• Choice, Competition • UNCW Professor Keys to Literacy C A R O L I N A Might Sue Student Home Burglar Alarms Breaking Free in N.Y.

Volume 12, Number 11 A Monthly Journal of News, November 2003 Analysis, and Opinion from JOURNAL the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com www.JohnLocke.org

Outrage Follows Audit of Ballance’s Hyman Foundation

Congressman under fire Federal and state issues for conflicts of interest, left unresolved after audit; mishandling state money Ballance and allies silent

By DON CARRINGTON By DON CARRINGTON Associate Publisher Associate Publisher and RICHARD WAGNER RALEIGH Editor hile the state auditor’s report pro- RALEIGH vides a review of how the John ewspaper editorial writers across WA. Hyman Foundation operated, North Carolina and law enforce- there are still several issues related to U.S. Nment officials reacted swiftly to a Rep. Frank Ballance that have not been state auditor’s report Oct. 22 that confirmed resolved. They include: U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance operated a per- Internal Revenue Service reporting. The sonal and apparently political slush fund foundation failed to file required IRS forms. behind the facade of a nonprofit humani- Tax-exempt nonprofits that have annual tarian organization. receipts greater than $25,000 are required to The nonprofit, the John A. Hyman annually file Form 990 with the IRS. Infor- Foundation of Warrenton, has received $2.1 mation contained on the form includes the million in state funds since 1994 to treat names and salaries of officers, the source of drug addicts and alcoholics. Much of the funds, and expenditures by category. Cop- money, however, never found its way to the ies of the past three years are to be made intended purpose, the audit said. Instead, available to the public on demand, at the as chairman of the foundation, Ballance organization’s place of business during wrote checks to relatives and people who Carolina Journal photo by Richard Wagner normal business hours. contributed to his political campaign. State Auditor Ralph Campbell discusses the audit of the Hyman Foundation at a press conference. According to IRS regulations, a tax- “This program is riddled with conflicts exempt organization that fails to file a re- of interest in providing contracts and ser- Ballance and other foundation officials were funding controversy comes away looking quired return is subject to a penalty of $20 a vices,” State Auditor Ralph Campbell said involved in any criminal wrongdoing. The good. They all look pretty awful, in fact, day for each day the failure continues. The at a press conference to announce the audit’s day the audit was released, Ballance told with financial chicanery tarring U.S. Rep. maximum penalty for any one return is the findings. Also in the room was Raleigh the Rocky Mount Telegram that he had not Frank Ballance most of all. lesser of $10,000 or 5 percent of the criminal defense lawyer Joe Cheshire, who been contacted directly by the FBI. But, he “We believe the congressman should organization’s gross receipts for the year. In had been retained by Ballance. The 1st Dis- said, “I am aware they are moving around.” give up his seat now and give the people of late August, the foundation released forms trict Democrat had said that “public monies In response to the audit, the foundation the 1st District a spokesman with untainted for 1994 to 1997. By late October, the foun- have always been used for the public good blamed its mistakes on overworking of its credentials.” dation had not released forms for 1998 to for which they were authorized.” staff and “regulatory interpretation.” The Durham Herald-Sun’s editorial writ- 2002. Because of time constraints and shoddy “In conclusion, the JAHF is proud of its ers expressed outrage at Ballance’s con- Federal Election Commission. Two pas- record-keeping by foundation officials, charter and the work it has done. Having duct. “What auditors found at the Hyman tors with close ties to Ballance are associ- Campbell’s investigative team limited its read the report, however, it is chagrined at Foundation was, to be charitable about it, a ated with questionable contributions to his examination of the nonprofit’s records to a its administrative shortcomings and what, train wreck,” an editorial said. 2002 campaign for Congress. period from July 1, 2000 through April 30, at times, can only be characterized as short- “The red meat in the audit came in State Sen. Robert L. Holloman, an 2003. The audit called for the foundation to sightedness. It will work hard to learn from conflicts of interest. It turns out the Hyman Ahoskie Democrat and pastor, exceeded immediately return to the state $239,000 in its mistakes and will take corrective action. Foundation was what its critics had charged contribution limits by $500. The contribu- unspent funds it has in three bank accounts. It appreciates the opportunity to address all along, a conveyor belt of money to tion was given in the name of Robert Hollo- The day after the audit was released, the issues raised by the special review and Ballance’s political interests…” man, Jr., a person Holloman admits does N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office looks forward to continuing in its efforts to “Ballance is issuing a standard defense, not exist. Ballance refunded the contribu- sent a letter to foundation officials demand- serve the public at large.” accusing unnamed individuals of a politi- tion after it was exposed by Carolina Journal. ing that they put the $239,000 into an es- cal vendetta against him and the Hyman Pastor Eddie W. Lawrence and Cathy crow account until the State Bureau of In- Newspapers’ blistering editorials Foundation. The paper trail laid out by the Alston-Kearny, parents of Martin W. vestigation examines allegations of misman- state auditor’s office reveals not a political Lawrence, have failed to explain whether agement, conflicts of interest, and misuse of A barrage of harshly critical editorials vendetta but rather a clumsy political ma- two contributions, totaling $1,300, from 15- funds. Cooper also said his staff had been followed Campbell’s press conference. In a chine operating under the guise of good year-old Martin to Ballance were actually investigating the foundation before the au- strongly worded editorial, the Wilson Daily dit was completed. Times called on Ballance to resign: “No one The FBI also is investigating whether involved with the John Hyman Foundation Continued as “Ballance Under Fire,” Page 3 Continued as “Loose Ends,” Page 3

Best State Child Care Policy? The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. Contents 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 U.S. POSTAGE Tax Credits for Parents 54% Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID Gov’t Grants for Centers 33% RALEIGH NC PERMIT NO. 1766 Not Sure 13% Calendar 2 State Government 3 Education 6 Higher Education 10 Local Government 14 Books & the Arts 18 Opinion 20 % of N.C. Respondents in Oct. 2002 JLF Poll Parting Shot 24 C A R O L I N A Contents

ON THE COVER • Lindalyn Kakedelis writes that for years • Cumberland County officials and com- JOURNAL the education establishment has promised munity leaders are challenging the state’s • The John A. Hyman Memorial Youth that more workshops, more teachers, adults to do a better job instilling teen-agers Foundation, chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank smaller classes, and time will fix the prob- with the knowledge and skills necessary to Ballance, failed to account for hundreds of lem of academic achievement disparity be- become effective participants in public- thousands of dollars in state funds, accord- tween racial-ethnic groups, but it hasn’t policy debates and civic activities. Page 15 ing to an audit released Oct. 22 by the State worked. Page 7 Richard Wagner Auditor’s Office. Page 1 • An interview with University of North Editor • Two new surveys document a lack of ba- Carolina at Charlotte Professor David NORTH CAROLINA sic knowledge, along with widespread Hartgen, who recently authored a study on Paul Chesser, Michael Lowrey complacency — if not disinterest — among highways and sprawl in North Carolina. Donna Martinez • Last year Lenoir County’s emergency Americans in community and political af- Page 17 Associate Editors medical services responded to more than fairs. Page 8 6,000 calls, and a private company could THE LEARNING CURVE lighten that load significantly — but the HIGHER EDUCATION Karen Palasek, Jon Sanders county is not receptive to the idea. Page 4 • George Leef reviews the book Breaking Assistant Editors • A dispute over what a University of North Free: Public School Lessons and the Imperative • About 200 people rallied Oct. 1 at the State Carolina at Wilmington professor said at a of School Choice by Sol Stern. Page 18 Andrew Cline, Roy Cordato, Capitol in support of public displays of the forum Sept. 23 has led to a lawsuit threat- Charles Davenport, Ian Drake, Ten Commandments and unrestricted ac- ened against the student newspaper and • Reviews of the books Living It Up: Our Tom Fetzer, Nat Fullwood, knowledgments of God. Page 5 also a student accused of libel. Page 10 Love Affair with Luxury by James B. John Gizzi, David Hartgen, Twitchell, and Who’s Teaching Your Children? Summer Hood, Lindalyn Kakadelis, • The first program audit of The North • UNC-Chapel Hill officials are once again by Vivian Troen and Katherine C. Boles. George Leef, Kathryn Parker, Carolina Center for Applied Textile Tech- voicing concerns over faculty retention, say- Page 19 Marc Rotterman, R.E. Smith Jr., nology recommended Oct. 1 that the Gen- ing the “brain drain” is caused by other uni- Jack Sommer, John Staddon, eral Assembly consider specific guidelines versities “raiding” UNC-CH faculty with OPINION George Stephens, Jeff Taylor, for the Belmont school’s funding and that greater salary offers. Page 11 Michael Walden, Karen Welsh Contributing Editors audits of the center be conducted annually. • Roy Cordato writes that the North Caro- Page 5 • George Leef says sorry, but color him lina Senate, in a special session, passed skeptical about the Carolina Covenant, some important medical malpractice re- Jenna Ashley, Paul Messino, EDUCATION which would enable kids from families with forms. Page 22 Andrew Symons incomes below 150 percent of the federal Editorial Interns • According to a Mackinac Center study, poverty level to attend UNC without hav- • Michael Walden debunks the myth that the interrelated traits that make schools ing to borrow any money. Page 11 service jobs are somehow less “worthy” work are choice and financial responsibil- than manufacturing jobs, and says any job ity for parents, freedom, competition, and LOCAL GOVERNMENT that provides value to the economy and the a profit motive for schools — a true free consumer is “worthy.” Page 23 market in education. Page 6 • The City of Charlotte found a way to man- John Hood age its false burglar alarm problem by PARTING SHOT Publisher • Many states report high school dropout working with the alarm industry and a pri- rates instead of graduation rates, which vate contractor, and by implementing a new • CJ parody: A somewhat literary treatment Don Carrington may give an overly rosy picture of what’s ordinance that penalizes businesses and of recent news from North Carolina’s col- Associate Publisher really going on. Page 7 homeowners for false alarms. Page 14 lege campuses. Page 24

Published by Calendar The John Locke Foundation 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 Raleigh, N.C. 27601 (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 Virginia Postrel to Speak at JLF Luncheons in December www.JohnLocke.org

he John Locke Foundation will host mentary for an editorial in Reason. In 2002, Bruce Babcock, Ferrell Blount, two luncheons Dec. 3 and Dec. 4, in she received the Press Club of Dallas’s Katie John Carrington, Hap Chalmers, Award for commentary for a column in D Sandra Fearrington, Jim Fulghum, T Charlotte and Raleigh respectively, William Graham, John Hood, featuring Virginia Postrel. Magazine. Kevin Kennelly, Lee Kindberg, Postrel is the author of the recently Before becoming editor of the maga- Robert Luddy, William Maready, published The Substance of Style: How the zine in 1989, Postrel was associate editor of J. Arthur Pope, Assad Meymandi, Rise of Aesthetic Value Is Remaking Commerce, Reason and, before that, as a reporter for Inc. Tula Robbins, David Stover, Culture, and Consciousness. and The Wall Street Journal. Jess Ward, Andy Wells, She also penned The Future and Its En- Postrel graduated from Princeton Uni- Art Zeidman emies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, versity with a degree in English. She lives in Board of Directors Enterprise and Progress, published in 1998. Dallas. She writes the “Economic Scene” column Postrel will speak at the Omni Char- for the New York Times business section lotte Hotel on Dec. 3 and at the Brownstone CAROLINA JOURNAL is a monthly journal every fourth Thursday. Hotel in Raleigh on Dec. 4. The cost of the of news, analysis, and commentary on state Postrel also writes an influential weblog luncheon at each location is $20 per person. and local government and public policy at her own Internet website at www.dyna Both events will begin at noon. For more issues in North Carolina. mist.com. She also contributes a column on information or to preregister, contact Sum- the built environment for D Magazine, the mer Hood at (919) 828-3876 or events@john ©2003 by The John Locke Foundation Dallas city magazine. locke.org. Inc. All opinions expressed in bylined ar- From July 1989 to January 2000, Postrel ticles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of was editor of Reason magazine. Under her Author Virginia Postrel Shaftesbury Society Carolina Journal or the staff and board of leadership, Reason was selected as a finalist the Locke Foundation. for the National Magazine Awards, the venues, including the Naval War College, Each Monday at noon, the John Locke industry’s highest honor, for essays in 1993 the American Institute for Graphic Arts, the Foundation sponsors the Shaftesbury Soci- Material published in Carolina Journal and public interest journalism in 1996 and Mont Pelerin Society, PC Forum, Vortex, ety, a group of civic-minded individuals may be reprinted provided the Locke Foun- 1998. She founded Reason Online, the Pop!Tech (the Camden Technology Con- who meet over lunch to discuss the issues of dation receives prior notice and appropri- magazine’s website, in 1995. In 2000 and ference), the Urban Land Institute, the Mars the day. The meetings are conducted at the ate credit is given. Submissions and letters 2001, she served as Reason’s editor-at-large. Society, and the Smithsonian Institute’s Mil- foundation’s offices at 200 W. Morgan St., to the editor are welcome and should be Postrel has been a columnist for Forbes lennium on the Mall celebration, as well as Suite 200, Raleigh. Parking is available in directed to the editor. and its companion technology magazine many think tanks and public policy groups. nearby lots and decks. Readers of Carolina Journal who wish Forbes ASAP. Her work has also appeared She serves on the board of the Founda- to receive daily and weekly updates from CJ in such publications as The Wall Street Jour- tion for Individual Rights in Education and “Carolina Journal Radio” editors and reporters on issues of interest to nal, The Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, the advisory board of Center on Gover- North Carolinians should call 919-828- and The Washington Post. nance at UCLA. She has been a media fel- The staff of Carolina Journal co-produces 3876 and request a free subscription to Sam Tanenhaus of Vanity Fair described low at the Hoover Institution at Stanford a weekly newsmagazine, “Carolina Journal Carolina Journal Weekly Report, deliv- her as “a master D.J. who sequences the University. Radio,” which appears in syndication on 16 ered each weekend by e-mail, or visit latest riffs from the hard sciences, the social Postrel has twice been a finalist in the radio stations across North Carolina. You CarolinaJournal.com on the World Wide sciences, business, and technology, to name commentary category of the Gerald Loeb can visit CarolinaJournal.com to locate an Web. Those interested in education, higher education, or local government should also only a few sources,” while Camille Paglia Awards for Distinguished Business and affiliate in your area. Also, subscriptions to ask to receive new weekly e-letters covering has called her “one of the smartest women Financial Journalism for her columns in a monthly CD containing selected episodes these issues. in America.” Reason. In 1995, she received the Free Press of the program are available by calling (919) Postrel has spoken at a wide range of Association’s Mencken Award for Com- 828-3876. CJ C A R O L I N A November 2003 JOURNAL North Carolina 3 Ballance Under Fire for Conflicts of Interest, Mishandling Funds

Continued From Page 1 Consistent with earlier news stories, the audit confirmed that Ballance main- works. Sure, Frank Ballance is spitting mad tained custody of the checkbook and au- Hyman Foundation Milestones about all this — he got caught.” thority over the foundation’s bank accounts. The Wilmington Star-News, likewise, He also was chairman of the Board of Dea- Date Event published a scathing editorial: cons of Greenwood Baptist Church, which “If you want to get your hands on money leased space to the foundation. June 1985 Ballance forms the Hyman Foundation from the taxpayers, start a charity with a Eddie W. Lawrence, pastor of the noble purpose. You can get by with a lot — church, was paid $30,000 per year as direc- particularly if you’re an elected official. tor of the foundation. He also was paid July 1993 Through Ballance’s influence, foundation begins “Frank Ballance can show you how it’s $66,351 for his full-time state job as director receiving state funds for a drug treatment pro- done. True, the doings of the congressman of the Human Relations Commission until gram headquartered at his church in Warrenton. and former state legislator have now been Gov. Mike Easley forced him to resign for exposed, but it’s anybody’s guess whether failing to disclose secondary employment. Ballance uses a portion of the money to give he and others who benefited Melinda Solomon-Har- grants to other groups. will endure more than em- ris, assistant principal of barrassment. Of course, Weldon High School in that’s assuming they’re ca- Halifax County, was paid Jan. 2002 Ballance files for U.S. Congress and begins pable of embarrassment….” $24,200 per year as director receiving contributions from individuals who “What’s sadder is that of the foundation’s Halifax for 18 years a prominent County substance abuse benefitted from grants. elected official got away program. She also was the with taking money from Democratic Party’s 1st Dis- people he was claiming to trict chairwoman in the 2002 Sept. 2002 Littleton Observer begins to investigate founda- help and giving it to others primary, which Ballance tion. Ballance refuses to answer the paper’s who mattered more: his won. questions. mother, his daughter and Joyce L. Bullock was people who could help him paid $14,400 per year as ad- stay in office, to collect a ministrative assistant of the Jan. 2003 State cuts off foundation’s funding for failure salary from the taxpayers foundation. She is also a to submit adequate financial reports. he was chiseling.” U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance member of the foundation’s The News & Observer of board, and on one financial Raleigh and other newspapers faulted the report cosigned the cover letter as treasurer April 2003 Legislators ask state auditor to investigate. General Assembly for creating and nurtur- of the foundation. She has been the trea- ing an environment that allowed nonprofits surer of Ballance’s state Senate and con- News stories surface and Ballance admits foun- such as Ballance’s to receive and spend gressional campaigns. dation has never filed IRS reports. public monies with little, if any, legislative The audit also found that in February oversight. 2001 Ballance wrote a $5,000 check to his “Meantime, the General Assembly must daughter’s company for services that were June 2003 State officials reprimand foundation for viola- treat the black eye it has received at the not completed. The money was returned tions in the DWI treatment program and termi- hands of Ballance’s foundation. For it was after the auditors began their investigation. state lawmakers who went along with allo- In 2001 and 2003, Ballance awarded nate the Warren County Drug Court program cating money for the foundation from the grants of $20,000 and $12,500 to the Bertie which relied on the services of the foundation. Department of Correction budget. They ac- County Rural Health Association, an orga- quiesced even though the foundation’s nization that employed his mother, Alice chairman, Ballance, also sat on a Senate Eason Ballance, as director. After the Sept. 2003 Foundation ceases all drug treatment programs. appropriations subcommittee that was re- auditor’s review began, the $12,500 grant sponsible for oversight of correction spend- was returned. She received $5,544 in salary ing,” the N&O editorial said. from the $20,000 grant. Oct. 2003 State auditor releases report. “More legislative interest in where the While not covered in the audit period, money was going would have helped. Evi- Carolina Journal previously reported that dently, in 18 years, a question never sur- the Hyman Foundation gave Alice faced about why the foundation wasn’t Ballance’s business, Kiddie World Child Loose Ends in Ballance Scandal sending to the IRS the annual spending Development Center, $3,000 in 1995 and reports required of tax-exempt groups. $4,250 in 1997. Continued from page 1 Determining the legality of the contri- “When the foundation failed to file state Bertie County tax records show that bution is dependent on following the ex- reports with the Department of Correction Ballance and his wife, Bernadine, have made by their son. Lawrence is pastor of penditures of the foundation. for two straight years, the department halted owned the land and building occupied by Ballance’s church and is director of the Foundation’s lease of state property. Bal- the cash flow last March. But the legislature Kiddie World since 1986. Hyman Foundation. lance helped the foundation obtain a lease didn’t get the word, and the House ap- The audit also found that the founda- Federal law prohibits contributions in on a 35-acre former prison site. The agree- proved another appropriation this year. tion did not follow “best practices” in pro- the name of another person, knowingly ment was approved by the Joint Legislative Taxpayers have a right to expect more effec- viding grants to other organizations. In re- allowing your name to be used for that Commission on Government Operations tive oversight from their elected represen- sponse to supporting documentation for purpose, or knowingly accepting such a Committee on Nov. 15, 2000. Ballance served tatives. the grants, Ballance said the documentation contribution. In September, Halifax County on the committee, attended the meeting, “The legislature ought to seize the op- had been lost or destroyed. Republican Chairman Geoff Hardee filed a but abstained from voting on the matter. portunity to improve its credibility next Another finding in the audit and previ- complaint with the FEC. The five-year lease for $1 per year has year when it takes up the issue of some $760 ously reported by CJ and other newspapers Alice Eason Ballance Foundation. Halifax an option for the foundation to renew for million appropriated annually to nonprofit dealt with Ballance’s political donors, who Community College President Ted Gasper another five years. It is dated May 25, 2001, organizations…” received payments from the foundation. used state government resources to raise and signed by Gov. Mike Easley and by The audit identified 21 such individuals. money for Ballance’s congressional cam- Hyman Foundation Vice President Helen Origin of Hyman Foundation The audit also found that the founda- paign, minutes of meetings show. Ophelia of Rich Square. The foundation has tion spent funds for purposes outside the Documents also show that Gasper and yet to use the property. Ballance filed the articles of incorpora- scope of substance abuse programs. The others planned to funnel corporate contri- Files in the State Property Office show tion of the Hyman Foundation in June 1985. spending through checks signed by Ballance butions though the Alice Eason Ballance that property officials frequently contacted He has been chairman of its board since that included $2,500 for the Warren County High Education and Justice Foundation, another Ballance about the lease. time. The stated purpose of the foundation School Band Boosters Club, $1,700 for a nonprofit organization that Ballance set up In January 2000, Eddie Lawrence wrote was to facilitate the development of young NAACP banquet meal sponsorship, $1,000 in October 2001. Corporate contributions to Correction Secretary Theodis Beck asking people in Warren, Halifax, Northampton, for a Shirley Caeser Concert, and $1,200 for political campaigns are illegal. State Com- for the property. In October 2000, Beck rec- Bertie, and Martin counties and to recog- a banquet at his own church. munity College System President Martin ommended that the property be turned over nize the contributions of John Adam Hyman, In August 2000, Ballance wrote a $35,000 Lancaster referred the matter to the SBI. to the foundation. who became North Carolina’s first black check for rent to his church without any A report filed recently with the Federal Beck did not respond to phone calls congressman in 1874. supporting documentation. During the time Election Commission also shows that in from CJ requesting comment on his original The organization was essentially inac- covered by the audit he also wrote two August 2003 Ballance donated $3,000 from decision to lease the property to the founda- tive until 1993, when Ballance first secured checks totaling $30,000 for administrative his political campaign to that foundation. tion. state funds for the foundation to run a sub- costs, which were actually transfers from An FEC spokesman told CJ that the State Property Office Director Joe stance abuse program. Ballance, a one account to another. But as the audit commission’s regulations permit expendi- Henderson told CJ that his office will re- Warrenton lawyer, served two decades in pointed out, the specific purpose of the tures for charitable organizations, but that a view the lease arrangement because the the North Carolina legislature before he state funds was general and only stated as charitable organization cannot convert the foundation is not using the property and won a seat in Congress in 2002. to fund “substance abuse programs.” CJ money for prohibited expenditures. apparently has no funding. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 4 North Carolina JOURNAL

