain a diverse, highly qualified, and effective workforce, then we must offer more than praise. We must offer respect, autonomy, and trust.'
Jones said her classroom colleagues simply deserve more.
'We need competitive teacher pay that honors both experience and expertise. We need sustainable investments in student mental health because no curriculum is effective in a crisis. We need clean modern school buildings, not just in select counties but in every community.'
The House budget proposes to increase new teacher pay from $41,000 a year to $48,000 for the next school year but offers little to more experienced teachers. The Senate budget offers average raises of 2.3% in FY 25-26 with a $3,000 bonus spread out over two years. The two sides are reportedly far apart from reaching a consensus.
Beyond the classroom, Jones said lawmakers should acknowledge those behind the scenes — cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and those willing to pitch in to maintain the grounds and buildings when the needs surpass the resources.
For parents and community advocates, Jones encouraged them to visit a classroom, become a mentor, vote in their local school board elections, and ask their local school district leaders what they're doing to serve the most marginalized students.
Jones said it's important to understand that not every student learns the same way, and not every parent's experience with their school is universal.
'In public schools, there are no applications for admission. There are no filters to whom we serve. We don't select who enters our classrooms, but every day we get the unparalleled opportunity to shape and influence what kind of person leaves our classrooms.'
Jones said that during challenging times she reflects on a proverb which holds that children are born with their hands closed because that's where their gifts and talents lie.
'As they grow, their hands begin to open so they can share those talents with the world. At its most essential level, education is not about what we put into young people. It's about what we pull out of them,' she said.