Posts in Local
North Carolina Public Schools See a Disconcerting Prevalence of Calls for Literary Censorship

“Janice Robinson, the North Carolina director for Red, Wine, and Blue, an Ohio-based organization that supports local moms and seeks to prevent book bans, believes that the concerns about explicit material are ‘just a smokescreen for the anti-CRT.’ What book bans are actually doing, claims Ms. Robinson, is allowing the "right wing" to push "their political agenda at the expense of our kids," as they are unable to use literature to encounter uncomfortable experiences of those outside their community, which would prepare them for life beyond the classroom.”

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Governor Cooper Recommends Schools End Mask Mandates

“Many states with Republican governors have already ended the mask mandates and now some states with Democrat governors are following suit. There is evidence supporting claims that masks are not effective for young children and therefore there is no need for them. Additionally, there is evidence that shows that masks have harmed children in both educational and social development. Due to this impact, states are having to reevaluate the cost of wearing masks and if the benefits of masks outweigh the educational and social development of children.”

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The Bottom-Up Process of Pretrial Reform in North Carolina

“As public health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased attention on jail populations and the national racial reckoning after George Floyd’s death forced communities to reconsider the current criminal justice system, pretrial reform in North Carolina has become a prominent topic of interest.”

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N.C. Commission Unanimously Rejects Vaccine Mandate

“The letter to the Commission, referenced earlier in the article, that recommended rejection of the vaccine mandate did include, however, the caveat that "the Commission could consider adding a COVID-19 vaccine to the childhood immunization schedule at a later date." But, observing the repealing of mask mandates, the plummeting daily COVID cases, the opposition from state officials on all sides of the aisle, and the objections from state health officials, it seems highly unlikely that the Commission will institute a mandate for Covid-19 vaccines for school-aged children in North Carolina.”

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Environmental Justice in North Carolina: Cooper’s Executive Order and Winston-Salem’s Fertilizer Plant Fire

“On January 7, 2022, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 246, titled ‘North Carolina’s Transformation to a Clean, Equitable Economy,’ and on January 31, 2022, when the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem caught fire, creating the possibility of one of the worst explosions in US history due to the 600 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inside.”

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Insurrection: The Possible End to Madison Cawthorn’s Short-lived Career

“Cawthorn intends to fight the suit and a spokesperson commented saying the voters bringing the suit are “comically misinterpreting and twisting the 14th Amendment for political gain.” It is clear Cawthorn does not believe the suit will succeed. However, if the suit manages to succeed, Cawthorn will be disallowed from running for public office. Additionally, he could be subject to criminal charges by the federal government like many of the people involved in the riot.”

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The Carolina Student’s Guide to the Law

“The Carolina Political Review sat down with Carolina Student Legal Services Director and Staff Attorney Fran Muse in addition to the Executive Director of Off-Campus Student Life and Community Partnerships Aaron Bachenheimer to learn about ways that Carolina students can ensure that they stay on the right side of the law during their time in Chapel Hill.”

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Despite Past Opposition, Governor Roy Cooper Proclaims “School Choice Week” in North Carolina

“Despite his historic opposition to school choice, Governor Roy Cooper recently issued a proclamation naming the week of January 24-29, 2022 as “School Choice Week.” However, Cooper has not taken any further policy action to confirm a sudden switch in position to supporting school choice, nor has he spoken about his rationale for issuing a proclamation designed to increase the visibility of school choice.”

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Governor Cooper’s Veto Means Redistricting Will Be Decided By NC Supreme Court

“With the future of NC redistricting likely playing out in the states' court rooms, Governor Cooper’s veto will not be the last North Carolinians hear about changes to midterm elections. Though lawmakers on both sides of the aisle remain vocal about how the debate should be settled, all eyes now turn towards the seven justices in Raleigh to shape this coming election cycle.”

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A Thanksgiving Retrospective: NC’s History with Native Americans

“The United States’ history with broken treaties displays a trend that has continued into contemporary times to harm and disregard the wishes, cultures, and safety of Native Americans. Native Americans today endure massive institutional and social disparities that often go unacknowledged or unknown by Americans. These disparities exist within many spheres in American society.”

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Sickouts Reveal a Larger School Staff Shortage Issue

“Kids are only in school once, and these beginning years are formative in them becoming capable and functioning adults. In fact, the education that staffing shortages are robbing kids of is considered so fundamental that the North Carolina Constitution recognizes that "the people have a right to the privilege of education.”

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NC Sen. Richard Burr Under Investigation for Insider Trading

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced in October that its investigation into NC GOP Senator Richard Burr and his brother-in-law Gerald Fauth was still underway. Burr sold $1.65 million in stock in “February 2020, just before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. The court filings by the SEC state "Among other things, the Commission is investigating whether, on February 13, 2020, Senator Burr sold stocks on the basis of material nonpublic information in violation of the federal securities laws." One of these laws in question is the 2012 STOCK Act which prohibits legislators from trading stock based on private information. Senator Burr notably voted against this bill.”

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Exclusive Interview: US Sentate Candidate Jeff Jackson

“Jeff Jackson: current state senator, major in the Army National Guard, UNC-Chapel Hill Law school alum, and most recently one of the two main Democratic candidates vying for the United States Senate seat, vacated by the retiring Richard Burr, paid “the Pit” a visit last week as part of his statewide college town hall tour. In his town hall, last week, Jackson addressed a crowd of around 500, comprised primarily of UNC-Chapel Hill students. Jackson touched on gerrymandering, climate change, the rural-urban divide, criminal justice reform, mental health, and the increasing permeance of politics in public schools, in his introductory address and answered students’ questions afterwards.”

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