Around the State A grave lesson in Lenoir County

• Forsyth County Rep. Michael North Carolina’s Private EMS in Critical Condition Decker, a former Republican who defected to the Democratic Party last By TED BALAKER calls, and Pickard be- year “to bring about the change in Guest Contributor lieves that Convalescent Republican leadership,” returned to Transport could lighten the GOP. arc Pickard is clearly frustrated that load significantly. It wasn’t exactly reminiscent of as he explains why a man who The company had the heartwarming story of the prodi- suffered a stroke recently did not banked on third-party re- gal son, though. M receive faster medical attention. Pickard is imbursements to make “It borders on treason…It was the training director for Convalescent up for the offer to forego treason to the people who elected Transport, a private ambulance company in county money. Pickard him, who supported him, who gave Lenoir County. He notes that, even though thinks Convalescent him money, who gave him work,” his company sits across the street from the Transport could improve Bill Miller, Forsyth Republican Party stroke victim’s house, county law prevented the county’s 10-minute Lenoir County’s emergency medical services chairman, said to the Winston-Salem a Convalescent Transport ambulance from 31-second average re- Journal. responding. Instead, the man had to wait sponse time. “In the city areas we could members tended to the three injured people Decker, whose switch caused the for a county ambulance. A few days later, drop that response time to six or seven min- and loaded them into their ambulance, but N.C. House representation to change he died. utes easily,” Pickard said. “Who would turn before the crew could transport the patients from a 61-59 GOP advantage to a 60- Although perhaps only an autopsy can down free help?” to the hospital the county’s EMS training 60 even split with Democrats, said settle the matter, Pickard can’t help but “Nothing is done free of charge,” said officer arrived and said that only a county he did so because “the [Republican] wonder whether the man would have sur- County Manager John Bauer. Bauer is skep- ambulance could transport the patients. The leadership had lied to me on many vived if Convalescent Transport had been tical of Convalescent Transport’s offer of county ambulance arrived 20 minutes later. occasions.” allowed to respond. Pickard is frustrated, free help, but even if it were free, he wor- “What if you were one of those pa- but not surprised. From his office Pickard ries that allowing 911 operators to dispatch tients?” Pickard asked. “An ambulance •George Little of Southern can eavesdrop on the county’s emergency Convalescent Transport ambulances would shows up with certified crewmembers and Pines, who is near the bottom of the dispatch system. He said it often takes more lead to logistical problems. starts checking you out. You’re sitting in the GOP pack of gubernatorial candi- than 10 minutes for an ambulance to arrive “We’d have others who would want in, back of a perfectly good ambulance, but you dates in fund-raising, scored two at Meadows North retirement home, which too,” Bauer said. “Then you have multiple have to wait 20 minutes for another one? heavyweights to serve as his cam- is also across the street from Convalescent providers, and you get into problems where It’s totally absurd!” paign cochairs. Transport headquarters. But the county for- someone says you’re favoring one over an- Luckily, the accident victims did not Former Gov. Jim Holshouser bids Convalescent Transport from respond- other.” Bauer said logistical problems could suffer serious injury, and Bauer said the and former Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner ing to emergency calls, even calls from bring liability problems if emergency trans- county would call on the private company will serve on Little’s 2004 campaign. across the street. port providers get into accidents: “We don’t in extreme situations: “If there’s a big emer- “It can take the county as long as 12 need to get our citizens hurt in a race.” gency and all five ambulances are in use •Dan Boyce, who lost as the minutes to get to the scene,” Pickard said. However, just as the county has pre- we will call Convalescent Transport.” Republican candidate for attorney “We could be there in 12 seconds.” The vented Convalescent Transport from re- There was a big emergency in January. general to Roy Cooper in 2000, an- county even turned down Convalescent sponding to emergency calls, it would also The West Pharmaceutical plant exploded, nounced he will not run again in Transport’s offer to respond to emergency have the authority to prevent other would- leaving six dead. Bill Howard estimates that 2004. calls for free. be providers from entering the market. In Convalescent Transport provided the most Boyce is suing Cooper for al- Convalescent Transport provides non- fact, Convalescent Transport would like to emergency support that day, and he doesn’t leged slander. Boyce’s lawsuit tar- emergency medical transportation, and, enter the market more completely and re- understand why the county would not turn gets Cooper’s ads in the 2000 cam- until recently, it could respond to emergen- spond to all emergency calls. Pickard esti- to the private company for the burgeoning paign that accused Boyce of accept- cies if callers dialed the company directly. mates his company could serve the county emergency of slow response times in rural ing excessive lawyer fees after suing That arrangement was complicated when for at least $600,000 less than the $2.6 mil- areas. Howard has 20 years experience in the state. a new state law required all emergency calls lion yearly cost of in-house provision. He firefighting, and he sits on the board of the Boyce’s father, Gene Boyce, was to go through 911. Pickard thinks the county also thinks Convalescent Transport has fire department that serves Hugo, a rural the actual lawyer who represented could still comply with the law by connect- other factors on its side. community within Lenoir County. He taxpayers in the class-action law- ing 911 callers who ask for the company to The company has operated in the area blames the county commissioners for the suit. Dan Boyce and his father didn’t a Convalescent Transport operator or by for 13 years, compared to two years for the slow response time his community must form their law partnership (with two dispatching Convalescent Transport ambu- county provider. And the private company endure. other family members) until after lances itself. The state Office of Emergency has 12 ambulances to the county’s five. In- “They’re going to run you off a pretty the class-action lawsuit. Medical Services recently confirmed that deed, the quality of Convalescent little chart that says they have a response Cooper’s lawyers say Dan the county could allow Convalescent Trans- Transport’s service never seemed to be an time of 9, 10 and a half minutes, but most Boyce’s lawsuit is politically moti- port to respond to emergency calls. issue, not even with Bauer: “I’m only go- of those are in the city,” Howard said. “If vated — a charge that Boyce claims The county has refused Pickard’s sug- ing to say good things about Convalescent you get out here in the rural areas there’s is baseless because he is not running gestions, and in so doing has effectively out- Transport. They’re a professional organiza- no way they’re averaging 10 and a half min- next year. Boyce told Carolina Jour- lawed private emergency transport. “Our tion and we’re a professional organization.” utes.” nal he did not plan a campaign for motto used to be ‘Providing all your medi- However, given the current political What may seem particularly troubling attorney general because he has cal transport needs,’ but we’ll have to climate, Pickard sees little chance of ex- is that a 10 1/2-minute response time is not other commitments. change that now,” Pickard said. panded private provision. When asked why exactly stellar. The Mayo Clinic recently private EMS has stalled in North Carolina, placed the critical marker at six minutes — • Political action committees Lonely and painful Sullivan cites an unfriendly political climate responding to a cardiac arrest patient within may continue to raise unlimited in- exacerbated by meager Medicare reim- six minutes greatly increases survival rates, dividual contributions in North Craig Sullivan thinks Lenoir County’s bursements: but after six minutes the chance of survival Carolina. aversion to private EMS is to be expected Still, Sullivan estimates that Medics Inc. plummets. Howard said emergency pa- A three-judge panel of the 4th in North Carolina. Sullivan directs Watauga saves the county $300,000 per year, and he tients in Hugo have had to wait as long as U.S. District Court of Appeals up- Medics Inc, and said that being a private contends that privatization could succeed 26 minutes for an ambulance. Howard’s held an earlier decision by a federal EMS provider in North Carolina is “very, elsewhere in North Carolina. Sullivan frustration mounts when he explains that a judge who ruled that the state law, very lonely and painful.” The Journal of thinks perception, perhaps as much as poli- recently enacted property tax increase was which would have limited indi- Emergency Medical Services reports that pri- tics, stands in the way of privatization’s supposed to have improved response times vidual donations for PACs to $4,000, vate transporters serve 42 percent of progress: “A lot of county officials don’t in rural areas. Only he hasn’t seen any im- is unconstitutional. America’s 200 largest cities. However, in even know it’s an option. I talked to a guy provement. North Carolina, Sullivan’s company is one from another county and he said, ‘Wow, “We’ve got the same thing we had prior • Republicans who successfully of only two private primary providers. you’re private — I didn’t know that was to the tax increase,” Howard said. “No im- sued leaders in the General Assem- Convalescent Transport has operated in possible.’” provement. No new equipment. We haven’t bly last year, because of unconstitu- the area for 13 years, but the company now received anything except a tax.” Howard tional state House and Senate dis- struggles without its emergency transport Big emergencies thinks the county should contract with Con- tricts, wanted Superior Court Judge revenue. Falling income has forced the com- valescent Transport to help improve rural Knox Jenkins Jr. to declare unen- pany to turn to layoffs. Like it or not, the Pickard thinks the county simply wants response times. And, even before the stroke forceable the law that requires can- county’s 60,000 residents now have no al- the revenue generated by emergency trans- victim died, Howard worried that tragedy didates to live in their districts at ternative to county service. port. He cites an incident report from Au- would come sooner than EMS reform: “My least one year before the election. Pickard doesn’t think it has to be this gust in which a Convalescent Transport hope is that before someone has to die The Assembly isn’t expected to draw way. He sees a clear opportunity for a sym- ambulance encountered a three-automobile someone in politics will wake up and real- new plans early enough to allow biotic relationship: Convalescent Transport accident while returning from another call. ize that this is happening.” CJ candidates to move if they are placed could use the revenue generated by emer- Although Convalescent Transport can no in undesirable districts. gency transport, and the county could use longer respond to emergency calls, Pickard Jenkins denied the Republicans’ the extra help. said EMS personnel have a duty to act in Ted Balaker is the Jacobs Fellow at the Reason request. CJ Last year the county’s emergency medi- such situations. Public Policy Institute, and editor of the news- cal services responded to more than 6,000 The Convalescent Transport crew- letter Privatization Watch. C A R O L I N A November 2003 JOURNAL North Carolina 5 Organizers petition U.S. Supreme Court Commandments Caravan Rallies in Raleigh on Way to Washington

By PAUL CHESSER said. Associate Editor The Rev. Schenck said religions such as RALEIGH Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are “syn- bout 200 people rallied Oct. 1 at the chronistic,” meaning “they embrace the best State Capitol in support of public of all other religions.” A displays of the Ten Command- “These other religious groups are made ments and unrestricted acknowledgments out to be prejudicial,” he said. “They’re not. of God. They’re straw men.” Organizers of the “Keep the Command- By the time the caravan reached Wash- ments Caravan” led a series of demonstra- ington, Steve Elliott, president of tions that began Sept. 28 in Montgomery, Grassfire.net, had collected 384,000 peti- Ala., where Chief Justice Roy Moore was tions through his website. The total shat- ordered to remove a 5,300-pound monu- tered the groups’ goal of 250,000 petitions. ment from that state’s capitol rotunda. The “I’m so encouraged by these petitions,” sculpture was inscribed with the Ten Com- Elliott said. “People are fed up with the mandments and Moore’s case has caused a secularist agenda of the court, and this is national outcry from conservative Chris- just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what tians over the removal of God from public Grassfire intends to do in coming months, places. to pressure our leaders and court justices “It’s not just a matter of majority rule into returning to the moral foundation of and political power,” said the Rev. Rob law in our society.” Schenck, president of the National Clergy According to Grassfire.net’s website, Council, “it’s a matter of right and wrong. 500 people gathered in the nation’s capital “We can’t decide for ourselves moral on the opening day of the Supreme Court’s absolutes. They are delivered to us.” Carolina Journal photo by Richard Wagner new session for a “grand finale rally.” The caravan made five stops, including Organizers of the “Keep the Commandments Caravan” and state leaders rally at the Capitol. “It’s up to the citizens of this nation to rallies at the Georgia and South Carolina usher in the sanity that has been removed state capitols, before reaching Raleigh. Or- could have been at the Supreme Court when cited a recent USA Today poll that found by a radical secularist regime,” said Rev. ganizers visited six locations in Virginia it opened its session Oct. 6. that 70 percent of responders approve of Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian De- and Washington, D.C., where they deliv- “I am in full support of this project and such monuments in public areas. fense Coalition. ered petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court. I think Judge Moore was totally right in his He also said that the ACLU, which “If you look at the track record of secu- The appeals asked the court to overrule the decisions,” he said. “stands to make millions on this contro- lar societies,” The Rev. Schenck said, decision in Moore’s case. The Rev. Schenck said caravan sup- versy,” is the only major group that op- “Saddam Hussein, China, the Soviet Union North Carolina Rep. Russell Capps was porters are not alone in their belief that poses displays of the Ten Commandments. — what did they have in common? Mass among the local leaders who participated in public displays of the Ten Commandments Those who claim other religions are of- graves — because they were the ultimate the Raleigh event. He said he wished he are permitted under the Constitution. He fended by the displays are misguided, he arbiters of right and wrong.” CJ Textile Center Audit Completed

By PAUL CHESSER closely with the center. One of those classes Associate Editor had nine students; the other had two stu- RALEIGH dents. he first program audit of The North Based on a comparison made with the Carolina Center for Applied Textile Hosiery Technology Center in Catawba T Technology recommended Oct. 1 County, Cole recommended that the textile that the General Assembly consider spe- center change its program focus to empha- cific guidelines for the school’s funding and size support services for the textile industry For more than 12 years, Carolina Journal has provided its that audits of the center be conducted annu- and reduce classroom training. ally. Cole advised the textile center to elimi- thousands of readers each month with in-depth reporting, The state Community College System, nate duplicate courses such as “general com- informed analysis, and incisive commentary about the most which oversees the center, conducted the puter classes” that are also conducted at pressing state and local issues in North Carolina. With a audit. Unlike similar state institutions, the nearby Gaston College. He also recom- particular emphasis on state government, politics, the General textile center received little scrutiny of its mended cooperation between the textile Assembly, education, and local government, Carolina Journal activities in the past. center and Gaston College “to meet Gaston The center has received more than $1.2 County educational needs most effectively.” has offered unique insights and ideas to the policy debate. million annually since 1996 from the state. Cole reported that “legislation dealing A directive from the legislative fiscal staff to with the center is rather broad” and “to my Now Carolina Journal is taking its trademark blend of news, the Community College System leadership knowledge, there is only one center refer- analysis, and commentary to the airwaves with a new program spurred the audit, because of questions ence in the Policy Manual for Community — Carolina Journal Radio. raised about the center’s efficiency and Colleges.” He suggested a review by the classes. legislature to incorporate the textile center The center has no reporting require- into the system’s accountability process. A weekly, one-hour newsmagazine, Carolina Journal Radio ments to the Community College System or The textile center, unlike the state’s 58 is hosted by John Hood, publisher of Carolina Journal, and to the legislature, but system President Mar- community colleges, does not receive state features a diverse mix of guests and topics. Education reform, tin Lancaster is on the center’s board of funding based on its number of full-time tax policy, the state legislature, affirmative action, air pollution, directors. equivalent students. The legislature appro- The Community College System’s priates a flat sum annually to the school. freedom of the press and the courts — these are just a few of former audit director, Dr. Bill Cole, con- As a result, the center does not submit the subjects that Carolina Journal Radio has tackled since ducted the audit. He reported that the student, class, or other data to the Commu- the program began production in May. center’s full-time staff of 27 employees re- nity College System, unlike all the other mained stable over the last five years. The community colleges. Cole recommended Currently broadcast each weekend on 16 commercial radio center’s budget, which includes receipts, more systematic reporting by the center, totaled about $1.5 million annually. No re- and that the school also find a way to “maxi- stations Ð from the mountains to the coast Ð Carolina Journal port of staff salaries and responsibilities mize both usage and efficiency” of its facil- Radio is a one-of-a-kind program that seeks to inform and was included. ity. The center recently completed the con- elevate the discussion of North Carolina most critical issues, Cole also reported an average of about struction of a $3.2 million building. and to do so in a fair, entertaining, and thought-provoking way. 3,700 total students, served by an average of A Carolina Journal review of the center’s 435 classes, at the center in each of the last classes from last year found that 56 percent three years. He visited five of the center’s of the 412 classes it reported had five or “continuing education” classes, three of fewer students. Twelve percent had two which were conducted at the campus in students, and 18 percent had one student. Belmont. Two of those classes had six stu- Only 25 percent of the school’s classes For more information or to find an affiliate of Carolina Journal dents; the other had two students. The two were textile- or manufacturing-related. But Radio in your community, visit www.CarolinaJournal.com. classes he visited off site were conducted at 54 percent offered basic computer instruc- Pharr Yarns, a textile company that works tion that most community colleges offer. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 6 Education JOURNAL

NC News In Brief High U.S.literacy rates pre-date compulsory education laws, historians say Are standards too low? Does School Choice Make a Difference Good news may be too good to be true, suggests The News & Ob- server of Raleigh. End-of-grade pro- In Education and a Literate Society? ficiency scores, released by the De- partment of Public Instruction on Sept. 10, show that 73 percent of By KAREN PALASEK Milken Family Foundation National Edu- North Carolina’s public schools ex- Assistant Editor cator Awards recipient (1993), and author ceeded their goals on the ABCs of RALEIGH of numerous articles on economics and edu- public education expected growth ong before the No Child Left Behind cation. In a short piece titled ”Teachers measures. The ABCs are North federal education policy was en- Can’t See What System Does To Them,” Carolina’s state-level school ac- Lacted, analysts realized that Ameri- Allen comments on a question she was led countability system. can education was in trouble. The public to ask herself daily: “If we were working Only 35.5 percent of the state’s education system has done such a poor job directly for parents, would they pay [me] schools exceeded expected educa- of teaching basic skills that nearly half of today?” It caused her to shift her thinking tional growth last year, according to Americans, according to the North Carolina and behavior, “acting and teaching as if she the 2002 ABCs report. Literacy Research Council, read and calcu- were in a free-market environment.” The 2003 results have some ob- late at fifth-grade levels, at best. Allen, Richman, Coulson, New York servers worried that the standards U.S. students lag the developed world State Teacher Of the Year John Taylor Gatto, for proficiency were set too low, in scientific and factual knowledge, as re- and educator-author Michael Strong all creating this year’s extraordinary sults from the Third International Math- emphasize the role of choice in education results. ematics and Science Studies have repeat- markets. Among the ideas that free-market On North Carolina’s third- edly shown. education advocates reject as antichoice is grade mathematics achievement Statistics measuring low graduation compulsory education. Compulsory atten- test, the correct answer to 18 or 19 rates, achievement gaps between white stu- dance laws assume that we must prevent questions out of 40, depending on dents and Asian students vs. black students parents from shirking their responsibilities. the test form, earned a Level III “pro- and Hispanic students, and the breakdown Otherwise, the “rebellious, difficult-to-edu- ficient” score for students. The per- of school discipline speak volumes about Andrew Coulson of the Mackinac Center cate child,” will remain ignorant and illit- centage of correct answers required the widespread failure of public education. erate, the theory goes. for a minimum Level III proficient No Child Left Behind signals an increased Children’s Scholarship Fund, a private In Separating School and State, Richman standing varied by grade and sub- urgency for reform. And if money were the voucher program formerly operating under documents extraordinarily high literacy ject. answer, private and home schools should the direction of the North Carolina Educa- prior to mandatory schooling. In 1828, The While 80 percent of the state’s not consistently outperform their public tion Alliance. Poor or disadvantaged par- Journal of Education stated that for a popu- third-graders are considered profi- counterparts. But questions remain about ents are just as capable of making educa- lation of 12 million, there were 600 differ- cient by state standards, only 70 per- how exactly to attain the high standards tional choices as are wealthy ones. ent newspapers and periodic journals in cent of entering high school fresh- that federal regulators envision. A majority of parents participating in production. Thomas Paine’s pamphlets, men are graduating in four years. In Market Education: the Charlotte program in and Walter Scott’s and James Fenimore This incongruity has created more The Unknown History, An- 2002 indicated that they Cooper’s novels enjoyed sales in “the doubt about the validity of the ABCs drew Coulson, senior Five interrelated traits would like to continue in equivalent of tens of millions of copies.” scoring system. education policy fellow at private schools if pos- According to the Journal, “There is no coun- the Mackinac Center in have characterized sible. According to one try where the means of intelligence are so Scores raise questions Midland, Mich. asks everysuccessful parent, ”I have referred generally enjoyed by all ranks and where “What Makes Schools school system for the several families to your knowledge is so generally diffused among In response to questions about Work?” On the assump- program.” Another, the lower orders of the community, as in the adequacy of test “cut scores,” tion that if we know what last two and a half thou- whose income exceeded our own.” State Board Chairman Howard Lee, makes schools work, we sand years. the qualifying limit, in a statement to The N&O, said can avoid mistakes, he of- stated in the parent sur- Competition, co-ops, and profit “We want to keep challenging fers glimpses of history vey that they were choos- students…We want to keep the pres- that illustrate both success and failure. From ing to continue in private school anyway, Age is just another dimension of choice, sure on.” eighth-century Persia to 21st century since they were ”better able to provide for say Richman, Allen, and Gatto. It is so self- For reasons of test security and America, his answer includes five key ele- it now.” evidently a good idea that making it com- development, questions used on the ments of successful schools. According to Coulson, “study after pulsory “is no more necessary than mak- end-of-grade tests are not made study has confirmed that parents who have ing commerce compulsory,” Richman says. available anywhere outside of the Parents make schools work the opportunity to choose their children’s What about the “rebellious, difficult-to-edu- Department of Public Instruction. schools base their decisions on sound aca- cate child?” As Coulson says in “What There are several forms for each Who should make the big decisions demic, discipline-related, and moral Makes Schools Work?” “the same freedom test, containing questions of mixed about how a child is educated? According grounds.” But financial responsibility is also that allows some schools to reject such stu- difficulty, according to DPI. to Coulson, “five interrelated traits… have key, Coulson says. dents allows others to cater to their special The State Board of Education is characterized every consistently successful needs.” not considering any changes in pro- school system for the last two and a half Financial responsibility Competition forces teachers and prin- ficiency standards this year, State thousand years.” The interrelated traits that ciples to offer the kinds of services people Superintendent Mike Ward said. He make schools work, he says, are choice and Without assuming responsibility for the want, Coulson says. If parents want pho- said DPI will wait at least another financial responsibility for parents, plus cost of their children’s education, Coulson netic reading, children will be taught phon- year before considering whether freedom, competition, and the profit mo- believes that parents cannot hold on to the ics. By making schools eke out the most for state standards are too low. tive for schools — a true free market in edu- freedoms necessary to make schools work. every dollar with every student, competi- The Department of Public cation. Parents are the hinge in the system. Sheldon Richman, editor of Ideas on Lib- tion also keeps costs low and quality high. Instruction’s head of testing and ac- “Parental essentials” top the list for cre- erty at the Foundation for Economic Edu- Education historian Lawrence Cremin countability, Lou Fabrizio, told the ating schools that work instead of schools cation, and author of Separating School and noted that the 89 signers of either the Dec- North Carolina Education Alliance that fail. “Many people — good people — State: How to Liberate America’s Families, em- laration of Independence, the Constitution, that the percentage of correct an- are simply not comfortable with the idea of phasized the critical link between financial or both, were products of “provincial edu- swers needed for proficiency on profit-making schools, or the elimination of responsibility parent-directed outcomes. ”If cation in all its richness and diversity.” This each test was not being made avail- oversight of government education…And the state is the source of funding, whether includes apprenticeships, co-ops, tutorials, able to parents. Parents might find here’s the rub: It just so happens that the through taxes or vouchers, government is self-education, colleges, parents, and vari- the information too confusing, way to reach those goals, the way to finally not going to be able to resist defining what ous schools. Fabrizio said. get what we want from our schools, is at is education,” Richman said in a recent in- Coulson argues that profit is the final Nevertheless, Fabrizio said in odds with both our current approach to terview. “Once you cede that, the game’s necessary ingredient, if only because it com- The N&O report that the state could schooling and our most dearly held notions over,” he says. pels growth and progress in schools, just adjust school progress formulas un- about how schools should work.” Coulson agrees, and notes that ”even as in industries. Although private schools der the ABCs “without any effect on But parents hold many goals in com- private schools are not immune to the ef- perform much better than public schools, the ability of schools to meet the mon for their children. Knowledge, skills, fects of outside financing.” These include nonprofit status allows them to stagnate. federal standards.” and values are the common goals that par- regulations concerning salaries, curriculum, Without profit there is less incentive to in- Those standards apply to the ents typically put at the top of their con- and facilities, to name a possible few. novate. Reduced ability to attract and pay requirements of the No Child Left cerns for schools, whether they favor a excellent teachers may be holding back Behind education law. highly structured environment or a “free Freedom and learning even the best schools in this category. The state school growth stan- atmosphere that lets students direct their Michael Strong, in From School Choice dards have not been adjusted since own learning experiences.” Candace Allen is a former social stud- to A Better World, quotes Aristotle on 1996. CJ Coulson confirms what was suggested ies teacher, recipient of the Colorado Enter- choices: “We are what we repeatedly do. Ex- by the performance of the Charlotte prising Teacher of the Year Award (1989), a cellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Education 7

