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WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM The Triangle McCrory creates task force to fight alcohol RIBUNE and substance abuse TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE 6 UNC campuses launch pilot program By Bonitta Best The group will focus on [email protected] statewide prevention, treatment and initia- VOLUME 16 NO. 5 WEEK OF MAY 18, 2014 $1.00 GREENVILLE, N.C. - Harrisburg tives implemented by Mayor Steven Sciascia has a per- the Alcohol Beverage Bull City Legacy sonal stake in Governor Pat Control Commission, McCrory’s executive order aimed Alcohol Law at curbing substance abuse and Enforcement closes out home underage drinking. Sciascia’s 19- Division, the year-old son, Joseph, was killed in Department of Health season in loss. a car accident where the driver, and Human Services McCrory also 19, was intoxicated. and the University of Sciascia was in attendance at East North Carolina System. Carolina University Tuesday to “The physical, mental and social witness McCrory signing the order costs of addiction can last a life- to form the Substance Abuse and time,” McCrory said. “Substance Underage Drinking Prevention and abuse often starts in a person’s Treatment Task Force. Please seeTASK/2A KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR Governor announces Ex-felon education initiative seeks By Latisha Catchatoorian [email protected] Sam Cooke sang “a change is gonna come,” and North purpose Carolina teachers have been hoping for a change for some time now. by ‘soul Last week Gov. Pat McCrory announced education initia- tives aimed to help facilitate such changes in the public polishing’By Latisha Catchatoorian education realm of North Carolina. These include [email protected] increasing teacher pay, pro- Know Your Neighbor is a viding in-state college tuition monthly feature highlighting LATISHA CATCHATOORIAN PHOTO for veterans, increasing the extraordinary deeds of Teachers from across North Carolina gathered in Raleigh Wednesday to lobby for pay raises. funding for textbooks, and ordinary people. establishing salary supple- ments for teachers who DURHAM – Mike Anderson obtain advanced degrees. describes himself as a piece “For years teachers have of black coal that needed suffered through little to no refining, until he became the pay raises as the state had to diamond he was always des- endure one of the toughest tined to be. N.C. teachers’ plea to economic recessions in gen- “Every diamond in the erations,” he said. “The rough is a soul that deserves Career Pathways for to be polished,” he said. “I Teachers framework revers- kind of look at myself as a es that trend.” diamond in the rough. I was- McCrory is implementing n’t formed yet, but I had to lawmakers: Pay us this framework which go through my dark coal Educators demand raises at start of short session includes modest raises in the phase and all the pressures By Latisha Catchatoorian teachers to other states or leav- will be fully funded, but doesn’t short term and “a meaning- around me is what formed [email protected] ing the profession. think that expectation will be ful, long-term plan that me.” RALEIGH – Teachers who edu- Justin Ashley, a teacher at met. empowers teachers to deter- Anderson may glisten and cate 1.5 million public school McAlpine Elementary in “Gov. (Pat) McCrory and our mine their own financial gleam now, but his refine- children in North Carolina Charlotte, and the social studies legislative leaders need to take future, while at the same ment didn’t come without a haven’t seen a raise in the last six teacher of the year, has already strong action this year. Teachers time giving local school dis- price –17 years in prison. years. begun applying for positions in are making decisions this year tricts the flexibility to “I was facing the death “Teacher salaries rank 46th (in South Carolina. He cited class- about whether to invest in a mas- address the most pressing penalty, plus 60 years, plus the U.S.),” Superintendent of room overcrowding and fewer ters degree or go to a state where needs of their students and life,” he said. “I ended up tak- Public Instruction June Atkinson resources coupled with higher professional advancement is val- community.” ing a plea bargain for life and said. “To me it’s not a big deal expectations and less support. ued,” NCAE President Rodney Calla Wright, executive ended up serving 17 years about where we rank…the big “I have always thought of pub- Ellis said. “Teachers are making director of the Coalition of on that life sentence because issue is that we are at the bottom lic education as the heartbeat of decisions this year whether to Concerned Parents for the parole board decided to of the list, and that’s