Each week, NWPE brings its members a round-up of what’s happening in education. From big, eye-catching headlines to the stories most papers overlook, we find the news our members really want to see. This week, teachers are protesting in North Carolina, some schools struggle when dealing with LGBTQ students and staff, a district in Texas lures teachers with pay, and more!

Looming Teacher Protest in North Carolina: North Carolina teachers are the latest to join in the nationwide trend of protests with a rally planned for May 16^th. In anticipation, many districts around the state are closing. Meanwhile, the state’s governor has proposed a new budget that includes $112 million for teacher salaries, money for school safety, additional funds for school construction, and a $150 stipend for school supplies for each teacher. There have been enough strikes by now to look at trends. Reporting indicates that participants are often frustrated by tax cuts at the expense of public goods and that they hope to obtain increased funding for schools and services by increasing taxes on the wealthy. However, when outcomes are studied, it is often the middle class, not the wealthy, that end up on the hook for the increased funding.

LGBTQ Issues in Schools Lead to Several Potential Missteps: A pair of issues this week highlights how schools continue to struggle with LGBTQ issues. In Oregon, one school district is being investigated for allegedly punishing LGBTQ students by forcing them to read the Bible. The accusation, if borne out, would be both discrimination on basis of gender and a violation of the Establishment Clause in the first amendment. In Texas, an art teacher filed a lawsuit against the Mansfield Independent School District this week. At issue are the actions of the teacher in a “Get to Know Your Teacher” presentation at the beginning of the school year. In the presentation, the teacher showed a picture of herself and her future wife, which the district claims is a violation of their policy against pushing personal beliefs about controversial issues on students. The teacher claims she was the subject of discrimination because had her future spouse been of the opposite gender, there would have been no issue with the presentation.

The Free Market Enters the Teacher Pay Controversy: While teachers in Oklahoma were able to increase their pay during their recent strike, they are still underpaid in relation to other states, and now one district in Texas is seeking to take advantage of that fact. The Fort Worth Independent School District has purchased ten billboards across the state of Oklahoma in an attempt to lure teachers to their district. The billboards highlight the districts starting salary, which is nearly $20,000 more than what the average teacher in Oklahoma makes.

Happening Elsewhere:

NH House kills school choice bill authorizing education savings accounts

Former teacher, Giunchigliani, who wants to be known as the 'Education Governor,' debuts plan for improving schools in NV

Missouri House votes to fully fund K-12 education, spare colleges from cuts

California teachers put new pressure on gun sellers

'As long as it takes': Teacher strike in Pueblo, Colorado stretches into third day

Florida teacher suspended after saying Haitian student is from 'some third-world island country'

High school evacuated after chemistry class explosion injures 17 students, 1 teacher

Jimmy Fallon Devotes ‘Tonight Show’ Episode to Teachers

Jimmy Kimmel Got People to Apologize to Their Teachers for Their Classroom Crimes

What’s going on where you are?

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