High School Graduation Rates by State and Region Achievement Gap: Graduation National Graduation National Get a New Doctor State/region Rate Rank State/region Rate Rank South Regional Avg. 65% 4th of 4 regions Alabama 66% 41 West Virginia 84% 5 Mississippi 64% 43 hen physical problems persist, I call a doc- Oklahoma 77% 16 North Carolina 63% 45 tor. If that doctor promises that a change Arkansas 75% 18 D. of Columbia 63% 46 W in medicine or treatment or possibly more Maryland 74% 23 Tennessee 60% 48 time will fix my problem, and the ailment continues, Virginia 74% 24 South Carolina 57% 49 I make a radical decision to change doctors. If I am Kentucky 71% 29 Georgia 56% 50 throwing more good money after bad advice and treatment, I will look for other options fast. Delaware 70% 32 Florida 56% 51 For years, the education establishment has diag- Texas 67% 37 nosed the problem of the academic achievement dis- parity between racial/ethnic groups. We have spent Source: Manhattan Institute more tax dollars every year to study the problem. They have promised that more work- shops, more teachers, smaller classes, and time will fix the College readiness lags high school completion rates problem. It has not worked. I am sick of the diagnosis Graduation Tales: How You Measure Matters and sicker about the failed treatment. The Department of Pub- By KAREN PALASEK to “enrollment anomalies.” “These rules allow us to focus lic Instruction conducts work- Assistant Editor exclusively on cohorts for which we have greater confi- shops, conferences, markets Lindalyn RALEIGH dence,” he said in the report. services, has a 29- member Kakadelis hen Jay Greene at the Manhattan Institute first Among 17 states in Greene’s South Region, North state advisory committee, and decided to research methods of measuring high Carolina’s 63 percent average graduation rate is below the even hosts a website just for W school dropout and completion rates, he real- national average of 70 percent. It is also below the 65 per- “Closing the Gap.” A 22-point difference exists be- ized that current measures were often contradictory. cent South Region average. The South Region’s gradua- tween the average Asian students’ and black stu- Many states, including North Carolina, report the drop- tion rates stretch from Florida, the lowest-ranking state in dents’ scores on the North Carolina end-of-grade out rate instead of the high school graduation rate. It’s a the nation at 56 percent, to West Virginia, ranked No. 5 at assessments. Trends show the gap has closed 11 points strategic decision backed by state departments of educa- 84 percent. Other states measured against North Carolina in 10 years. Great, we only need another 22 years to tion, but their measurement may give an overly rosy pic- in the South were Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, the Dis- see the gap disappear. ture of what’s really going on, Greene says. trict of Columbia, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, A recent study by the Manhattan Institute ap- The problem has always been that the two measures Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, proximates the percentage of high school graduates don’t nearly add up to 100 percent of entering high school and Virginia. The top-ranking state in the United States, as compared with high school grads who are prepared students. North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruc- according to the new study, was North Dakota, where 89 to attend a four-year college. This report reveals the tion reports dropout rates under 5 percent, yet schools percent of high school students earned a diploma in four lack of equal opportunity found in the public school graduate significantly less than 95 percent of their enter- years. system. The findings state “only 70 percent of all stu- ing freshmen classes. dents in public high schools graduate, and only 32 The exact percentage depends on where and how the College-ready or not percent of all students leave high school competent statistics are generated. That’s been Greene’s complaint all to attend four-year colleges.” The most discouraging along. Greene uses a series of three prerequisites to identify statistics reveal only 51 percent of all black students The 2003 Manhattan Institute study adds a new com- graduates who are likely to be successful college applicants. and 52 percent of all Hispanic students graduate, and ponent in its latest version. “Public High School Gradua- He measures them as the percentage of students who pos- only 20 percent of black students and 16 percent of tion and College Readiness Rates in the United States” also sess a “college-ready” transcript at graduation. In 2003, Hispanic students leaving high school college-ready. measures the college readiness of students who earn a di- according to Greene, 63 percent of North Carolina’s stu- Policy makers, let’s get serious about closing the ploma at the conclusion of their four-year stint in high dents earned a diploma , but only 40 percent of the gradu- gap. school. ates had undertaken the appropriate courses and level of Here is my treatment for this educational disease. work to make them viable college applicants. First, quit cheating children and get quality instruc- Ranking by graduation rates A four-year graduation rate of 63 percent, with only tors. Let’s use data to find teachers who provide the 40 percent of graduates college-ready, leaves about 25 per- most value-added achievement to students. Currently, In the established Greene style, the new study uses cent of North Carolina’s entering freshman class from 1999 the ABC’s bonus plan encourages quality teachers to graduation rates to rank the 50 states and the District of adequately prepared for college in 2003. leave low-performing schools. If bonuses were paid Columbia. North Carolina ’s 45th-place graduation rank- This means that out of a sample freshman class of 500 to individual teachers instead of schools, then quality ing is based on aggregate graduation data, and uses students in 1999, about 315 would have graduated in June teachers would remain. Let’s use radical intervention: Greene’s own methodology. Greene does 2003. Of those, 126 were college-ready. Redirect the $28 million for National Board Certifica- not count graduation via the general While more than 126 may have been ac- tion and the more than $100 million used in the ABC’s equivalency method in his study, nor di- DPI reports dropout cepted and decided to attend a college, bonuses for merit pay. Pay more to those teachers plomas that take longer than four years they will need some remediation before who are willing to go to high-crime, high-poverty to complete. The Greene Method “relies rates under 5 percent, they can assume the full rigors of a real areas and produce high student achievement. on enrollment data and diploma counts yet schools graduate college program. Second, let’s give superintendents and principals collected by the U.S. Department of For the nation as a whole, Greene freedom from mandates in exchange for results. In the Education’s Common Core of Data significantly less than found that 70 percent of entering fresh- book No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, (CCD).” 95 percent of their en- men graduated in four years, of which High Poverty Schools, the first defining trait of a “No Because the Manhattan researchers tering freshmen. 32 percent were college-ready. The na- Excuses School” is freeing the principal from bureau- did not have access to race-disaggregated tional figures also reveal that dispropor- cratic meddling. graduation data for North Carolina, re- tionate numbers of blacks and Hispan- Third, take the Average Daily Allotment and link sults are reported in statewide averages ics are not prepared in high school for it with each student based upon the student’s needs only. Where disaggregated data was available, states were college-level study. Because of this, they are under-repre- and the parent’s choice. Other states and systems are also ranked by graduation rates for American Indians, sented in college, Greene said. currently doing this type of funding. Asians, Hispanics, blacks and whites, in addition to the The college-readiness screens that Greene used to de- Do you think the establishment is ready for these average national ranking. termine college preparedness were set at the lowest “ac- radical changes? I say take the “sacred cows” of the The study uses estimation techniques to “smooth” ceptable” levels. The three screens include 1) high school education establishment and host a huge cookout. some of the normal changes in enrollment from one high graduation, 2) coursework in math, science, social science, Most minorities look to the same establishment that school year to the next by averaging enrollment over con- and language to reflect “the minimum coursework a stu- allowed the gap to exist for solutions. However, orga- secutive grades. The smoothed estimate of the number of dent must have to apply to four-year colleges with any nizations like the Black Alliance for Education Op- entering freshman is a critical element in calculating gradu- reasonable hope of attending,” and 3) a National Assess- tions and parent groups in Washington D.C. no longer ation rates in the study. ment of Educational Progress reading score at least equal rely on the traditional system. So, what is stopping The smoothing technique is “effective for large co- to the cutoff floor for “basic” proficiency. us? We need radical intervention! Is there a doctor in horts,” but “vulnerable in small cohorts,” Greene said. A Reform can improve readiness, Greene said. “The po- the House? CJ smoothed ninth-grade enrollment estimate smaller than tential effect — positive or negative — that public schools 200 caused Greene to eliminate those students from the can have on the college readiness of their students is very study, as did other small sample situations. Excluding small large,” he said, and “reform of K-12 education is the key to Kakadelis is director of the NC Education Alliance. cohorts, Greene said, reduces the sensitivity of his estimates improving college access for these groups.” CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 8 Education JOURNAL

Classes help but most youths don’t seem to care Ignorance Reigns in Civics Surveys of the ‘Dot Net’ Generation

By KAREN PALASEK Assistant Editor RALEIGH N.C.’s Curriculum ow much do American citizens know or care about citizenship, In U.S. History Earns H politics, and civil government in America? Despite the heightened interest F from Researchers in all things patriotic since Sept. 11, there is little evidence that Americans across a broad range of age groups know more, care By KAREN PALASEK more, or participate more in civic activities Assistant Editor or politics. Two new surveys document a RALEIGH lack of basic knowledge, along with wide- orth Carolina’s history curricu- spread complacency — if not disinterest — lum has received a grade of F in community and political affairs. Nfrom the Thomas B. Fordham The survey by the National Conference Foundation. The foundation rates the of State Legislators, “Citizenship: A Chal- new curriculum with an F for three rea- lenge For All Generations,” takes a look at sons: lack of comprehensive historical the 15- to 26-year-old “Dot Net” generation content, lack of sequential development, in comparison to Americans over 26. The and lack of balance. Over the course of participants were drawn from across the the last century, according to education United States. A second survey focuses ex- historian Diane Ravitch, social studies clusively on measures of civic knowledge has gradually replaced history, geogra- and participation in North Carolina. The phy, civics, and economics in public participants were 13- to 17-year-old stu- schools. dents in North Carolina. A new K-12 curriculum for social studies in North Carolina was approved Missing the facts in March 2003. At the State Board of Most students gave themselves an ex- The nation at large Education meetings, a decision was According to the North Carolina Civic cellent or superlative rating for their abil- made to de-emphasize facts in favor of Education Consortium’s “Civic Index ity to interact with others. As many as 80 “Citizenship: A Challenge For All Gen- concepts in the new curriculum. The re- 2003,” a survey of 13- to 17-year olds re- percent thought that they were “very effec- erations,” shows that attitudes and partici- vised K-12 social studies is described as vealed that 47 percent could not name ei- tive” or “extremely effective” in communi- pation in civic affairs differ from one gen- a “coordinated, systematic study draw- ther of North Carolina’s U.S. senators. Only cating their ideas, weighing issues, and lis- eration to the next. ‘”DotNet” participants, ing on such disciplines as anthropology, 19 percent could name even one, and less tening to and persuading others. 15 to 26 years old, attach less importance to archaeology, economics, geography, his- than 9 percent could identify both correctly. More than 60 percent of the students keeping up with politics than do Americans tory, law, philosophy, political science, Students don’t know, or aren’t sure, awarded themselves a four or five, on a over 26. psychology, religion, and sociology.” As who makes the laws in North Carolina, ei- scale of five, for their ability to reach a com- Fewer than half of DotNets said that a result, the curriculum guide states that ther. More than 69 percent identified a gov- promise with others. They were equally communicating with elected officials is part students will be prepared to make “in- ernment body other than the General As- confident that they knew whom to contact of good citizenship. Two-thirds equate vot- formed and reasoned decisions for the sembly, or could not provide any answer “to get things done.” On community-re- ing with good citizenship. About 50 percent public good... within a culturally diverse to the question. lated issues, 80 percent to 90 percent said of DotNets say they vote regularly. setting in an interdependent world.” Although 56 percent of students sur- they could compose a clearly stated letter Civics classes may have a positive ef- This is precisely the type of lan- veyed knew that the first 10 amendments or comment to present in a public forum. fect on civic participation, according to the guage that earned North Carolina an F to the U.S. Constitution are called the Bill Some of the survey questions asked stu- Challenge report. Claims about voter partici- from Fordham. Fordham President of Rights, the remaining 44 percent guessed dents whether they had taken specific ac- pation were 24 percent higher among the Chester Finn’s analysis characterized something else, or said they didn’t know. tions. Had they contacted a public official DotNets who said they had taken a civics the North Carolina curriculum as “his- Students were not completely unin- to air their views, or written to a newspa- class, than among those who had not. For torically and analytically vacuous.” formed, however. Of the 771 students who per or called a talk show about an issue im- Americans over 26, 83 percent believe that Jonathan Burack, history teacher and completed the “Civic Index 2003” interview, portant to them within voting is required of a curriculum specialist, writes in his con- most could identify which level of govern- the past 12 months? Less good citizen, and three- tribution to the Fordham Foundation text Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong? ment is responsible for operating a jail, set- than 20 percent of stu- The survey response fourths claim to vote ting a school bus schedule, administering dents said that they had regularly. that social studies delivers an “excessive drivers license tests, putting out fires, and acted on any of these op- revealed that 13- to 17- Both generations breadth of coverage and superficiality issuing passports. tions in the last 12 year-olds overwhelm- were short on facts. of treatment.” One of the marks of an involved citi- months. Three-fourths of the Typical of the new curriculum are zenry is its willingness and ability to par- The survey response ingly do not read to older group knew the po- the following objectives, found in the ticipate in civic debate. Divergent interests revealed that 13- to 17 gain information about litical party of their 10th-grade civics and economics subsec- tion. In section 4.07: “Analyze costs and require communities to discuss, weigh, and year-olds overwhelm- events. state’s governor, and resolve issues with reason, and often with ingly do not read to gain most over 26 knew which benefits of jury service, voting, seeking compromise. Students were asked to assess information about party controls Congress. office, and civic action at the local, state, their abilities in these areas. events. Newspapers and Only one-third knew and national level.” And this one, in sub- news magazines are largely ignored by this which party controlled their state legisla- section 7.01: “Describe the basic factors demographic group. A few listen to radio ture. of production such as land, labor, capi- news. North Carolina’s youths get most of Among the DotNets, less than 50 per- tal and entrepreneurial skills and their their information about government from cent knew who controlled their state legis- impact on economic activities.” two sources identified in the “Civic Index lature. However, 80 percent of this group Because there are a total of 78 sepa- 2003”: the school/workplace, and TV news. could supply the name of the town that the rate such objectives in this 10th-grade More than 42 percent said they watch TV TV Simpsons live in, and the name of the curriculum, a student taking this course news seven days a week, the same number latest “American Idol” winner on TV. over a 180-day school year will have 2.3 that report that politics is discussed at least The “Challenge” study and the “Civic days, meeting every day, to accomplish sometimes around their house. Index” results dovetail in many respects. each objective. If this is a one-semester Very few students missed the survey Large percentages of citizens know little course, the allowable time is halved. question on the legal voting age in North about their government representatives or College professors, experts in their Carolina. They know that they can’t cast a the government process. They are disin- fields, struggle to impart this kind of un- ballot before age 18. Even if that fact clined to participate in civic issues. Few of derstanding to college students over an dampens their interest in civic issues, most the younger citizens even participate in stu- entire semester. schools offer an opportunity for activism dent government. Regardless of their knowledge or within student government. In student gov- Clearly, there is a gulf between the tra- understanding, it is popular to treat ernment, young adults have a chance for ditional view of citizenship and the one cur- schoolchildren as miniature adults —in- their voice and view to “count,” but few rently held by young adults. Martin Roch- formed, well-reasoned, and mature in avail themselves of the opportunity. Stu- ester, writing for the Thomas B. Fordham their judgements. The Fordham report dents chose parents as their most influen- Foundation in “The Training of Idiots,” urges parents to resist this trend, and the tial models of good citizens, but said that said, “If one takes the view that ill-informed new social studies. The foundation char- schools taught them “a lot” or a ”fairly large political participation is as bad as no par- acterizes the curriculum as a “blueprint Source: University of Arizona, Southwest amount” of what they know about govern- ticipation, then perhaps it is just as well that for historical ignorance and civic disaf- fection.” CJ Jewish Archives ment and community issues. participation levels are low.” CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Education 9

Same punishment handed out for disruptive behavior, threats, active cell phones N.C. Schools Crack Down on Increased Gang Activity, Bad Behavior