not good democracy and our teachers are stay in a state that has robbed African American Children, give me another chance.” enough for North Carolina stu- the heart that keeps the blood them of their due process rights said it’s important that North Anderson’s second chance dents and our teachers.” pumping, but many teachers in or go to a state where those Carolina focus on paying all came after almost two The North Carolina Association our state are being disheartened rights are respected.” teachers a competitive salary decades of proving himself. of Educators held a press confer- by the pay and the working con- Ellis said North Carolina fund- that is aligned with other He worked tirelessly during ence Wednesday on the opening ditions,” he said. ing for teacher salaries and per states. those 17 years to turn into day of the General Assembly If he finds a job in South pupil funding are declining or “For years the state of the man he always wanted to downtown to make their case Carolina, Ashley said he will earn barely better than flat. The reces- North Carolina has proved be. While in prison, he that the state needs to make $7,000 more annually, with a sion is not an excuse and neither how they do not value educa- earned two college degrees, changes now to save public edu- guaranteed increase of $1,000 is Medicaid funding, and the tion based on the way the wrote 13 books and two cation. the following year. state should “be embarrassed.” legislature failed to fund screenplays. A prison coun- Atkinson said it is now on the Ashley choked up when relay- “In February, the governor said teacher pay raises and the selor eventually hired him as shoulders of lawmakers to pay ing that his son will start kinder- he wanted to increase the base lack of funding for our pre-K the inmate tutor for GED teachers well and that North garten in the fall and as a taxpay- pay for North Carolina teachers program initiatives,” she classes, and within a year Carolina is at a crossroads as to er and a parent, he hopes the to $35,000. We have said that all said. test scores were up 15 per- whether it will stop the exodus of schoolhouse his son walks into Please seeTEACHERS/ 2A McCrory is increasing early cent. childhood education funding He also conceptualized his by $3.6 million as part of his nonprofit, Polished Souls plans. In February, he raised Foundation Inc. the base pay for teachers to Anderson said his goal is to $35,000 and planned to help a kid get a second announce additional teacher chance when he goes before Academy helps students earn their diplomas pay initiatives after the a judge. If that person has to By Latisha Catchatoorian founded by Sandee Washington. that works with young adults to make state’s revenue picture do jail time, Anderson wants [email protected] Washington, who was teaching GED changes in the community. became clearer. His Career to at least plant a seed so he programming at various places in the To enroll in the ADD, students must Pathways for Teachers is the is a model inmate and comes DURHAM – Roughly 70 percent of community, kept seeing her students have a sit-down meeting to make sure follow-up of that promise. out a better person. students who come to the in low-wage jobs with no opportunity the academy is what they’re really Supplements for teachers “Some of those guys go in Achievement Academy of Durham for advancement. looking for and can meet their needs. with advanced degrees in the for three years and come out are reading below high school level. “She wanted to have a program that In addition to GED, there is a post- subject they’re teaching will even more criminally gifted The AAD teaches and supports very deliberately addressed the need secondary program that works with earn raises that are 10 per- and hardened criminals,” he young adults who have dropped out to help students after they earn their students who want to, or are attend- cent of their base pay, while said. of school to help them receive their GEDs to move on and to do some ing college. It helps them with career state employees will receive Anderson’s work with kids equivalency diplomas and move on post-secondary work so they were exploration, creating a 10-year plan, a raise of $1,000, including is all based on his own life to post-secondary education and/or actually getting something financial enrollment, applications and finan- benefits, which is an average story. Growing up in employment. It focuses on strength- out of this GED, which is very, very cial aid, and with placement tests. of 2 percent. Fayetteville, he came from a ening critical reading skills, but also hard for them to get in the first Graduate Janeta Cherry is in the Bryan Proffitt, a teacher in family with an alcoholic and tutors in a variety of other subjects.