By KAREN PALASEK School crime and violence The legal system Assistant Editor RALEIGH According to The Charlotte Observer, Youth detention and neakers hang across a telephone wire. 133,879 students in North Carolina were on youth development centers They could be there as the result of a short-term suspension at least once during attempt to deal with children Steen-age prank. But in gang terri- the 2001-02 school year, a 17 percent in- who run afoul of the law. tory, they could just as easily be an emblem crease over 2000-01. Long-term suspensions Youth development cen- of gang “ownership” of the street, a warn- of up to one year were handed to 3,318 ters attempt to rehabilitate ing to members of other gangs to keep out. students across the state. young offenders rather than Territorial clashes between gangs have Richard Murphy, principal of Lees Road just contain them. They place raised awareness of youth violence around High School in Wake County, said, “There’s youths into a comprehensive the state. In some areas of Durham, gang been a change from ‘every child needs to be program of practical and per- violence seems to have taken hold. The saved’ to ‘zero tolerance,’ especially after sonal skills training. About Durham Herald-Sun reported that five Columbine.” 38 percent of youths admit- youths were shot dead in the street in the Reports of school violence are news ted to development centers same section of inner-city North-East Cen- around the state and across the country. In in 2002 were 15 years old; 45 tral Durham just this year. Cumberland County, ammunition, a semi- percent were younger. automatic rifle, and a knife were found in a In 2002, 8,832 youths 8 to Incidents around the state student car on the grounds of Fayetteville’s 20 years old were placed in Pine Forest High School. The student faces youth detention centers, David Christenbury is the new princi- long-term suspension and possible crimi- where most awaited the next pal of Jordan High School in Durham. In nal proceedings. step in their journey through early September, a series of gang-related In the Annual Report on School Crime and the legal system. incidents at Jordan led Christenbury to is- Violence 2000-2001, the North Carolina De- Statistics in the Depart- sue immediate dress-code rules. No more partment of Public Instruction and the De- ment of Juvenile Justice and oversized white T-shirts on campus, partment of Juvenile Justice and Delin- Delinquency Prevention 2002 Christenbury explained in a letter to the quency report 9,921 incidents of school vio- Annual Report show that there students and their parents. lence in North Carolina in the 2000-01 school is a correlation between those children ad- five or more violent offenses per 1,000 stu- In the Sept. 15 letter, Christenbury year. These are reportable incidents, but mitted to the state’s youth detention centers dents over a two-year period, with the like- wrote, “I have determined that specific stu- don’t necessarily result in criminal pros- and their reading proficiency, according to lihood of the same in a third consecutive dent attire could incite violent or disruptive ecution. DJJDP. Youth committed to a detention year. Under the No Child Left Behind law, behavior. It was my determination, there- One-third of the incidents involved pos- center typically read four grade levels be- parents can transfer their children out of fore, to ban white T-shirts from campus for session of an illegal substance. This is fol- low their academic grade in school. The such schools. the remainder of the school year in order to lowed in the list by possession of a non- average stay at a detention center was 11 In 44 states and the District of Colum- prevent further conflict.” The shirts are as- firearm weapon, assault without serious days in 2002. bia, no persistently dangerous schools were sociated with at least one gang that is active injury, alcohol in school, assault with seri- In 2002, the counties with the highest reported last year, says Education Week. Dr. in and around the school. ous injury, sexual as- number of youth detention admissions were Ronald Stephens of the National School Christenbury em- saults, bomb threats, and Mecklenberg (936), Wake (795), Guilford Safety Center notes that states have set the phasized that “safety is firearms. Robbery, rape, (720), Cumberland (686), and Forsyth (297). threshold so high that of about 90,000 pub- my top priority,” and that North Carolina officials arson, death by unnatu- Since national statistics on nonfatal crime lic schools across the country, 54 were iden- the T-shirt ban stems “di- are taking a no-ex- ral causes, and kidnap- and violence are trending slightly down- tified as persistently dangerous last year. rectly from the Durham ping complete the list of ward, it isn’t clear whether the uptick in According to the Rocky Mountain News, Den- Public Schools Board of cuses position on offenses. violent incidents reported at school reflects ver schools have redefined “fighting” in a Education’s zero toler- school violence, using The “Education First an absolute increase in school violence, or if way that shrinks 326 incidents in one year ance policies regarding suspensionand expul- NC Schools Report Card” it is influenced by “zero tolerance.” to 14. violent and disruptive be- gave the state a B minus Two conflicting trends are at work. At havior.” At least 18 long- sion… in 2002 for progress in Persistently dangerous schools the local level, zero tolerance is raising the term suspensions and maintaining “safe, or- number of reportable incidents in schools. several expulsions have derly, and caring National statistics on nonfatal crime Disruptive behavior, forbidden items such occurred as a result. schools.” and violence among youth are trending as active cell phones, and weapons all in- Michael Page, the new Durham school According to Education First, one-third downward, according to the Bureau of Jus- crease school crime and violence numbers. board chairman, hopes to make some im- of students were “offered, sold, or given an tice Statistics and the National Center For But states, which may be reluctant to incur provements in Durham schools. “One of illegal drug on school property” during the Education Statistics. In North Carolina’s sanctions, report that fewer than 6 schools my goals is to be able to improve board- year. Threats, injuries, and attacks affected schools, however, the Department of Public out of 1,000 are persistently dangerous. community relations. And this is certainly a 5 to 18 percent of students on their school Instruction reported a 28 percent increase North Carolina officials are taking a no- time when parents can be more involved grounds, according to the NC Education in violent incidents from 2000-01 to 2001- excuses position on school violence, using and helpful in the process,” he said in a Research Council, sponsors of the Report 02. suspension and expulsion, and following a recent CJ interview. Card. “Persistently dangerous” schools have “zero tolerance” school policy. CJ

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Your Home on the Web for North Carolina Public Policy ¥ Reports and columns on the legislature, politics, culture, and local government from Carolina Journal editors and reporters. The John Locke Foundation’s brand new, completely redesigned home page is your best source of research, analysis, and information on the critical public ¥ Carolina Journal Publisher John Hood’s exclusive “Daily Journal.” policy issues facing North Carolina state and local governments. ¥ Timely links to important stories and editorials from the state’s major A fully searchable, comprehensive database of reports, studies, briefing newspapers, magazines, and other media organizations. papers, datasets, press releases, events notifications, and articles can provide an excellent starting place for those drafting legislation, researching policy ¥ Instant access to state & national columnists, wire reports, and the issues, preparing news stories, planning political or lobbying campaigns, or John Locke Foundation’s other public policy web sites. seeking information with which to be an informed voter and citizen. See what one Raleigh paper called “Matt Drudge with Class” November 2003 C A R O L I N A 10 Higher Education JOURNAL

Course of the Month The Seahawk pulls two letters to the editor Take a picture; it’ll last longer UNCW Prof Threatens to Sue Campus Paper Young America’s Foundation highlighted this Duke University course in its annual report on silly col- For ‘Friends in Terrorist Networks’ Quotation lege courses, “Comedy & Tragedy: College Course Descriptions and What By JON SANDERS They Tell Us About Higher Education Assistant Editor Text of the Oct. 2 letters pulled by the Seahawk under the lawsuit threat Today,” and CM sees no reason not to pass it on. We note, however, that the RALEIGH dispute over what a University of Excerpt from Michael Pomarico’s letter class in the YAF report, “Education North Carolina at Wilmington pro- …Dr. [Lisa] Pollard opened her diatribe with a statement that she was a “radical from 145S: Gender and Race in the Class- fessor said at a forum Sept. 23 has Berkeley” and that she “never met an out Republican” until she moved to North Carolina. I room: Literacy Through Photography,” A am still currently searching for the appropriateness or relevance of those comments within led to a suit threatened against the student appears now to have been broken into newspaper and also a student accused of the context of the discussion on Iraq. She frankly and without reservation claimed she has two courses. They are: libel. friends in terrorist networks, as if to defend their point of view. Furthermore, she said she The forum, “America in Iraq: What positively knows that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This is despite the EDUC 144S: LITERACY AND PHO- Next?” was sponsored by UNCW’s History fact that searches and investigations are still currently under way. Additionally, Dr. Pollard TOGRAPHY and Political Science departments. A forum claimed that in her opinion, the basis of the war was oil, and suggested that we should “just Children’s self-expression and child attendee, Michael Pomarico, chairman of get the oil, and get the [expletive] out.” In addition, she stated that the war on terror should development through writing, photogra- the UNCW College Republicans, wrote a be stopped and asked, “What are we going to do, go around and smash the [expletive] out of phy, and documentary work. The history, long letter about it in the campus newspa- Muslims” around the world? … philosophy, and methodology of Literacy per, The Seahawk. Pomarico wrote that he Through Photography. Includes internship was “overwhelmingly struck by” what he Full text of Allen Zebulon Wright, Jr.’s letter in elementary/middle school classrooms. termed “the unprofessional manner that I want to take a moment to thank the participants in the “America in Iraq” forum spon- one of the panelists, Dr. Pollard, displayed.” sored by the History Department. This type engagement is the cornerstone of the University’s EDUC 145S: GENDER AND RACE Pomarico wrote that Pollard used profan- function for both students and the community. America’s role in the reconstruction of post- Examination of learning and social- ity, said that the war was about oil and that Saddam Iraq is indeed a divisive issue for our society. Both Dr. Leuze and Dr. Kleinberg ization processes and how they are shaped the United States should “just get the oil made arguments that took into account the issues and context for entering Iraq and the shift by race and gender dynamics, as well as and get the —— out, asked if the war on in US foreign policy in the post-September 11th era. by socio-political matters. Involves intern- terror meant the U.S. should “go around The understanding of these aspects is critical in being able to form an opinion that truly ship in elementary/middle school class- and smash the —— out of Muslims,” inter- accounts for all variables. To make an argument based solely on the historical perspective of rooms utilizing the Literacy through Pho- rupted students in the audience, and criti- this region is the equivalent of looking at this issue through a straw; with no account made tography methodology. cized a fellow panelist on her pronuncia- for the policies that drive these decisions. For those panelist and audience members that only tion of Saddam Hussein’s name. Pomarico offered emotionally based cynical criticism, the validity of your argument is only delegitimized What is “literacy through photog- also wrote that Pollard “frankly and with- and because it fails to objectively see the reality and totality of the United States’ current raphy”? Could the idea behind it be out reservation claimed she has friends in position. Before such an argument is made, one should attempt to remove personal emotion substantially different from, say, terrorist networks, as if to defend their point and biases and take a look at what is in the long term best interest of the United States. Thank numeracy through photography? (If of view.” you again to the History Department for sponsoring this forum. I hope to see more events you don’t know what numeracy is, The print edition contained only the like this one in the future devoted to the discussion of current international events. take a picture.) first half of Pomarico’s letter, but the online According to the Duke web pages edition originally published the full piece. about it (http://cds.aas.duke.edu/ Within hours of its posting, however, fered emotionally based cynical criticism, ert Toplin. Toplin told WWAY viewers that ltp/about/index.html): Pomarico’s letter was pulled from the the validity of your argument is only anyone who took from Pollard’s presenta- “LTP encourages students to find online edition. delegitimized because it fails to objectively tion that she advocated terrorism was con- their voice through photographs and UNCW criminal justice professor Mike see the reality and totality of the United fused. written text. Photography as a medium Adams, a well-known conservative with States’ current position.” Nevertheless, Toplin’s televised comments prompted of communication is particularly acces- whom Pomarico had shared his editorial, Wright’s letter disappeared from the online an email from Wright. To Toplin, Wright sible to children. The students photo- called the Seahawk to ascertain the reason publication shortly after it was posted. said his comments “attempted to sway graph scenes from their lives and then for removing Pomarico’s editorial. Adams Wright did receive an explanation from viewers into thinking that Dr. Pollard never learn to develop and print the film in learned that Pollard had threatened to sue Katie Trapp, Seahawk editor-in-chief, for made remarks concerning personal rela- the school darkroom. These images the newspaper for libel. Because Pollard pulling his letter. “There was another letter tionships that she had had with terrorists. become the catalyst for subsequent “immediately decided to steer the contro- to the editor, written ‘against’ the panel dis- Your comments are simply not true.” written investigation of self, commu- versy towards a court of law and away from cussion in which a student accused a panel “Apparently everyone except you and nity, family, and dreams. Students rep- the court of public opinion,” Adams, who member of saying certain things,” Trapp Lisa Pollard heard her tell the story about resent themselves with photographs is a regular columnist for TownHall.com, wrote. “The panel member said she did not her acquaintance in Egypt that was a ter- and words while increasing their wrote about it in that national forum. say such things, and threatened to sue our rorist. I have spoken with numerous means of expression.” Adams’ column included the following newspaper for libel. The student stands by UNCW faculty members as well as students This past summer there were two excerpt from the e-mail Pollard sent to the what he wrote, despite her claim.” that heard her story and are equally as out- LTP workshops held, “Portraiture and Seahawk and the Dean Jo Ann M. Seiple of “As a result, we are in the middle of a raged at her story and unprofessional de- the Body: The Best Part of Me Work- the College of Arts and Sciences: huge legal mess, and as the Editor-in-Chief meanor throughout the forum.” shop” and “Portraiture and Identity: “I have consulted with a lawyer this I chose to pull both letters. The student Toplin responded that the thrust of The Shifting Self.” weekend. This is what I have been advised claimed that the paper had taken the Pollard’s speech was “certainly not” about The first, “Portraiture and the to do. First, I want the Seahawk to print an panelist’s side,” Trapp said. advocating terrorism, and he asked, “What Body: The Best Part of Me Workshop,” apology in the next edition of the paper for Trapp concluded, but “Since we are stu- are you claiming is the meaning or the pur- was “designed to generate compelling having printed the letter without vetting it dent media, run entirely by students and pose of the anecdote?” Toplin wrote, “All discussion around using representa- and without consulting with me about the are completely self-sufficient, we have little this talk about an anecdote regarding ter- tion of the body as a way for children veracity of the statements made about me. resource when it comes to legal matters.” rorism suggests an eagerness to jump on a to examine their identities. …Using At the same time, I insist that Mr. Pomarico That last part was the crux of the mat- word rather than to deal with the real is- photography, drawing, writing, and in- print — in the same edition of the paper — ter to Pomarico and Adams. Pomarico sues.” stallation art, participants will focus on a recantment of his allegations about my asked whether “students are entitled to free Pomarico also wrote Toplin after his the body as a primary origination point ‘connections to terrorist networks’ and an speech at UNC-Wilmington only with the television interview. “Dr. Pollard may very for extensive creative work about one’s apology for libeling me. I want to read these consent of a faculty member.” well hate terrorism, and I hope that she history, self-image, and relationship to statements before they go to press. It is im- In his TownHall.com column Adams does, but that does not negate the remarks others. The project will provide the portant to me that these statements go in wrote, “In my opinion, Pollard has shown she made at the forum,” he wrote. “By mak- basis for developing a photography the next edition, because of the approach- no interest in adding to the marketplace of ing the remarks you did to the media, you and writing curriculum on self-repre- ing fall break.” ideas but instead seeks total control of the lead the viewers of the news programs to sentation and the body.” As Adams pointed out in his column, student newspaper. Otherwise, she will believe that we asserted things we did not. The second, “Portraiture and Iden- as she suggests that Pomarico misquoted sue.” Adams said the proper resolution of By claiming we are ‘confused,’ you tity: The Shifting Self,” was “intended her, Pollard actually misquoted Pomarico. the problem would be the student newspa- baselessly attempt to undermine our cred- to broaden the range of visual literacy Pomarico’s letter was not the only one per reprinting Pomarico’s entire letter along ibility — and that is inappropriate.” tools employed by educators and art- the Seahawk removed. Also pulled was a with Pollard’s rebuttal and letting other Pomarico told Carolina Journal that he ists.” These have “helped students ex- letter from another student, Allen Zebulon campus members submit letters to the edi- has a list of 40 students and faculty mem- plore their racial identity through pho- Wright Jr., who had written “to thank the tor in support of either. bers who corroborate what he heard at the tography and writing by asking them participants in the ‘America in Iraq’ forum Adams’ column brought the issue back forum. He said “about 10” of the students to create visual and written self-por- sponsored by the History Department.” to public discourse, nationally as well as were willing to do so publicly. “Most of traits of their ‘black’ self and their Wright never mentioned Pollard or her locally. Local television news became in- them are very hesitant about coming for- ‘white’ self.” The project is also help- comments; the closest his letter came to volved, including WWAY Channel 3 in ward publicly,” he said, “which, in itself, ful for “developing a theoretical base doing so was this sentence: “For those pan- Wilmington, which interviewed the forum basically backs up one of the points of my for a curriculum on race.” CJ elist and audience members that only of- moderator, UNCW history professor Rob- editorial.” CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Higher Education 11 UNC-Chapel Hill Officials Cite ‘Brain Drain,’ Do We Really Need Say School Is Losing Faculty to ‘Raids’ UNC’s ‘Covenant’?

n his State of the University speech Oct. 1, UNC- By JON SANDERS Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser announced 1 Assistant Editor How UNC-CH Compares with Peers in Pay, a new program called the “Carolina Covenant.” RALEIGH 2 I Adjusted for Purchasing Power, 2001-02 It would enable kids from families with incomes be- niversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill officials low 150 percent of the federal poverty level to attend are once again voicing concerns over faculty re- FACULTY SALARY2 UNC without having to borrow any money. tention. The “brain drain” concern is that other U Institution Salary2 Peer1 Public Peer1 Instead of having to go into debt (via student universities are “raiding” UNC-CH faculty with greater ($1000s) Rank Rank loans) — all a student salary offers. UNC-CH officials say the university lost 53 would have to do would be FULL PROFESSORS professors to “raids” last year. to work 10 to 12 hours per Michigan $113.4 7 1 Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Robert N. week in a federal work- UNC-CH 102.2 22 8 Shelton addressed those concerns in an October presenta- study job. In trade, the cov- Virginia 99.5 26 11 tion before the UNC-CH Board of Trustees. They can be enant would cover all of his N.C. State 91.7 51 28 found online at the provost’s web page (www.unc.edu/ college costs. Sounds pretty Berkeley 91.7 52 29 provost) in a report entitled “The Impact of State Budget nice. UCLA 85.5 80 51 Reductions on UNC Chapel Hill.” Indeed, politicians and According to the report, the concern is not over “the ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS members of the education loss of faculty due to retirement, non-reappointment, or Michigan $79.5 7 1 establishment immediately career change” but instead “the competition for our best UNC-CH 71.3 19 6 sang the program’s praises. faculty: those we treasure most, and who are most attrac- N.C. State 66.9 39 24 Both Sens. Elizabeth Dole tive to our peer institutions.” Shelton told the Herald-Sun Virginia 65.9 49 32 and John Edwards extolled George C. Leef of Durham that the report didn’t include those faculty Berkeley 58.3 103 73 it. Gov. Mike Easley said it members who left without a counteroffer from UNC-CH. UCLA 54.1 121 84 puts “the best interests of “In the mid-1990’s we lost 2.0% of our faculty to com- ASSISTANT PROFESSORS North Carolina students and their families first.” peting institutions; by 2002-03, our rate of loss had climbed Michigan $64.3 14 3 American Council on Education President David Ward to 2.9%,” the report states. “Average salary difference in UNC-CH 59.6 25 11 called it “bold and innovative.” Nothing but accolades. [the College of] Arts and Sciences is $30,000 less than com- N.C. State 58.2 31 14 Sorry, but color me skeptical about the need for peting institution,” and “Faculty received average raise of Virginia 52.5 76 50 the covenant. It seems to be another of those feel-good 2.48% plus onetime bonus of $550 for 2003-04, and aver- Berkeley 52.4 78 52 measures so beloved of public officials, generating age raise of 2.55% for 2002-03.” UCLA 46.9 115 81 some good PR, but accomplishing nothing. Chancellor James Moeser spoke of the problem in his To start with, despite some small recent tuition “state of the university” speech in October. “From 1991 until 2 FACULTY COMPENSATION increases, UNC-CH is still one of the lowest-cost ma- 2000, we successfully retained 60 percent of the college fac- jor state universities in the country. Taxpayers cover a InstitutionCompensation2 Peer1 Public Peer1 ulty who received offers from other institutions for whom large percentage of the cost of attending Chapel Hill ($1000s) Rank Rank we made counteroffers,” Moeser said. “In the first two years already. The cost to a North Carolina resident of a year of this decade, we succeeded in about half of those cases FULL PROFESSORS at Chapel Hill is about $13,700, including tuition and in the college. Last year, however, the percentage of losses Michigan $138.9 10 1 fees, room and board, books, and supplies. For poor in the college climbed to 60 percent, while across the uni- UNC-CH 120.4 33 16 families, however, the university currently covers 86 versity at large it was even higher.” Virginia 120.3 34 17 percent of that with financial aid. All that remains is Moeser said UNC-CH needed “regular appropriations Berkeley 117.6 42 22 about $1,900. Some families can’t immediately afford for merit salary increases.” He also said private donors have UCLA 109.8 60 36 that, but they do have some options. committed $1.1 billion to the Carolina First campaign to N.C. State 108.7 64 38 One is to borrow the money needed through stu- “provide research and program support for faculty, as well ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS dent loans. Millions of families have done that. The as for the bricks and mortar essential to their work.” Michigan $100.6 7 1 debt is gradually paid off out of the earnings of the But as the Herald-Sun pointed out, “In some cases, the UNC-CH 86.0 30 14 student after graduation, which are presumably in- salary differential between what UNC was offering and Virginia 81.7 55 37 creased enough by the educational investment to make what a competing institution put on the table was stagger- N.C. State 81.0 58 38 the debt manageable. ing.” And a staff editorial noted that UNC-CH adminis- Berkeley 74.8 90 63 But what if some poorer families are afraid of trators are silent on the issue of “UNC’s success in mount- UCLA 69.4 111 77 debt? UNC-CH contends that the prospect of going ing raids of its own… the kind of information that would into debt might scare families away from pursuing col- ASSISTANT PROFESSORS let people judge whether the additions are offsetting the Michigan $82.9 10 3 lege. It’s hard to imagine that this happens very much, subtractions, quality-wise.” UNC-CH 72.5 34 18 what with credit so widely used in our economy. To “The whole issue of whether Carolina has a ‘brain N.C. State 71.1 42 24 the slight extent that it does, however, a less costly drain’ is not whether professors are leaving, but whether Berkeley 67.2 68 44 solution would be to counsel such families by show- Carolina is replacing them with other competent profes- Virginia 65.0 80 54 ing them that students from families like theirs have sors,” said George Leef, director of the Pope Center for UCLA 60.2 108 76 successfully handled student loans. Higher Education Policy. “Is Moeser saying that the new Another option is for the student to work. Many professors hired in the departing ones’ place are incompe- NOTES students cover part of the cost of college through part- 1 tent? I don’t think so.” Peers are the 150 Doctoral/Research Institutions–Extensive, according to time jobs. By working about 12 or 13 hours per week the 2000 classifications by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement at a common entry-level job, the student would have Worse than, or just reminiscent of, 1993? of Teaching earned that $1,900. Yes, it would be nicer not to keep a 2 Raw salary and compensation numbers were inflated or deflated accord- job while in school, but it isn’t a terrible adversity. UNC-CH officials are now saying the problem is worse ing to the cost of living in each institution’s city. Under the covenant, the student still has to do than in the past. But during the 1990s, UNC-CH officials SOURCE: “Compensation of Campus Faculty: How Virginia Compares roughly the same amount of work, but in federal work- were warning that the problem threatened to doom the Within the Region,” by Jon Sanders, published by the Thomas Jefferson study jobs. Many of those jobs, students candidly ad- university. Ten years ago, for example, UNC-CH officials Institute, April 2003, www.thomasjeffersoninst.org/pdfs/campus_comp.pdf. mit, don’t entail very much work at all. A work-study warned of “a growing crisis at North Carolina’s only state- library job, for instance, may be a good opportunity run, nationally recognized research institutions. The brain to get homework finished. The main effect, therefore, drain, they say, will reduce the important research being university was slipping, Hardin said.” appears to be to shift covenant students out of more conducted at the schools and unhinge the crucial academic Furthermore, a recent study of compensation of uni- useful work in the free market and instead place them link in the Research Triangle Park,” as stated The News & versity faculty published by the Thomas Jefferson Insti- in the soft environment of the nonprofit sector. Observer June 14, 1993. tute for Public Policy found that UNC-CH’s faculty pay — UNC-CH statistics show that 8 percent of its en- The Charlotte Observer of Feb. 13, 1993, reported that salary and benefits — was very competitive compared with tering freshman class (281 students) comes from fami- Chancellor Paul Hardin said, “Though UNC hasn’t had its peers. In the study, those peers were the other 149 Doc- lies that have incomes low enough to qualify for the ‘wholesale losses’ of professors, ‘we are fighting off raids toral/Research Universities-Extensive, as categorized by covenant. What that proves is that a large number of (by other schools) literally every semester.” the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teach- poor families are currently able to afford UNC-CH. Three years later, Chancellor Michael Hooker warns ing. But UNC-CH competes well even among its peers as They can combine student loans and work to pay the in The Charlotte Observer of May 28, 1996: “It is not too soon stated by Moeser in his “state of the university” addresses cost that remains. Why give them a free ride in hopes to be frightened for our own welfare — and by ‘our,’ I mean in 2001 and 2002: Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, and Virginia of attracting a few more students who might have been the state of North Carolina, not the university.” (see the accompanying box for details). deterred from applying? But as Hooker and other university officials were is- The Jefferson study looks only at institutions’ faculty The Carolina Covenant’s expected yearly cost is suing dire proclamations of brain drain, the N&O reported compensation in general, however. It cannot speak to cases about $1.38 million. There are certainly better uses for on June 4, 1996, “Paul Hardin, the former UNC-CH chan- of individual faculty members being recruited away with the funds than a program treating the poor as though cellor who retired last year, said the theory was greatly offers of large compensation packages, which may not only they’re so helpless, government must relieve them of exaggerated during the fight over state budget cuts a few exceed that being paid by UNC-CH, but also may well ex- the last small burden of sending a child to college. CJ years ago. It led to the generally accepted notion that the ceed the average being offered by the other school. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 12 Higher Education JOURNAL

Bats in the Belltower Latino Activists Demand Changes UNC-CH Prof: Leftist Bias OK — It At Duke After Fraternity’s Party

Might Change Conservatives’ Minds By JON SANDERS “There was no hatred or animosity Assistant Editor within our brotherhood toward Mexico or RALEIGH Latino people in general,” Mattioli wrote. he headline of UNC-CH profes- wage was the first topic of discussion,” n September, outcry over a fraternity “As a Latino, I would not have joined, let sor Andrew J. Perrin’s August op- according to the DTH. “Students agreed party at Duke University became na- alone sought to lead an organization com- T ed in The News & Observer of Ra- that a livable wage includes the ability I tional news, thanks to the Drudge Re- posed of racists.” leigh was refreshing in that it made rare to purchase food, clothing and housing, port. The controversy centered on a “Viva Despite the calls from Hispanic activ- mention of a “contest of ideas” in college. without any luxuries. They said mini- Mexico” party held by the Sigma Chi fra- ists, Duke Vice President for Student Affairs The bulk of Perrin’s article provided ster- mum wages often don’t measure up to ternity. The party involved invitations with Larry Moneta rejected taking punitive ac- ling illustration of why that is so rare. the amount of money required to live.” the look of expired green cards and had a tion against the fraternity. In their letter to Perrin’s op-ed addressed the contro- One student said, “There is a funda- “border control” at the door. the Chronicle the activists wrote that the versy over Nickel and Dimed, specifically mental disconnect if the minimum Hispanic activists on campus were in- party was “a disgrace to an administration the Committee for a Better Carolina’s wage is not the same as livable wage.” censed. Hispanic campus groups, includ- that claims to support acceptance — yet objections. Perrin writes, “If feeling Next, “Hoyman questioned the ing Mi Gente, the LPC Sorority, and the LUL approved this party.” marginalized as a member of one of those U.S. ideal that if an individual works Fraternity, wrote a letter to the Duke Calling the Sigma Chi party a “hate [protected] groups is unacceptable, [con- hard enough he will achieve success” Chronicle Sept. 17 saying that the fraternity crime,” Hispanic activists demonstrated servatives] reason, why shouldn’t the — and “[s]tudents came to a consen- party had “degraded and dehumanized” and presented the Duke administration a marginalization of conservatives work sus that this belief is not often the case them. list of their demands. Those included, ac- the same way? His answer — which he for low-wage workers.” Furthermore, they charged, the prob- cording to the Chronicle, “the formation of says is (with emphasis added) “a sad Afterward, “Hoyman pointed the lem is not just that of one fraternity, but of an Ethnic Studies program at Duke as well commentary on our society that it hasn’t conversation in the direction of brain- the entire campus. Its occurrence meant the as an increase in both the hiring of minor- surfaced before now” (really?) — is that un- storming ways to lower the cost of liv- entire campus was complicit in the “racism” ity faculty and the recruitment of minority like race and gender, political viewpoint ing.” According to the DTH, the stu- and “blatantly prejudiced acts” of the party. students.” is an issue of what we think. dents happened upon such ideas as “The fact that this party went through the Activists also demanded “a major push And (take note, you conservatives!): “subsidizing housing” and “free bus residential system and received approval is by the University to bring its commitment “As reasonable citizens, we should be transportation.” a stain on the administration as well as the to supporting Latino, Asian-American and prepared to shift our thinking in the face So, basically students readily ac- students,” they wrote. Native-American students and faculty up of new evidence and different points of cepted the “living wage” malarkey, Sigma Chi leaders apologized for giv- to the same level as that for their black coun- view.” then “came to a consensus” that “the ing offense. President Marc Mattioli, who terparts,” the Chronicle reported Sept. 30. In other words, you conservatives U.S. ideal that if an individual works is himself Hispanic, wrote in the Chronicle Chief among their demands, however, shouldn’t kvetch about being subjected hard enough he will achieve success” Sept. 18 that the fraternity chose the theme were such things as “the creation of pro- to a constant stream of leftist ideology was false. Then they “brainstormed” “mainly because ‘X’ [the Greek letter chi] grams in Native American studies and — it might just change your minds! Be- several socialist fixes, which “ranged appears in the name Mexico” and that it Asian American studies, as well as a sides, as Perrin tries to show next, the from subsidizing housing to expanding was “designed to be a lighthearted celebra- strengthening of the Latino and Sexual complaint itself proves what losers y’all the use of free bus transportation.” tion of the Mexican tourist scene.” Studies programs.” CJ are anyway: “Conservative students’ ac- Seems the CBC was acting rashly cusations of discrimination are, quite to be concerned about balance. simply, evidence that they are losing in the marketplace of ideas.” Huge rape crisis still ongoing A marketplace? OK, let’s run with CAROLINA JOURNAL Publisher the analogy. You’ll note the CBC weren’t Remember last semester how cam- complaining against their fellow stu- pus journalists discovered a huge (but dents, but against the university. The con- strangely unreported and unremarked) John Hood Garners Praise servatives’ complaint amounts to this: rape crisis on campus? The crisis con- The government has set up a monopoly tinues; it’s now at UNC-Greensboro. instead of allowing competition. They’re An article in the UNCG Carolinian for His Most Recent Book: arguing that this contest of ideas in which breaks the chilling news: “An act of as- they’re supposedly “losing” is fixed. sault can happen to anyone, and col- Perrin concludes by averring that the lege students can be more susceptible. CBC doesn’t “take ideas seriously” — According to the Wellness Center, one which he condescendingly describes for in four women is sexually assaulted in them: “for the Committee for a Better their college years” (emphasis added). Investor Politics Carolina (and for other students), that “‘It’s especially important on a col- means abandoning the silly accusations lege campus where this happens more The New Force That Will Transform American Business, of discrimination and engaging honestly frequently,’ said Anne Widney, a gradu- Government, and Politics in the 21st Century and openly, in the exchange of ideas.” ate assistant working in the Wellness Truth is, however, that CBC is already Center.” doing that. Check out their web site — Fortunately, the euphemistically “John Hood has produced a timely and informative account of the most www.CarolinaBlueprint.com — and see named “Wellness Center” is just flat significant demographic shift of this century — the rise of a shareholder how they do engage, openly and hon- wrong, by a significant order of mag- democracy in America.” — Jack Kemp estly, in the exchange of ideas brought to nitude. It is just repeating fallacious sta- the fore by Nickel and Dimed. (For in- tistics that have been thoroughly dis- “Investor Politics is chock-full of interesting historical anecdotes, clever stance, click on the “flip side” link). credited by Christina Hoff Sommers Seems they do a much better job at hon- and other researchers (as discussed in policy analysis, and surprising musings.” — National Review est, open engagement than Perrin. CAROLINA JOURNAL in June 2003). Poor questions and overly broad categories “John Hood offers many astute observations about the reasons govern- ‘Discussions will bring balance’ contributed to painting a wildly false ment social programs are imperiled.” picture of rape and sexual assault. — Greensboro News & Record Readers will remember that one re- Simple common sense might have sponse to the CBC’s criticism was that clued Wellness Center folks to the prob- the book itself didn’t matter, since the pre- lem; As Katie Rophie wrote in The New “I highly recommend Investor Politics to any reader interested in under- sentations would allow for a wider dis- York Times Magazine of June 13, 1993, in standing how our government turned into an entitlement trough.” cussion of the issue of low-wage work- response to the same one-in-four sta- — Kevin Hassett, AEI ers in America. The Daily Tar Heel Sept. tistic: “If 25 percent of my women 16 provided a report from one of those friends were really being raped, discussions. Here are the highlights: wouldn’t I know it?” “Hood has delivered a thoughtful and very engaging text that will help Discussions were led by a political Meanwhile, the Carolina Center for move the debate from last century’s entitlement-dependent view of science professor, one Michele Hoyman, Public Service Listserv listed this sta- society to the country’s Jeffersonian roots of self-reliance” who furthered the “discussion” with tistic from the Orange County Rape — Chris Edwards, Cato Institute such scholarly phrases as “Students are Crisis Center: “The reality is that 1 in 3 one of the biggest agents of change,” girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually “You have the power to change the assaulted before the age of 18.” world,” and “Students sometimes don’t Taking a page from Rophie: If that Look for Investor Politics in bookstores or at www.TempletonPress.org. know their power.” many kids were being sexually as- “A tangible definition of livable saulted, wouldn’t we know it? CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Higher Education 13

Student fees and paying for political advocacy Students Were Right to Complain About Paying for Coulter’s Speech

By JON SANDERS One might no- • UNC-Greens- to investigate whether Wisconsin’s method Assistant Editor tice in passing that boro: tuition, 69 per- counted as such. In Justice Anthony M. RALEIGH that is a great deal of cent; fees, 27.2 per- Kennedy’s opinion for the majority, the fact nn Coulter, she of the polarizing money for students Issues in cent; that a student group may be funded or book titles, came to speak this to be in charge of. • UNC-Pem- defunded “by majority vote of the student A fall at the University of North P.J. O’Rourke fa- Higher broke: tuition, 54.9 body” made it “unclear to us what protec- Carolina at Chapel Hill. UNC-CH’s Student mously opined that percent; fees, 52.7 tion, if any, there is for viewpoint neutral- Congress, which controls where student ac- “Giving money and percent; ity in this part of the process.” tivity fees go, allotted $6,747 to the student power to govern- Education • UNC-Wil- As Kennedy explained, “The whole group sponsoring Coulter, the Federalist ment is like giving mington: tuition, theory of viewpoint neutrality is that mi- Society, to help pay her speaking fee. whiskey and car 80.2 percent; fees, nority views are treated with the same re- As one would expect, leftists on cam- keys to teenage 64.6 percent; spect as are majority views. Access to a pub- pus were incensed about the funding deci- boys.” Many of the • Western Caro- lic forum, for instance, does not depend sion. Why should they pay, through their students in student government are teen- lina: tuition, 50.9 percent; fees, 52.1 percent; upon majoritarian consent. That principle student fees, to support Coulter, whose age boys or are just a year or so removed • Winston-Salem State: tuition, 55.3 is controlling here.” views they find odious? from being so. And while much of the fo- percent; fees, 54 percent. Wisconsin has revised its policies since In other words, they sounded like con- cus on college costs of late has been esca- New fee increases are being considered the court ruled, and in 2002 the U.S. Court servatives, who have been objecting to their lating tuition, student fees have escalated this year at UNC-CH and N.C. State. of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that being made to support leftist causes along with it. its fee system was in compliance with view- through student fees for years. A note on viewpoint neutrality point neutrality, overturning a federal dis- Another way of putting that is, the left- Tuition is up, but so are fees trict court decision of 2001. The appeals ists had a point. While the issue concerns First Amend- court prohibited Wisconsin from funding In the last five years, here are how tu- ment rights, the Supreme Court has allowed the travel expenses of ideological, political, Compelling political advocacy ition (in-state) and fees costs have changed to stand a challenge to mandatory student or religious groups with student fees col- within the UNC system. These increases fees’ being used to support political and lected from students who object to them. In the October 1998 issue of Clarion, cover the period from the 1997-98 academic religious speech that individual fee-payers The ruling it overturned had prohibited Michael Byrne wrote about the use of stu- year to the 2002-03 academic year. They are find objectionable. In Board of Regents of Wisconsin from forcing objecting students dent fees for political advocacy. “Many based on figures reported in the corre- the University of Wisconsin System v. to fund groups to which they were opposed. schools now force students, as a condition sponding years’ Statistical Abstract of Higher Southworth (2000), the court held that a So the courts are sensitive to the issue of attendance, to fund all manner of politi- Education in North Carolina: public university may “charge its students of compelling students to pay for speech cal groups,” which means they are forced • Appalachian State: Tuition has in- an activity fee used to fund a program to with which they disagree, although the cri- to “sustain political advocacy that they creased 68.9 percent, while fees have in- facilitate extracurricular student speech if terion of viewpoint neutrality remains to be probably do not espouse and which, given creased 58.6 percent; the program is viewpoint neutral.” hashed out. Meanwhile, Coulter fans at the choice, would not fund.” • East Carolina: tuition, 102.1 percent; Nevertheless, the court has not ruled UNC-CH could rejoice, while leftists accus- The issue concerns the First Amend- fees, 24.6 percent; on what determines viewpoint neutrality, tomed to activity-fee largesse had to gnash ment protections of speech and assembly. • Elizabeth City State: tuition, 48.7 per- and in fact it remanded to the lower courts their teeth. CJ Leftists understandably don’t want to fund cent; fees, 35.6 percent; Coulter’s speech or be forced into financial • Fayetteville State: tuition, 39.8 per- association with the group bringing her to cent; fees, 41.8 percent; campus. Yet because they cannot avoid pay- • N.C. A&T: tuition, 63.3 percent; fees, ing the student fee, they are put in those 51.5 percent; positions by the state. • N.C. Central: tuition, 74.9 percent; We Want Less! Meanwhile, conservatives at UNC-CH fees, 31.4 percent; have been documenting the political imbal- • N.C. School of the Arts: tuition, 56.7 Concerned About Issues Such As ance in student fees expenditures there for percent; fees, 56.1 percent; Taxes, Regulations, Property Rights years. According to Carolina Review, in 2000, • N.C. State: tuition, 97.1 percent; fees, & Patient Choice in Health Care? for example, Student Congress allocated 20.3 percent; $4,635 for conservative groups, $6,620 for • UNC-Asheville: tuition, 111.7 percent; Thousands of your fellow North religious groups, and $75,215 for liberal/ fees, 25.2 percent; Carolinians are, too — that’s why activist groups. In 2003, Student Congress • UNC-Chapel Hill: tuition, 97.1 per- they have joined North Carolina gave $3,700 to conservative groups, $10,212 cent; fees, 39.9 percent; Citizens for a Sound Economy to to religious groups, and $35,598 to liberal/ • UNC-Charlotte: tuition, 101.4 per- fight for less government, lower activist groups. cent; fees, 29.0 percent; taxes, and more freedom. They are making their voices heard. North Carolina CSE members protest state Fighting for the People’s Agenda tax increases at an August rally in Raleigh.

North Carolina Citizens for a Sound Economy holds politicians accountable for their votes on taxes, regulations, and other issues. Its aggressive, real-time campaigns activate a grassroots army to show up and demand policy change.

And it gets results. CSE has helped to defeat three large tax increases in North Carolina and defended property rights, parental choice, and individual freedom before the state legislature, county commissions, city councils, and elsewhere.

Here’s what some are saying about Citizens for a Sound Economy:

• “They have been doing a great job all over the country educating people.” — President George W. Bush

• “CSE is a great organization . . . The hundreds of thousands of volunteer activists that are members of CSE are vital to this country’s economic prosperity.” — U.S. Rep. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem

• “You guys are everywhere! CSE is a great organization. CSE, thanks.” — Sen. John McCain

Get Involved! NORTH CAROLINA Join North Carolina CSE and Make a Difference!

115 1/2 West. Morgan St. Raleigh, NC 27601 www.cse.org 1-888-446-5273 November 2003 C A R O L I N A 14 Local Government JOURNAL

Town and Country Charlotte Burglar Alarm Ordinance a Model Leaders plan summit on bases Holding users responsible for false alarms frees officers, saves money

Gov. Mike Easley and Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue mailed invitations re- By MICHAEL LOWREY cently to a Fort Bragg summit of com- Associate Editor Charlotte-Mecklenburg Alarm Program History munity leaders from the areas around CHARLOTTE North Carolina’s military bases, one of n 1995, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Po- Total Alarm % Alarm Reponse Hours several signs that state leaders view a lice Department faced a situation that Year Calls Calls Total Permits Reduction Saved massive 2005 round of base closings as threatened its ability to provide police I 1995 526,963 106,061 20.1% — — — a serious threat, The News & Observer protection in a timely and cost effective- 1996 538,237 77,476 14.4% 51,336 42% 19,400 of Raleigh reports. manner. With the growing popularity of 1997 558,184 63,919 11.4% 62,375 55% 30,396 On the day before the Nov. 13 sum- burglar alarms, cops were responding to an 1998 551,126 67,370 12.0% 72,937 52% 43,164 mit, the state’s Economic Development ever-increasing number of alarm calls. Most 1999 608,000 69,237 11.3% 84,000 53% 55,385 Commission will hold a regular meet- of these calls, however, proved to be false 2000 645,492 69,921 11.0% 94,644 55% 67,528 ing on the base, a bit of symbolism to alarms, wasting a tremendous amount of 2001 677,188 69,650 10.3% 96,222 57% 98,737 show that the state cares about the mili- police time. By working with the alarm 2002 593,528 60,962 10.2% 109,578 69% 112,071 tary. Also, Perdue, who is taking the industry, a private contractor and imple- lead for the state on base closing issues, menting a new burglar alarm ordinance, Note: Responce reduction includes the effects of calls cancalled before police arrive. Officer has hired a military affairs liaison. the city has been able to drastically reduce hours saved is versus projected number of alarm calls without ordinance (216,400 in 2002). Easley will give the keynote ad- resources expended on false alarms with- dress at the summit. Local leaders will out any addition cost to taxpayers. Source: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department get the state’s latest thinking on how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Depart- the closings are likely to unfold, how ment Deputy Chief Glen Mowrey spoke localities could be affected, and what about the Queen City’s experience at the sponse” policy. If fines are unpaid after 30 der verified response, the police will re- local governments and the state can do. 89th International City/County Manage- days, police will no longer respond to alarms spond only to human-activated or human- Officials hope not only to prevent clos- ment Association conference in Charlotte calls from that location. Charlotte- verified (hence the moniker) alarms. In- ings among the state’s five major bases in September. The city’s success is consid- Mecklenburg Police, however, would still stead of police, a private guard service ini- and various smaller facilities, but also ered a national model. respond to 911 calls for assistance from a tially responds to automated burglar alarm perhaps to gain troops and civilian jobs location on the alarm no response list. calls. If the private guards are able to deter- as bases elsewhere are shuttered. The problem and the answer Mowrey noted that there are typically 2,000 mine that a crime has occurred, the police Another goal, Perdue said, is edu- to 2,400 locations in “no response” status at are summoned. cating the entire state, not just military In 1995, when it approached Charlotte any given time. One of the potential benefits of verified communities, about how important the City Council about the problem, the CMPD Keeping track of the false alarms is a response is quicker response times. In areas bases are to North Carolina’s economy. received more than 500,000 calls. More than labor-intensive and costly process. The po- were police face heavy call volumes and 100,000 of these requests for service — 20 lice department estimated that it would response time is slow, a private guard ser- Trial date set on adult clubs percent of the total — were burglar alarm cost $4 million over seven years to handle vice may be able to get to burglar alarms calls. Of these, 98.6 percent proved to be the bookkeeping, with $800,000 coming in faster. Police, in turn, are able to get to their A federal judge has set a trial date false alarms. Nearly 70,000 officer hours the first year. other calls faster as well. Because private in January to sort out whether Greens- were spent responding to alarm calls. The city required though that the CMPD guards cost less than police, false alarm boro should be allowed to enforce new As bad as the situation was in 1995, find a solution at no cost to the taxpayer. To penalties may well also be lower under rules that could force many of the city’s things would only get worse in the future do so, the CMPD outsourced billing and verified response. adult clubs and bookstores to move without drastic action. The number of alarm tracking. It also agreed to share the rev- Verified response has generated a fair from their locations or close, The News- calls had more than doubled between 1990 enues from fines with the contractor while amount of national attention since Salt Lake Record of Greensboro reports. and 1995 and was expected to continue paying nothing for its services. In the first City implemented it in 2000. Las Vegas, U.S. District Judge William L. dramatic growth in the future as the city’s two years, all fine revenue went to the con- however, in 1991 became the first major city Osteen asked the city during a hear- population continued to grow and alarms tractor, while in the third and fourth year to adopt this response protocol. Los Ange- ing Oct. 14 to forgo enforcing the new became even more common in homes. the city received 15 percent of fines col- les also recently considered switching to regulations until that trial. To further complicate matters for the lected. In the last three years of the seven- verified response. No North Carolina com- He also asked the club owners CMPD, city council provided no additional year deal, the city received 25 percent of munities currently use verified response. who brought the suit to put off any ex- funds to address the issue. Whatever solu- fines collected. Salt Lake City’s experience with veri- pansions of their businesses or adver- tion the CMPD developed would have to be After adoption of the ordinance, the fied response has been positive through tising until then. Osteen said it was in self-funding. CMPD saw a dramatic decrease in burglar 2001 and more mixed in 2002. Verified re- both sides’ interest to have the case In 1995, the Charlotte City Council alarm calls. In the first year, alarms calls fell sponse reduced by 90 percent police re- heard as quickly as possible. He set the adopted an alarm ordi- by 30 percent and, with sponses to burglar alarms and reduced po- trial for Jan. 13. nance after much public the effects of cancelled lice response times to other calls, Sweeney City Attorney Linda Miles said the debate. It’s “still a sensi- 80 percent of alarm calls figured in, police re- noted. There was no change in 2000 and city would comply with Osteen’s re- tive issue” even now, said calls are generated by sponse was reduced by 2001 in the number of burglaries compared quest. Michael Murray, a Cleveland Charlotte-Mecklenburg 42 percent. Officers saved to pervious years. lawyer leading the case for the clubs, Police Chief Darrel only 20 percent of sys- an estimated 19,400 hours In 2002, however, serious crime was up declined to comment. Stephens. tems… The No. 1 of time. 16 percent overall in Salt Lake City, includ- Two years ago, the City Council The ordinance was In 2002, the CMPD ing a 13.7 percent increase in burglaries. changed Greensboro’s local land-use aimed at reducing the cause of false alarms responded to 60,692 More troubling was a jump in the burglar- laws to require sexually oriented busi- number of alarm calls by is user error. alarm calls, 45 percent ies at alarmed premises. In 1999, only 23 nesses be 1,200 feet from one another holding users responsible fewer than in 1995 despite burglaries occurred at locations with an and 1,000 feet from homes, schools, for their operation. This the number of alarm sys- alarm. In 2002, the number was 350. churches and public parks. Those pa- includes a system of graduated fines for tems having more than doubled. Without “[Verified Response] is still experimen- rameters are double the distance un- false alarms. As Mowrey noted, 80 percent the alarm ordinance, the police department tal,” said Sweeney. While he would like to der the old rules. The council gave of alarm calls nationally are generated by estimates it would have responded to see more communities try verified response, businesses two years to recoup their in- only 20 percent of systems. Many of the 216,400 alarm calls last year. Sweeney also noted that it wasn’t appropri- vestments and find new locations. City systems generating lots of calls are located Mowrey noted that since 1996, the po- ate for every jurisdiction. officials planned to begin enforcing the in businesses, government offices, churches, lice department has received less than one The PSLC, in fact, has identified a num- new rules in mid-October. and other institutional sites. The No. 1 cause alarm per registered system per year, well ber of concerns and unanswered questions The increased distances are de- of false alarms is user error. under the national average of 1.5 calls per involving verified response. These include: signed to help protect residents from Charlotte’s ordinance requires alarm alarm. Ninety-two percent of alarm permit • How will the public respond to veri- what the city calls “secondary effects” system owners to register their systems with holders have never had a billable fine. fied response? of sexually oriented business — crime the city. Registration is free, but there is a • Does it deter crime in the long run? and other problems city officials say $100 fine for failure to do so. Verified response • Will private companies be willing to are associated with such establish- In Charlotte, the first two false alarms provide this service? What volume and ments. per year carry no penalty. The third, fourth, Also speaking at the conference was density of alarms needs to exist for it to be The clubs have argued that they and fifth false alarms each carry a $50 civil Chief Thomas Sweeney of the Glastonbury economically viable for them to do so? are legal businesses and that fine. The fine increases to $100 for the sixth (Conn.) Police Department on “verified re- • What standards should exist for the Greensboro’s new rules would make and seventh false alarms. Under the Char- sponse.” Sweeney serves as co-chair of the selection, training, and licensing of non- it nearly impossible for sexually ori- lotte ordinance, the eighth and ninth false International Association of Chiefs of sworn responders? ented businesses to operate within the alarms in a year each carry a penalty of Police’s Private Sector Liaison Committee. • How will private security firms re- city limits. Federal law requires that $250. The fine is $500 for the 10th and all The PSLC has worked closely with the alarm spond in low-income, high-crime, or high- cities allow at least some territory subsequent false alarms per alarm year. industry to examine solutions to the in- risk areas? How can one assure that “red within their limits for such businesses Alarm calls cancelled before the police ar- crease in false burglar alarms. lining” does not occur, that private guards to operate. CJ rive do not count towards the fines. Verified response is a radical change in do not respond slower or with less enthusi- Charlotte has also instituted a “no re- how communities handle alarm calls. Un- asm in more dangerous parts of town? CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Local Government 15

Local Innovation Bulletin Board

The Truths About Recycling

he European Union has ordered High occupancy toll lanes the citizens of the United King- T dom to roughly double their re- Turning underused high occupancy cycling rates by 2008, while the city gov- vehicle lanes into high-occupancy toll ernments of New York and Seattle have lanes presents an opportunity for new proposed mandatory expansions of ex- road capacity to be built without raising isting recycling programs. taxes or cutting programs, says Jon These moves are not based on new Caldara, president of the Independence developments in resource conservation; Institute. For motorists, it means conges- instead they, like other mandatory recy- tion-free trips. cling programs, rest on misconceptions A HOT lane allows single-occupant of mythic proportions, says Daniel K. vehicles to use the lane in exchange for Benjamin, an economics professor at paying a toll, which varies in price based Clemson University. on how congested the lane is. Simply The United States today has more put, drivers stuck in the traffic jam of landfill capacity than ever before; in 2001, general-purpose lanes will finally have the nation’s landfills could accommo- the option to use a lane guaranteed to be date 18 years’ worth of rubbish, an congestion-free. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall discusses the survey with members of a focus group. amount 25 percent greater than a decade How can HOT lanes be guaranteed before. to be congestion-free? As more drivers The Environmental Protection choose to use the HOT lane, price of the Ignorance in North Carolina Agency acknowledges that the risks to toll increases, thereby discouraging ad- humans (and presumably plants and ditional drivers from choosing it. animals) from modern landfills are vir- The toll on the Interstate 15 HOT Leaders Ponder Teen Civics Survey tually nonexistent. lanes in San Diego changes every few Contrary to current wisdom, Ben- minutes, with the price shown on elec- By DONNA MARTINEZ role model and explain his duties in the jamin notes that packaging can reduce tronic signs; since traffic moves at full Associate Editor legislature. total rubbish produced: The average speed in the HOT lane, the speed of FAYETTEVILLE Slatter, a 10th-grade student at Terry household in the United States gener- carpools and buses is unaffected. umberland County officials and Sanford High School, said her idea would ates one-third less trash each year than Commuters using the HOT lanes, community leaders are challeng- offer a window on the challenges each group does the average household in Mexico, whether bus riders, carpoolers or single ing the state’s adults to do a better faces and spur innovative solutions. She partly because packaging reduces break- occupants, will never be slowed down C age and food waste. by toll booths; instead, tolls are collected job instilling teen-agers with the knowl- attended the Fayetteville forum with more edge and skills necessary to become effec- than a dozen Sanford High classmates who Interstate trade in trash raises our electronically via windshield-mounted tive participants in public-policy debates are enrolled in Advanced Placement Gov- wealth as a nation, perhaps by as much transponders. and civic activities. The recommendations ernment. as $4 billion; most of the increased wealth Because there is a variable toll on the were made in response to a recent state- While Glazier and Slatter developed accrues to the citizens of areas importing HOT lanes, individual drivers make an wide survey showing an acute lack of un- ideas with their group, Secretary of State trash. “on-the-spot” decision as to whether derstanding of government and politics Elaine Marshall served as a sounding board Recycling is a long-practiced, pro- paying the current toll rate warrants the among North Carolina’s youth. for another cadre of attendees who ex- ductive, indeed essential, element of the benefit of a congestion-free trip. “There’s not been enough emphasis on pressed concern about trusting government market system. Informed, voluntary re- As demonstrated by HOT lanes else- civic responsibility,” said Fayetteville Mayor and a desire to understand the nuts and cycling conserves resources and raises where in the United States, the variable Marshall Pitts after welcoming nearly 50 bolts of policy decision-making. Marshall, our wealth, experts say. In sharp con- toll ensures that the demand for the facil- people to the city for a North Carolina Civic who grew up in neighboring Harnett trast, misleading educational programs ity is managed, such that congestion Education Consortium forum to discuss County, has been involved in voting and encourage the waste of resources when never occurs in the HOT lanes, Caldara ways to address deficiencies uncovered by civic issues as a member of the National they overstate the benefits of recycling. says. the group’s research. “Adults haven’t done Association of Secretaries of State. She is Mandatory recycling programs — North Carolina currently has no a good job of talking to kids and getting especially interested in addressing why 18- in which people are compelled to do plans to introduce HOT lanes. The state’s them prepared,” he said. to-24-year-olds don’t vote in greater num- what they know is not sensible — rou- first high-occupancy vehicle lanes are Pitts said he hopes the NCCEC forum bers, and said the NASS “New Millennium tinely make society worse off. Market scheduled to open next year on I-77 in energizes the community about the instru- Young Voters Project” has helped her un- prices are sufficient to induce the Mecklenburg County north of Charlotte. mental role each person can and should derstand the challenges revealed in the trashman to come, and to make his bur- Researched by Jon Caldara, “‘You play in society. The Fayetteville meeting NCCEC survey. “I’ve learned young people den bearable, and neither he nor we can Cannot Avoid Traffic’…and Other was one of eight held around the state to aren’t failing the system; it’s the other way hope for any better than that, Benjamin Myths: High Occupancy Toll Lanes Guar- gather citizen reaction and ideas. Sessions around,” she said as she prepared to give says. antee a Congestion Free Choice,” Issue in Cullowhee, Hendersonville, and Ashe- closing remarks. Reported by the Political Economy Backgrounder Number 2003-D, July 10, ville each attracted 60 people. Forum rec- Marshall said that some responsibility Research Center. 2003, Independence Institute. CJ ommendations will be presented to for the “sad” survey results could be traced policymakers in December. to the lack of emphasis on civics education Pitts said he was disappointed in the in the classroom. Civics competes with sci- survey results, which revealed that nine out ence and technology for time and attention, Wanted: A Local Government Guru of 10 teens (13-to-17-year-olds) were unable she said. What’s more, teachers tend to to name both of North Carolina’s U.S. sena- focus only on what will be tested, shying tors. Forty-four percent didn’t know the away from the more in-depth discussions The John Locke Foundation is accepting applications for a new full- first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitu- Marshall believes are important. She also time position at the Center for Local Innovation, a special project tion are called the Bill of Rights. wishes schools encouraged partisan debate devoted to issues facing North Carolina counties and municipali- Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, ex- to help students understand all sides of an ties. Job responsibilities would include policy research, writing, ana- pressed concern that only three of 10 teens issue. “In so many schools, they don’t talk were able to correctly identify the General about issues from a Democrat or Republi- lyzing local government budgets, and con- Assembly as the lawmaking body in our can perspective. They’re afraid to really sulting with local officials about issues such state. “Basic fundamental concepts haven’t talk about issues,” she said. Center for as taxes, regulations, growth controls, been made,” he said. “The survey overall Marshall’s concerns appear to be sup- transportation, and privatization. establishes we have a lot of work to do in ported by the findings of a separate study Local civic knowledge and fully participating stu- by the Thomas Fordham Foundation, a dents.” school-reform organization. Fordham’s re- Innovation Experience in county or municipal govern- During a forum brainstorming session search tagged North Carolina with an “F” ment is strongly preferred. Competitive in which attendees separated into small for its history curriculum, along with 22 salary with full benefits available. Please groups, Glazier recommended the state other states. The report describes North New Ideas for Governing North send a cover letter, resume, writing implement same-day voter registration to Carolina’s social studies standard course of Carolina’s Cities and Counties samples, and references to Vice President encourage turnout. He also endorsed Erin study as “a blueprint for historical igno- Slatter’s suggestion that public officials and rance and civic disaffection.” State leaders Kory Swanson, 200 W. Morgan St., #200, students shadow one another at school and challenge the assessment. 200 W. Morgan St., Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27601, or email him at the office, noting that he recently visited The NCCEC survey can be found at Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 [email protected]. several schools as part of his effort to be a www.civics.org. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 16 Local Government JOURNAL

From Cherokee to Currituck Strip Developments Charlotte Adopts Guidelines Friendly to Consumers To Prevent Contractor Bias

rban planners consider strip de- restrictions had an average of 100 busi- velopments to be ugly and car- nesses per mile of road. By MICHAEL LOWREY proposed exterior changes to buildings U dependent, so they want to pre- For through travelers, the tradeoff Associate Editor would still have to be submitted to the vent such developments from being built between heavy restrictions and no re- CHARLOTTE preservation commission for review, com- and modify existing ones to strictions was small. Posted n its latest move to reformulate its anti- pliance with the board’s recommendations discourage driving. Yet plan- speed limits in the most-re- discrimination and minority set-aside would be voluntary. ners’ schemes for strip devel- stricted area were 45 mph, I policies to survive court challenges, A “national register district” would opments are anticonsumer, as while the least-restricted the Charlotte City Council has adopted a set encompass the two other districts and addi- they will lead to less con- area they were 40 mph. Nor of guidelines for contractors. Under the or- tional properties. Buildings in this district sumer choice and higher was there any aesthetic ben- dinance, which went into effect Oct. 1, con- on the national register would be eligible prices. efit from the restrictions, as tractors are barred from discriminating in for federal and state tax credits for rehabili- A report by the Thoreau most of the restricted por- their relationship with subcontractors. tating certain buildings. Institute makes the follow- tions of the road were lined In January 2002, Charlotte’s policy that The preservation commission is refin- ing major points: with industrial complexes generally required that at least a set per- ing its proposal before presenting it to the 1. Strip developments and homes and commercial centage of a contract go to minority- and town’s planning board. The planning board are the natural result of buildings that were either female-owned subcontractors if subcontrac- will make recommendations on the issue to people’s desire to live apart unoccupied or in poor con- tors were used on a project was challenged. the town council. from the noise and traffic of dition due to the lack of ac- The city abandoned the policy after its law- Randal O’Toole busy travel corridors com- cess. yers concluded that it could not prevail in Durham County budgeting bined with the desire of busi- court. Since then the city has been searching nesses to locate along such corridors. Strips provide important services for legal means to assure that minority- Durham County is considering chang- 2. Highways that turn into strips serve owned firms obtain a share of city contracts. ing how it formulates its budget. In an two functions — transporting people The Oak Lodge-Gladstone segment “There’s a part of me that wished we initiative backed by a majority of county across the region and giving local resi- of McLoughlin is home to nearly 400 still had in place our (previous) program, commissioners, an all-day planning confer- dents access to goods and services — with businesses offering consumers a wide because it was geared specifically toward ence was conducted recently with county minimal interference between these func- array of goods and services. Nearly 100 women and minorities having an opportu- department heads and others to explain the tions. of these businesses are oriented around nity,” Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon said “results-based accountability framework.” 3. Strip developments offer an incred- the automobile, including new- and to The Charlotte Observer. “However, at this Traditional governmental budgeting ible variety of goods and services, many used-car lots that serve the entire Port- stage, we have at least something on the methods tend to be based on prior-year of which are not found in shopping malls, land area, gas stations that serve through books, which is some- budgets and easy-to-mea- city centers, or other, more heavily planned travelers, and repair shops and parts thing to be grateful for.” sure metrics like the num- areas. stores that primarily serve local resi- Under the new ordi- ber of citizens served. 4. Proposals to limit or modify strip dents. nance, city contractors Under the ordinance, The results-based developments are anticonsumer as well More than 90 businesses deal with cannot discriminate on contractors cannot dis- methodology would fo- as antibusiness. food, including nearly three-dozen fast- the basis of race, gender, criminate in their rela- cus more on how to best food restaurants, another three dozen religion, national origin, spend dollars to meet spe- Strip developments are natural full-service restaurants, and nearly two ethnicity, age, or disabil- tionships with suppli- cific challenges. It also dozen grocery and convenience stores. ity in their relationships ers, subcontractors, includes a focus on im- Planners argue that strip develop- While the McLoughlin strip is an- with suppliers, subcon- proving citizens’ lives. ments result from past mistakes by plan- chored by representatives of three of the tractors, and vendors. and vendors. “This is about being ners, namely zoning codes that separated nation’s four largest supermarket chains, The city will investi- responsive to our custom- residential from commercial uses. Yet cit- most businesses on the strip are small gate complaints, though ers, ”Ellen Reckhow, ies that have no zoning codes still have and appear family-owned. the policy covers only discrimination on Durham County Commission chairwoman strip developments. It is clear that those On the average, the McLoughlin city contracts and bids that occur in the said to the News & Observer of Raleigh. “We zoning codes represent what people strip has about 1.35 businesses per acre. Charlotte area. Penalties can include dis- want to use data to work smarter and achieve wanted, not something that was imposed The nearest large shopping mall, qualification from bidding on city contracts better outcomes.” on them. Clackamas Town Center, has about 1.65 for two years and suspension of current Durham County Manager Mike Ruffin Historians John Jakle and Keith Sculle businesses per acre. The slight amount contracts. is a recent convert to the program. “Change examined the history of a strip develop- of extra land used by the strip is prob- The new policy applies only to dis- can be threatening,” Ruffin said. ment in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. They ably more than justified by the conve- crimination that occurs after Oct. 1. Com- “I’ve been a bureaucrat for 25 years, found that initially the road was residen- nience to consumers. Moreover, many plaints must be filed within three years of and this scared the pants off me… There are tial. But as the street became more heavily of the businesses found on the strip the alleged discrimination. going to be shifts [in spending], but this used for through auto traffic, the number would never be found in a major mall. isn’t meant to be punitive. This isn’t about of residences declined and the number of Black Mountain historical district what we’re not doing but what we can do businesses increased. This was not the Regulation harms consumers together.” result of zoning, but of the natural desire Black Mountain may designate its of residents to avoid busy streets and the Ideally, many planners think, strips downtown as a historical district, complete High Point policing simultaneous desire of businesses to lo- should be banned and retailing limited with rules on permissible changes, in an cate on those same streets where they will to shopping malls at major intersections attempt to maintain the area’s distinctive Police in High Point are getting to calls be visible and accessible to large numbers or pedestrian-friendly main streets. Plan- feel. The Black Mountain Historical Preser- faster, thanks to a reorganization put in of travelers. ners have developed numerous propos- vation Commission has proposed that most place three months ago, reports the News & als to prevent, modify, or eliminate strips of the downtown be placed in one of three Record of Greensboro. Under the changes Strips serve dual functions (www.plannersweb.com/articles/v- classifications, with varying degrees of regu- implemented by Chief Jim Fealy, the city mold2.html). These include removal of lations to exterior changes. was divided into two patrol districts and As research for this update, I invento- highway lanes to increase congestion, “Really this idea was economically individual officers were assigned larger ried all the businesses along 9.3 miles of denying businesses access to the high- driven,” said Susan Robinson, chair of the beats. Officers also work in three shifts in- McLoughlin Boulevard, a strip develop- way, regulations limiting the size and commission and a downtown business stead of two. The extra shift allows for extra ment extending from Southeast Portland location of parking lots, and banning of owner, to The Asheville Citizen-Times. “The staffing, and reduced response times, dur- to Oregon City, Ore. On parts of this high- large shopping areas. idea of the district is that it encourages local ing evening hours when the greatest amount way, consumers can access businesses only Where they have been implemented, businesses along with preserving the char- of calls come in. by turning off McLoughlin onto a side these proposals tend to lead to streets of acter of downtown.” Between late July and late September, street. On other parts of the highway, high-priced boutiques serving niche Under the proposal, three designations officers cut the average response time from landowners have virtually unlimited ac- markets. The day-to-day, low-cost con- would be used. The strictest would be the 15 minutes, 43 seconds to 11 minutes be- cess and have built hundreds of drive- sumer goods offered by the strip are “local historical district,” which would gov- tween 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. ways from their property to the highway. largely absent from such boutiques. ern all building in central downtown Black Among the other benefits is that police The level of access has made a huge Asking consumers to give up strip Mountain. Major exterior changes, which have more time to actually patrol rather difference in the number of consumer busi- developments in favor of boutiques is include such things as replacing a door or than simply running from call to call. As a nesses (as opposed to industrial or ware- like asking peasants to give up bread in awning, would require approval from the result, more criminals are being caught in house businesses) on the road. In the most favor of cake. Being antistrip develop- preservation commission. Minor changes, the act and more time is being spent search- restricted area, only three businesses were ment is both anticonsumer and anti- such as repainting a building in its current ing for suspects. found per mile. In one segment, physical business. color, would require the approval of town “We’re catching crime when it’s occur- restrictions also reduced the number of The report is available at http:// staff. ring rather than writing reports the next businesses. But areas with few regulatory ti.org/vaupdate42.html. A larger area would be designed the day,” City Manager Strib Boynton said dur- “downtown conservation district.” While ing the meeting. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL CJ Interview 17 UNCC Professor Debunks Myths About Highways, Sprawl

By PAUL CHESSER it not occurred at that location. eas the equation is a little bit different. In CJ: Now the Triangle Town Center (a large new Associate Editor Another common myth we dispelled suburbs roads can spark a development mall), would that have been built anyway with- RALEIGH was the idea that cities are declining inter- boom, but that development would have out I-540? avid Hartgen, a University of nally — that they’re hollowing out and probably come there anyway, albeit at a North Carolina at Charlotte pro- everybody is rushing to the suburbs. We slower pace. The reason that the spark oc- Hartgen: Yes, but its specific location is D fessor of transportation studies, found just the opposite, that all the cities we curs is that tracts roughly the same distance certainly influenced by the improved acces- recently completed a study for the John looked at had rising populations even in the from the urban center are roughly equal in sibility of I-540. And so the specific choice of Locke Foundation on highways and sprawl inner parts of those cities. value. And so by changing the road accessi- location would certainly have that influ- in the state. He discussed his findings with bility to a tract, you are essentially moving ence. But the overall effect, I would argue, Carolina Journal in this interview. CJ: Now was that consistent among all the cities it up in the quality rank order of all tracts in would have been dispersed throughout the or were there fluctuations? the region. And if the change in access is region or there might have been a smaller CJ: What was the most significant finding in very substantial, for instance a major bridge center developed at that point. your study? Hartgen: Yes. to an island, a very significant jump in accessibility and in development can occur. CJ: Let’s take another I-540 example. We’ve got Hartgen: Well, I think the most significant CJ: …between Charlotte and Raleigh and So the more spectacular the change in ac- the southern segment on the drawing board finding of the study is that there isn’t much Asheville…? cess, the more spectacular the jump. south of Raleigh, but who knows when that will relationship between highway construction happen. and urban sprawl and growth, which is Hartgen: Yeah, the growth rate in the smaller CJ: A new Interstate exit would be spectacular. population increase outside of urban areas. cities was typically less; the more rapidly Hartgen: Right. That’s going on growing cities had Hartgen: Yes, but only if it’s close enough to throughout the state. more growth inside. the urban region and is otherwise competi- CJ: So it’s proposed to go through Fuquay- And in fact most of it, Raleigh, for instance, tive. It has to be sewer-able and water-able Varina and Willow Spring and a few other small most of the tracts in had a very substan- and have reasonable taxes and be within a communities. Right now the only major accessi- the state in the last tial growth rate. If commute zone. Once you get beyond, let’s bility to those communities is Highway 401. But decade have no major you look at my den- say, Route 42 in the I-40 corridor, the growth the degree of congestion that’s on that road is road improvements, sity curves for Ra- essentially disappears until you get to going to limit how much those communities yet almost half of the leigh you’ll see that it Wilmington. develop unless it’s relieved by another artery, growth that occurred already was at 2,500 I-40 is an interesting case. That road presumably the I-540 southern segment, right? in the state in the last to 2,600 people per had the effect of directing some growth in decade went into square mile in the in- the Raleigh area, but it also sling-shotted Hartgen: No, congestion doesn’t really limit tracts that had no ma- ner rings and rose by the accessibility of Wilmington to the mon- growth very much. Most of the traffic in jor road improve- perhaps 12 or 13 per- ied crowd, shall we say, in the Raleigh that area is going to be local. It’s true that ments at all. cent in just one de- region and brought the coast from four those communities are tied economically to cade. So the myth that hours’ to two hours’ distance. And so the the Triangle region, but most commuters CJ: Wouldn’t just the people are somehow effect of the road there was a little bit differ- would be living and working locally; and sheer size of the state fleeing from cities, it’s ent than what you would find in other cases certainly most non-work trips would be and comparatively lim- just not true. around the state. Wilmington would have local. So the capacity of 401 and the radial ited number of road The key factor in grown anyway. It is a very attractive and roads into Raleigh is not going to be the projects — wouldn’t terms of how much quality region. But its growth certainly was determining factor in those communities’ that dictate that most of growth occurs is its accelerated by the change in accessibility. growth. it’s not going to happen prior development. What will determine their growth is the in those narrow corri- David T. Hartgen When tracts get filled CJ: So if change — say the new exit or the new overall economic health of that region and dors where the road up they’re essentially road is close enough to an urban core — it can the attractiveness of those communities. projects are going on, or the limited surround- limited in how much additional growth bring about behavioral changes among local Looking at my charts for the Triangle, I see ing areas? they can absorb because the zoning caps folks to accelerate development, right? that those tracts were some of the most prohibit additional development. And so if rapidly growing tracts in the region any- Hartgen: There were actually over 300 road a region is going to grow it has to grow at Hartgen: Sure, but that closeness also means way, in the last decade. So either somebody projects throughout the state and they cov- the edges unless the community is willing that it would have developed in any case. is betting on a very long horse, a 15- or 20- ered a very substantial share of the tracts in to allow increases in density to occur. There So what we’re really talking about is the year horse — and I don’t know any devel- the state, about 500 or so of the 1,500 tracts are very few communities that are willing acceleration, and that acceleration turns out opers who do that — or else those commu- in the state. I thought when I initiated the to allow that. Planners are essentially creat- to be quite modest relative to the back- nities are attractive in their own rights now. study that I would see most of the growth ing their own sprawl by setting density ground growth. In most of the cases in the going around urban areas in and around caps in urban areas and prohibiting regions state I found that the road impacts were up CJ: Is there one particular type of change or the areas that are now getting road projects. from growing freely as they would under between a fifth and a quarter of the under- addition or any kind of type that spurs growth But ,in fact, that wasn’t the case. The growth market conditions. lying growth rate. In terms of the magni- more than another in road projects? was everywhere, certainly in suburbs, but tude of what we’re talking about, a mile of also in rural outlying areas and in more CJ: You showed that roads influence where urban road widening or rural road widen- Hartgen: Well, the most spurring, if you distant rural areas, in the mountains, along growth occurs. And you’re talking, I guess, ing would, at a maximum, have about the will, would be urban or rural arterial the seashore and in the rural counties be- within a tract. You say the growth would have same effect as a small McDonalds restau- widenings that are right at the edge of the tween metro regions. occurred in the tract anyway. The roads guide it. rant on local traffic — about 1,500 trips a urban fringe. They are within about three or day. Pretty small effects, particularly when four miles of the edge, either outer edge of CJ: What myths does the study debunk? Hartgen: No, not quite. The growth would you consider that road widenings would the region, or inward. In the case of projects have occurred within the region anyway. typically add 20,000 trips a day in terms of in the urban region they basically allow for Hartgen: First of all, that roads cause sprawl. And the roads have some influence in de- capacity. So the effect of the widening itself expanded growth beyond what is required We found that, in fact, sprawl is going ev- termining exactly where in the region that is less than 10 percent of the gain you get in for congestion relief. And in the case of erywhere with or without roads. It’s caused growth will occur. But the other factors, the capacity. rural projects, those projects right at the primarily by local factors such as sewer and particularly location of the tract and whether edge of regions, they typically allow for – to water service, access, schools, crime, sprawl- it is appropriately sewered and watered CJ: Giving a specific example — looking at the I- spread out so that the commute zone can ing housing and most importantly the un- and whether it has quality housing and 540 Bypass in the Triangle; that’s being con- move about a mile-and-a-half or two miles. derlying health of the local economy. competitive tax rates and schools, those are structed because of the growth of the Triangle, And in those cases we found the effects to Another, I think, common myth is that the key factors that determine whether right — to relieve congestion? But its construc- be about 500 people per decade per mile of if you don’t build roads that somehow you growth would occur in a particular tract. tion has caused a lot of development to sprout up investment. will stop sprawl. We found that just wasn’t along 540, right? the case. And the analysis suggested that CJ: I know this isn’t always the case, but don’t CJ: When we discuss the effect of road projects, these other factors, primarily the local eco- road projects, to a degree, lead the way in that Hartgen: Well, I would argue that that de- shouldn’t the emphasis be more on commercial nomic health, was the key underlying de- say a road or an Interstate is continued, like velopment would have occurred anyway development rather than population growth, terminant. Now what roads do do is they when I-40 went to Wilmington, and as a result because that’s a highly accessible location because when you see a new road or an Interstate influence sometimes modestly where things sprouted up? between the three cities anyhow. And, in that comes through, businesses crop up that growth occurs. And they do that by chang- In Johnston County just over the Wake County fact, the traffic on 540 is quite modest. The would otherwise not be there? Would measur- ing the accessibility of parcels and making line, a bunch of retailers cropped up there and current traffic is in the 30,000 range; it’s ing development rather than population be a them more attractive. But what we don’t see that area has exploded. Don’t road projects lead much lower than the capacity of the road, better gauge of the effect of road projects? when we see growth at these sort of spec- the way as far as motivating local officials to which is basically a six-lane freeway. So in tacular locations, so to speak, when a new change zoning laws, and causing property val- that case I think that would be an example Hartgen: I don’t know if it would be better, road is opened up we see that the corner is ues to increase so there’s more of an incentive to that falls right in our case line. but that’s the second half of the study that I built up as development. What we do not sell? Is that true? Yes, there was some growth there and there would like to do. see when we look at those locations is that will be some additional growth there. The growth was diverted from other locations Hartgen: Generally it’s not true. In different road will attract some growth but not much CJ: So stay tuned? in the region and would have occurred areas we found that growth followed growth more than would have been attracted any- probably somewhere else in the region had rather than preceded it. Outside urban ar- how. Hartgen: Stay tuned. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 18 Learning Curve JOURNAL

From the Liberty Library Book review

• In Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Endangers Breaking Free: Mugged by Reality in New York America’s Security, investigative re- ¥ Sol Stern: Breaking Free: Public School but they are not subjected to the drumbeat porter Joel Mowbray writes that the Lessons and the Imperative of School Choice; of “multiculturalism” that stresses the dif- U.S. government is giving aid and Encounter Books; 2003; 248pp.; $29.95 ferences among Americans and focuses comfort to the enemy. Based on his entirely on the negative aspects of our his- research, he says the State Depart- BY GEORGE C. LEEF tory. “Catholic schools,” Stern writes, “are ment coddles brutal dictators, cov- Contributing Editor now among the last bastions in American ers up gaping holes in the nation’s RALEIGH education upholding the ideal of a common safety net, and appeases regimes iberals mugged by reality” is the (in- civic culture.” that sponsor terrorists around the creasingly) common expression used world. Mowbray says that in the to describe people like Sol Stern. As Alternatives to public schools global war on terrorism, the U.S. L a young man, he was a Berkeley radical State Department has proven itself espousing the leftist cant about the oppres- Vital to the success of the Catholic to be one of the biggest obstacles to sion of capitalism and the need for solidar- schools is the freedom of principals to set victory. Relying on exhaustive inter- ity among its opponents. As a parent of two budgetary priorities, hire teachers on the views with State Department per- children in the New York public school basis of teaching ability rather than paper sonnel and extensive research into system, however, Stern got a hard lesson in credentials, and to require that students the State Department’s publica- the results of having turned public schools and teacher follow the rules. And of course, tions, procedures, and recent his- over to leftist ideologists and their teacher there is one more ingredient in this recipe – tory, Mowbray reveals a pattern of union allies. Whatever Stern’s other politi- the possibility of failure. Without any guar- shortsighted and misguided poli- cal views may be, he is now a vigorous antee of enrollments and revenues, the cies, compounded by an ingrained proponent of school choice and high on the Catholic schools have to serve the desires of resistance to self-criticism and cor- list of enemies at the National Education the parents. When dealing with the public rection. See www.regnery.com for Association. school bureaucracy and unions, Stern was more information. While Breaking Free recounts the merely an annoyance who could be brushed author’s experiences in battling against the aside with a haughty “we’re the experts” • In his narrative Why America stultifying effects of union domination and him what they did in math class, Jonathan attitude. Nongovernment schools can’t af- Slept: The Failure to Prevent 9/11, the “dumbing down” of the schools his sons would reply, “We measured the garden.” ford to ignore and alienate their customers, Gerald Posner exposes frequent attended in New York, the book addresses The inability of school administrators so they don’t. mistakes made by law enforcement a problem that is national in scope. Public to find and keep competent, energetic teach- Stern likes what he has seen in charter and government agencies, and education in New York has deteriorated ers and jettison dead wood is a key theme of schools and thinks that the voucher pro- demonstrates how the failures to further than it has in most other places in Breaking Free. Between the state’s teacher gram in Milwaukee is working well. The prevent Sept. 11 were tragically not the United States, but the essence of the licensing law and the union contract, prin- union public relations machine tries to paint an exception but typical. By delv- problem is the same everywhere. The edu- cipals have little freedom to hire and fire these endeavors as harmful failures, but to ing into terror financing, the links cational product offered by the government according to their first-hand knowledge of Stern, educational freedom of choice is a between far-flung terror organiza- school cartel is of declining quality and a teacher’s ability. good thing. It’s like garlic to the vampire of tions, and how the United States re- people need to have other choices. public education monopoly. sponded over the years to other at- Establishment vs. teacher The villains of Breaking Free are the tacks, Posner also makes a damn- What’s a good public school? union officials who will say and do any- ing case that Sept. 11 could have One case especially stands out. Eventu- thing to protect their cushy deal, and even been prevented. Why America Slept The most valuable service Stern ren- ally, Stern’s son was accepted into the ultra- more so the politicians who pose as “friends “lays to rest two years of conjecture ders is to rip to shreds the “good public prestigious Stuyvesant High School. He was of education” while invariably siding with about what led up to the worst ter- schools” mystique. He lives on Manhattan’s placed in a math class taught by a Roma- the interests of the education establishment. ror attacks in America’s history” elegant Upper West Side and enrolled his nian immigrant with a doctorate in math, Pompous and hypocritical windbags like and “presents an infuriating review son Jonathan in P.S. (Public School) 87, the but no “education” credits. Despite his Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., come in for of how incompetence and mis- “hot” elementary school in his district. Stern strong accent, the teacher, Iftimie Simion, richly deserved scorn. “With support from placed priorities made America an assumed that P.S. 87 would live up to its proved to be outstanding. However, Kennedy and others,” Stern writes, “the easy target for terrorists.” Learn reputation as a good school, but was soon Stuyvesant nearly lost Simion because of unions have built a Berlin Wall that protects more at www.random house.com. disabused of that notion: Change was evi- the financial strain on him of having to pay the public education system from competi- dent when I stepped in P.S. 87’s “child- to take useless education courses, the $882 tion and prevents poor children from leav- • Boots on the Ground: A Month centered” classrooms. My first shock was per year in union dues (the same for all ing bad schools.” A direct hit. with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle that there were no desks lined up in rows. teachers, regardless of pay) and the fact that The book also has its heroes, especially for Iraq is Karl Zinsmeister’s account From kindergarten through fifth grade, chil- notwithstanding his excellent teaching, he the people who are struggling to give par- of the war in Iraq moving north dren sat in little clusters, either on the floor was at the very bottom of the pay scale ents educational choices. For example, Stern with the 82nd Airborne. Units of the or at tables. The young teachers were often based entirely on seniority. introduces us to Dr. James Leininger, a phy- 82nd depart Kuwait and travel to dressed in jeans and T-shirts. They spent Jonathan Stern was fortunate to get sician in San Antonio who made a fortune Iraq’s Tallil Air Base en route to very little time in front of the room offering Simion, but other students were stuck with from a medical supply company he founded. night-and-day battles in the city of instruction; instead, they wandered around an almost retired math teacher who didn’t After learning that his company employed Samawah and its bridges across the the room, observing the children working know the material any better than they did. some people who were illiterate despite Euphrates. Zinsmeister, a frontline on their assignments in small groups. Read- Why would such a teacher having graduated from reporter who traveled with the ing was taught through the “whole lan- be employed at Stuy- public high schools, 82nd, describes the careful planning guage” or “holistic” method rather than the vesant, where gifted stu- Leininger decided to es- and technical wizardry that go into …the teachers union traditional phonics approach. dents were supposedly tablish a private voucher today’s warfare, bringing to life the Stern had encountered the world of getting top-notch instruc- publicly demonized program in San Antonio. frequent interactions between air “progressive” education theory in action. tion? Because the union Leininger as “an ex- Within days of running and ground forces. Visit www.stmar By attaching euphemistic labels to it, the contract allowed teachers an ad in the local news- tins.com on the Internet for more tremist trying to under- education theorists have managed to pull with high seniority to paper saying that he was details. the wool over the eyes of parents and tax- transfer at will into mine public educa- offering several hundred payers, leading them to believe that this schools when there was a scholarships that would • In 1989, Francis Fukuyama tion.” easy-going, la-dee-da approach is a great faculty opening. Stern bit- pay half the tuition at pri- made his pronouncement that be- improvement over old-fashioned methods terly writes that “the in- vate schools, more than cause “the major alternatives to lib- of teaching that they deride as “drill and terests of employees often trumped the in- 3,000 applications had been received from eral democracy had exhausted kill.” Many Americans, like Stern before his terests of children.” poor families. Alarmed by this crack in the themselves,” history as we knew it eyes were opened, think that because their Besides giving a startling picture of the dike, the teachers ‘union publicly demon- had reached its end. Ten years later, children attend schools that are clean and dysfunctionality of New York’s “elite” ized Leininger as “an extremist trying to he revised his argument: We hadn’t attractive, employ only state-certified teach- schools, Stern also gives the reader an ex- undermine public education.” Armed with reached the end of history, he wrote, ers, don’t have obvious problems with drugs cursion through inner-city schools that work millions in compulsory dues money to fight because we hadn’t yet reached the and violence , and have above-average stan- remarkably well despite having minuscule any change in their comfortable status quo, end of science. Arguing that our dard test results, they must therefore be budgets and run-down facilities. He visited the unions are formidable opponents, but greatest advances still to come will “good” schools. Stern’s experience with the several Catholic schools in New York and their cause is a bad one. be in the life sciences, Fukuyama elite New York schools showed him that a discovered a world of discipline and educa- Breaking Free is an incendiary book, the now asks in Our Posthuman Future: school can look excellent in all those re- tional progress vastly different from that of kind of expose that gets people angry and Consequences of the Biotechnology spects but still give students a feeble aca- the far more costly public school system. galvanizes them to action. If you’re willing Revolution, how the ability to demic program more like baby-sitting than Not only do students in Catholic schools, to chance becoming infected with the bug of modify human behavior will affect teaching and learning. including those enrolled in schools where educational radicalism — alas, giving liberal democracy. Go to In third grade, for example, Jonathan’s virtually all of the students come from poor, people freedom of choice is a radical idea in www.fsgbooks.com for more on teacher devoted the year in math to creating minority families, progress faster in basic education —I strongly recommend this ex- this title. CJ a Japanese garden. When Stern would ask learning than do public school students, ceptional book. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Learning Curve 19

Book Review Living It Up: Socially Redeeming But Economically Lacking

¥ James B. Twitchell: Living It Up: Our Love “opuluxe”: names such as Armani, Louis will slowly disappear. Better, remarks Affair With Luxury; Columbia University Vitton, Tiffany’s, or Fendi, attached to ob- Twitchell wryly, to be mugged for your Press; 2002; 309 pp; $29.95 jects whose functionality is comparable to shoes than to be ethnically cleansed. their nonluxury counterparts but whose By TOM WELCH price may be several times higher? Twitchell Tepid defense of capitalism Guest Contributor readily asserts that those brands are purely marketing constructs. Continuing a theme Unfortunately, the author’s defense of or centuries, luxury has connoted from his earlier works, he establishes that the system that makes luxury consumption items available only to the elite few. the purpose of advertising is to attach mean- by the masses possible is lukewarm. While F Through scarcity and by statute ing to objects. Consumers, for their part, avoiding the outright hostility to capitalism (sumptuary laws), luxury was kept out of knowingly buy the resulting image, not the prevalent in academia, he nonetheless la- the hands of the masses. Since the Indus- product. While critics may point to such ments that the “private vices of the rich” trial Revolution, however, luxury has be- behavior as proof of the shallowness of our give more help to the needy than the “pub- come attainable by the average consumer, age, Twitchell scoffs at such ideas. “The lic virtues of the poor.” Capitalism will and the desire for it is as prevalent as ever in balderdash of cloistered academics aside,” continue to thrive, he acknowledges, but today’s culture. Typically, the pursuit of he contends, “we did not suddenly become only until another system can “codify and luxury is looked down upon by cultural materialistic.” Rather, as material comforts satisfy” human needs and yearning. commentators, and even those who indulge have increased, consumers have shifted Twitchell notes that in our culture what you in such pursuits often tacitly accept guilt. their desires towards entire “experiences” consume is more important than what you However, in his work Living It Up, James B. rather than simply goods. For “opuluxe” produce — but in doing so glosses over the Twitchell, University of Florida professor items, buying itself has become the sought- fact that production is the prerequisite of of English and advertising, says of such after experience. consumption. On the role that freedom has criticism: not so fast. to play in all this, Twitchell is, alas, silent. Materialism vs. spiritualism Twitchell’s treatment of the subject of From luxury to necessity luxury is entertaining and, notwithstand- would almost surely prefer to be poor to- All this leads Twitchell to what he terms ing a few obscure literary references, gener- The “democratization” of luxury since day than upper middle class a century ago,” a “mild” defense of luxury. In finding mean- ally unencumbered by an overly academic the 19th century has occurred at such a pace notes Twitchell, quoting Paul Krugman in ing in luxury, people are granting to con- style. He meanders through a variety of that luxury itself is constantly being rede- the New York Times. Beyond food and shel- sumption the status enjoyed by religion in destinations on the way to his conclusions: fined. A century ago, indoor plumbing was ter, says Twitchell, all needs are cultural, centuries past. “Materialism is not the op- the hotels of modern-day America; plague- considered a luxury; today, lack of it is not natural. While one may dispute his posite of spiritualism,” he contends. “Mate- stricken Holland during the 17th century considered a mark of abject poverty. How classification of psychological needs, his rialism is what you spiritualize when you tulip-bulb craze; the boardrooms of French do luxuries become necessities? Twitchell argument is illuminating. If people had lived have lots of stuff.” Money cannot buy hap- conglomerates who have cornered the outlines the key role played by the much- by the reasoning of the critics of consump- piness, Twitchell concedes — but poverty “opuluxe” market by applying American maligned “early adopters.” tion, humans would never have advanced almost guarantees unhappiness. marketing techniques to European luxury. “They are willing and able,” he says, beyond subsistence level. As to the concrete benefits of this trend, While providing some useful insights, usu- “to pay the high first costs” and eventually those Twitchell cites fall more in the cat- ally of a sociological nature, his narrative make goods once considered luxurious af- A matter of image egory of evils avoided. Societies focused on lacks an appreciation of the economic and fordable for the masses. Despite the consumption, he says, will be too busy shop- political aspects of his subject. CJ grumblings of academic scolds, there is no Such a defense certainly works for what ping to wage offensive war. As consump- doubt that such consumption has increased Twitchell calls “technoluxe” items, whose tion choices create distinctive “tribes” of the quality of life for most everyone. “One benefits are tangible. But what of so-called consumers, lines of ancestry and religion Tom Welch is a free-lance writer in Atlanta.

Book Review Who’s Teaching Children? Accurate Diagnosis But Bad Medicine

¥ Vivian Troen and Katherine C. Boles; accurately diagnose the problem and their “Progressive education” is a menag- Who’s Teaching Your Children; Yale Univer- proposed answer would do little to solve it. erie of theories on how to teach, and as sity Press, 2003, 222pp., $24.95 Troen and Boles argue that America Heather Mac Donald observed, what they faces a “trilemma dysfunction” regarding have in common is their denigration of the By GEORGE C. LEEF teacher quality. First, few academically idea that teachers should transmit knowl- Contributing Editor gifted young people are drawn into K-12 edge to students. Most prospective teachers RALEIGH teaching. Very bright, or even average, stu- are told that they must act as facilitators ow well are American teachers dents rarely pursue an education degree, rather than instructors because it is vital that prepared for their important which is seen as a dead end having no value students “construct their own knowledge.” Hwork? Consider the following outside primary and secondary school That notion has spawned numerous prog- statement by Heather Mac Donald in her teaching. eny, such as the admonition not to worry essay “Why Johnny’s Teacher Can’t Teach”: The second part of the “trilemma” is about whether students write and spell “For more than 80 years, teacher educa- that teacher preparation programs are weak. properly. Education schools do not merely tion in America has been in the grasp of an Troen and Boles recognize that American need “improvement,” as Troen and Boles immutable dogma, responsible for endless teacher training programs tolerate low aca- say. They are so thoroughly steeped in per- educational nonsense. That dogma may be demic standards in order to maximize the verse ideas about what education is that summed up in the phrase: Anything But number of students. The authors have hit “improving” them is certain to be a futile Knowledge. Schools are about many things, upon the explanation for much of what has exercise. teacher educators say… but one thing they gone wrong in higher education when they As a solution, Troen and Boles propose are not about is knowledge. Oh sure, educa- write, “you don’t put bodies in seats — and to create a new kind of public school — the tors will occasionally allow the word to keep them there — if you’re too tough on “Millennium School.” As they describe it, pass their lips, but it is always in a compro- your customers.” “A Millennium School offers teachers a mul- mised position, as in “constructing one’s Troen and Boles quote a student who tilevel career path that rewards advanced own knowledge,” or “contextualized was pursuing a degree in education at the training and experience with higher levels knowledge.” Plain old knowledge, the kind supposedly elite Columbia University of pay, responsibility, supervision and team passed down in books, the kind for which of education professionals. Vivian Troen Teachers College: “One of our seminars… management.” The authors are excited Faust sold his soul, that is out. and Katherine Boles, two experienced teach- was described to us as ‘the backbone of our about their idea, but it’s impossible to see ers with well-polished credentials, have teacher training experience.’ A lot of the how it could make any difference in the Incompetent teachers abound written a book exploring the problem of three hours was spent writing with magic quality of instruction in American schools. poor teaching. markers on easel pads, in order to ‘share Creating new schools within a system sub- Mac Donald’s essay, included in her “Public education in America is in seri- our experiences.’” ject to those powerful forces and expecting book The Burden of Bad Ideas, reveals the ous trouble. By ‘in trouble,’ we mean that Pabulum like that dominates teacher them to function more effectively than cur- utter inanity of the education school cur- the number of good classroom teachers, training programs. Unfortunately, the book rent schools do is just wishful thinking. CJ riculum, inanity that reflects the commit- and therefore the quality of teaching itself, doesn’t delve far enough into the problem. ment to “progressive” education among is in perilous decline and will continue to It isn’t just that teacher education is aca- the education elite. Concern over teacher worsen,” the authors write. Their conclu- demically flimsy, but that many of the theo- George Leef is director of the Pope Center for competence is now reaching into the ranks sion is incontestable, but the authors do not ries taught are downright harmful. Higher Education Policy. November 2003 C A R O L I N A 20 Opinion JOURNAL

College Enrollment: Hold the Sob Story

recent report issued by the Education Com- mission of the States raises the ominous Aspecter of an undereducated United States. We just aren’t keeping up with the international Joneses when it comes to putting kids into college. “Closing the College Participation Gap” is the name of the report and it contains the shocking news that the United States ranks eleventh in the world in college participation leading to a bachelor’s degree. While the percent- age of Americans who go to college has, according to the study “stagnated,” in other industrial nations the percentage has been in- creasing. That led Sandra Ruppert, who served as di- rector for the study, to la- ment, “It may be that it no longer holds true that each succeeding generation of George Leef Americans will be better- educated than the one that preceded it.” Just as a matter of simple logic, it does not follow that the next generation of Americans won’t Editorials Rather than paying only one impact fee, developers — be better educated than the current one because our and consumers eventually — already ante up for a smor- rate of college participation isn’t increasing, or be- gasbord of questionable fees imposed by localities. Nick cause other nations are luring more young people Tennyson, executive vice president of the Homebuilders into college. Let’s hold off on the sobs. IMPACT FEES Association of Durham and Orange Counties, identifies The obvious problem with Ruppert’s conclu- several levies that builders already pay. Among them are sion is that it equates “better education” with col- Truth and consequences of bad policy separate fees for the review of plans, recording of plans, lege attendance. The higher the percentage of stu- review of drainage plans, posting of bonds for stormwater dents who go to college, the “better educated” we pond reviews, inspections, water-sewer capital facilities, supposedly are. Nonsense. ontroversy arising from the basic unfairness of open spaces, parks, and streets. More “seat time” in school does not necessarily impact fees resurfaced recently in local politics. All of these fees give rise to an obvious question: What mean more learning. Over the last several decades, C Durham County, eager to harvest a windfall of have government officials been doing with the general the amount of school time devoted to nonacademic revenue to pay for new-school construction, brazenly ig- fund, whose revenue from traditional sources is supposed stuff has been increasing, and the expectations for nored state law and imposed another fee on developers to to pay for these services? students has been decreasing. Chester Finn, an pay for growth. Conversely, Cary voters, concerned about acute observer of American education, recently a slowdown in growth partly caused by high impact fees, Paying for inefficient, wasteful government wrote, “Education is so expensive in large measure dumped a mayor who practiced “smart-growth” politics. because we pay for it twice. We send kids to high Not surprisingly, the Homebuilders Association op- Beyond the lofty rhetoric over the ostensible need and school to pick up the knowledge and skills they posed the fees in Durham County and contended that the touted justification for impact fees lies an ugly truth: Too ought to have learned in elementary school. We N.C. General Assembly must specifically approve them often government tries to live beyond its means. And send them to college to acquire a decent secondary before county commissioners vote on the proposal. So politicians, concerned about alienating constituents, con- education.” much for the law, the commissioners decided before their sistently fail to make the necessary, hard decisions that Finn is correct. There is good reason to believe 4-1 vote Sept. 8, we’re going to take the money anyway. could return sanity and solvency to government. When the that, even with four years of college, today’s 22- Leaders in Cary, the NIMBY (not in my back yard) bill comes due, elected officials, like drug addicts, hide the year-old is less well-educated than were high school nexus of the Triangle, began to rethink their stratospheric evidence and pretend there isn’t a problem. graduates half a century ago. Last year, the Na- impact fees after the town’s growth rate plummeted below That’s where impact fees become a politicians’ best tional Association of Scholars released an intrigu- the goal of 4 percent to only 1.7 percent last year. Cary’s friend. “The issue of using impact fees to finance infrastruc- ing paper that compared college students of today impact fees are as much as four times higher than those in ture improvements is almost always raised in communities with high-schoolers of 1955 on a short general the city of Durham and six times higher than those in experiencing rapid growth. The need for more government knowledge test. Overall, the college graduates did Raleigh. Mayor Glen Lang, who steadfastly maintained revenue often arises because the community did not ad- no better on the questions than did the kids back in that Cary should maintain its high impact fees, paid for his equately plan and prepare for growth,” the EOP 1955. And there is much anecdotal evidence to abrasive style and uninformed policies by suffering a hu- Foundation’s report said. So, rather than taking the heat for show that, thanks to educational dumbing-down, it miliating defeat in October’s election. their lack of foresight and facing citizens’ enmity for raising has been true for some time that young Americans Experiences in both localities demonstrate the illegiti- taxes, politicians pass the buck to developers. are not as well-educated as their parents were, even macy of most arguments for impact fees. Supporters of the And, of course, it is always easier politically to impose if they have bachelor’s degrees and their parents fees say, rightfully so, that newcomers to a city or county impact fees on individuals and businesses who are new to didn’t. should have to pay for the additional services and infra- an area than it is to raise taxes on established residents. But it suits the interests of education providers structure their residency requires. Experience teaches us, though, especially when it comes to spread the idea that more years of schooling to government, that there is no free lunch. Impact fees exact makes you “better-educated.” The more we par- Never-ending classification of services a sacrifice from somewhere. Developers, if they want to take of the formal education they provide, the more remain solvent, must pass their costs on to consumers. secure and lucrative their jobs. When they say that But some public officials’ definition of a public service, Fees, exactions, construction delays, and regulatory com- they want better-educated Americans, what they and to what degree newcomers should pay, leaves many pliance impose sizable additional costs on everyone asso- mean is that they want to see more of us signing up developers and citizens crying foul. The problem stems ciated with the process. The fees also encourage developers and paying for the courses they provide. from what Sam Staley of the Reason Public Policy Institute to construct more expensive housing in less-desirable places. It used to be the case that most high school calls “an industrial-sized rubber band,” which can expand Home seekers in Cary pay higher prices. So do students could write tolerably well, thanks to dili- to classify almost anything as a public service. homebuyers in Durham County. Fewer and fewer families, gent teachers in the early grades who insisted that It seems reasonable for a municipality to levy impact especially minorities and those with limited incomes, are students learn the basics of English composition. fees for basic needs such as roads, water, sewer, and able to buy homes where impact fees are high. Now, we often find college grads who can’t com- sidewalks. But “over time, impact fees have been extended For these reasons and many others, local officials should pose a coherent paragraph. Whether a college gradu- to many other government service areas where pro-rata pay careful attention to the unintended economic and ate is better-educated than someone with a high infrastructure costs are not easily quantifiable and where social consequences created by their use of impact fees. school diploma all depends on the standards of the benefits accrue to the users other than the new resident Cary’s leaders are beginning to wake up to the reality instruction. Ours have been slipping badly. or business,” according to a report the EOP Foundation that impact fees can quickly turn a growth area into a no- Instead of worrying about the percentage of prepared for the South Carolina Policy Council. growth area. Economic stagnation and declining overall young people who go to college, let’s worry more One national study, Staley says, identified more than tax revenue soon follow. about the extent of their learning in their formative 22 categories of public services that have been financed by Durham County’s commissioners have yet to learn years. CJ impact fees. Among them are public art, community cen- that lesson. Their day of reckoning, no doubt, is just around ters, land for city hall, and low-income housing. the corner. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Opinion 21 ation of a real, multi-year capital budget for the state that couldn’t easily be changed by powerful lawmakers in the FEWER SPECIFICS back room. Bad individual decisions often stem from struc- tural flaws. What Matters Is Politicians should supply general principles There is always a rationale in someone’s mind for a particular position, program, or project. What is lacking is an institutional presumption in favor of saying no, a pre- What Is Measured e never thought we’d say this, but we’re increas- sumption which clearly would be in the interest of most North Carolinians most of the time. ingly coming to the conclusion that debates ne common theme in the corporate-man- In other words, ask them first for generalities, not spe- Wabout North Carolina’s now-chronic budget agement literature of the past couple of cifics. If they can’t adequate address the former, they’ll woes ought to focus less on details. decades is that if you don’t measure some- Perhaps we’ve just fallen under the hypnotic spell of never get the latter right anyway. O thing, you aren’t really interested in understand- California Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, who man- ing and managing it. This principle isn’t universally aged to win the recall election in early October without applicable, but it is useful in gauging the serious- having to spell out how he would solve the state’s budget ness of many human endeavors, including govern- crisis. His fellow GOP candidate, state Sen. Tom ment. And in the field of North Carolina public McClintock, did provide a detailed plan. He came in a dis- SPRAWL SOLVES education, the “it matters if it’s measured” rule has tant third, though in his defense he polled about a million become central to reform efforts. more votes than Larry Flynt or Gary Coleman, so specific- Challenging the anti-growth theology That’s why I find it so surprising and disap- ity does apparently have its political uses, at least in some pointing that education officials have devoted so contexts. little attention to measuring the extent and impact ow-density growth — typically suburban, typically Our new enthusiasm for generalities isn’t an endorse- of parental choice — surely one of the most fre- auto-friendly, typically detached dwellings with ment of vagueness. Instead, we’ve come to believe that un- quently debated issues in school reform. At least sizable lots — is viewed by many “experts” as the less politicians present a coherent set of principles for fash- L within public schools, choice ought to be consid- cause of lots of serious problems for local governments and ioning government budgets, detailed promises are irrel- ered a potentially useful their citizens. evant. tool in finding the right “Sprawl” leads to too much driving, which pollutes Consider a recent case in North Carolina. This past educational fit for stu- the air and creates congestion. Sprawl makes homes less session, lawmakers and Gov. Mike Easley enacted a bud- dents, promoting com- affordable for lower-income families. Sprawl creates more get purporting to close the state’s fourth-straight fiscal petition, allowing for in- service needs for governments and raises taxes. Sprawl deficit and making what were called “painful cuts” in a novative programs, and leads to corpulent commuters who never get any exercise host of programs. Oh, and you might remember that they encouraging parental in- and thus develop heart disease. Sprawl reduces public in- raised your taxes again. (By the way, it should be noted volvement. But judging teractions and weakens our democracy. And so on. that state revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2003-04 are by the lack of data avail- Challenge this orthodoxy and you will, as befits the significantly below the projections contained in the bud- able on the use of mag- term, be treated as an apostate. It truly is an article of faith get passed last summer, so get ready for Raleigh Budget net schools, open enroll- John Hood among politicians, bureaucrats, policy analysts, journal- Smackdown, Round Four or so). ment, and other policies ists, activists, and others that sprawl is a social evil to be While all this was going on, however, some rather- over time — a deficiency uncovered by the North combatted. questionable items ended up in the state’s spending plan. Carolina Education Alliance while it prepared a re- Well, count us in on that apostate gig. Another of our Our Carolina Journal colleague Paul Chesser chased down cent report on choice — educrats don’t view choice deviant kind, Randall O’Toole of the Thoreau Institute, has the parentage of one of them, an authorization to borrow as nearly as important as other issues. discovered some interesting new information about an $310,000 to build a “structural pest control training facil- That’s unfortunate. Evidence has been emerg- angle on sprawl — or more precisely, on its “New Urban- ity” at North Carolina State University. ing across the country that parental choice is at least ism” apotheosis — that hadn’t occurred to us before. It as important as the other factors in explaining stu- seems that the kind of development many Smart Growthers Who let the pest-control trainers out? dent performance. In 2002, the Manhattan Institute dream about, including high residential densities and found that, measured as a percentage of a standard plenty of common areas, is particularly well-suited for one When Chesser asked university officials who had lob- deviation, testing initiatives (14 percent) and class- class of urban dwellers: criminals. bied for it, they said they didn’t know — but it wasn’t them. size cuts (21 percent) offer less benefit to African- O’Toole points to a report out of England that probed Administration officials said something similar, one refer- American students than the experimental, privately the impact of New Urbanism designs. It concluded that ring to a request from House Speaker Jim Black as the first funded voucher program in operation in Charlotte- policing such communities would require three times the time he had heard of it. Lobbyists for the pest-control in- Mecklenburg since 1999 (33 percent). This is par- police resources and still result in five times the losses to dustry also denied having pushed for the project, though ticularly interesting because unlike the other re- theft and other crimes. For example, growth patterns that they didn’t mind it coming to fruition. forms, well-crafted choice programs don’t cost tax- minimize privately owned property in favor of parks, Finally, it turned out that a powerful member of the payers any extra money. greenways, public squares, and the like take away the in- House, Democrat Dewey Hill from Whiteville, had pushed Whether parents making choices is a model for centive many property owners have to look out for suspi- for the project’s inclusion despite the fact that N.C. State school improvement is an increasingly important cious characters and take sensible precautions. Cul-de-sacs? officials “were not exactly in favor of it” because it “was issue in North Carolina, given the political debates Transit planners may hate them, but police departments not high on their priority list.” He said he had been re- now under way in several of our largest urban cen- like the fact that they obstruct easy getaways by criminals. sponding to pest-control businesses in his own district who ters. In Mecklenburg, a choice-based plan enacted The same goes for well-lit and accessible parking lots, were hoping the research would help them comply with last year replaced a forced-busing plan that was which New Urbanists want to break up and hide away state regulations. struck down by the federal courts. Now some par- but which the police find relatively easy to patrol. Now, the point of this story isn’t that taxpayer money ents in Wake County want their school district, shouldn’t be used to fund research designed to benefit a which provides some choice among magnet schools particular industry, though that is true. The point is that What else sprawl solves but also relies on involuntary busing for “socioeco- we obviously have no rational process for setting the state’s nomic balance,” to adopt a broader choice plan. And Perhaps these negative implications for public safety priorities, particularly in the area of building construction debate continues in the state capital about lifting could be justified if high-density, Smart Growth concepts and renovation. the statewide cap on charter schools. had other offsetting economic and social benefits. Unfor- Over the years, North Carolina politicians have con- The new Education Alliance report on the cur- tunately, the case evaporates with the sunshine of careful sistently underfunded routine building maintenance and rent state of choice is sobering. While many educa- scrutiny. unexciting highway widenings and improvements while tion officials say they would like to accommodate Sprawl reduces traffic congestion by spreading out ori- pushing for billions of dollars in spending or debt to fi- choice, only five districts of 117 in 2002-03 had at gins and destinations, creating various centers of employ- nance new construction, some little more than white el- least half of their students in a school of choice — ment and shopping, and generating sufficient highway ephants with little chance of generating an economic or whether public or private. Among students in capacity to accommodate the inevitable rise in auto com- social return. grades 3-8, nearly three-fourths attended schools muting as societies become wealthier. Similarly, politicians have strong political incentives that were simply assigned to them, with 13 percent Sprawl reduces the per-capita need for services over- to create new programs, be they in preschool education or in district-run choice schools, 2 percent in charters, all, when you factor in functions such as law enforcement, health care or law enforcement, for which they can take and 12 percent in private or home schools. and reduces the need to raise property-tax rates by gener- credit while paying little attention to how well existing Because few districts keep records on public- ating more tax revenue per person (the only kind of resi- programs are managed or existing grant programs are school choice back in time, it’s possible that we may dential growth that doesn’t appear to “pay for itself” is doled out. be missing some important insights about educa- low- to moderate-income multifamily housing). tion reform. For example, Wake County has until Sprawl reduces tailpipe emissions from automobiles by Start with strategies, not specific changes recently made much greater use of choice (through minimizing the time they spend idling in traffic jams or magnets) than most other urban districts have. It creeping along in central cities. So here’s a thought for candidate seeking the voters’ also outperforms most other urban districts. Sprawl increases opportunities for homeownership approval next year to become governor, state senator, or Is there a connection? It would seem important among lower-income families by offering attractive new state representative. Ask them not only for a specific list of to North Carolina parents and taxpayers that we programs they would ax or taxes they would change but properties for those with rising incomes to purchase in the find an answer to that question. CJ also what principles they would apply to the North Caro- suburbs, thus moderating the prices of the existing hous- lina budget and what changes they would make in the ing stock closer into town, which would otherwise soar (as it has in Smart Growth enclaves such as college towns budgetary process. Hood is president of the John Locke Foundation, pub- and the cities of the Pacific Northwest). Good answers would include a constitutional limit on lisher of Carolina Journal, a syndicated columnist, and Perhaps a better label for skeptics of Smart Growth the- annual spending increases, the creation of separate reserve host of “Carolina Journal Radio,” now broadcast each ology than apostate would be Protestant. One can only accounts for fiscal stabilization and for disaster relief (in- week on 16 stations across the state. stead of relying on a single Rainy Day Fund), and the cre- hope this Reformation succeeds. CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 22 Opinion JOURNAL

Editorial Briefs

Government loves high gas prices

When gasoline prices rise, lawmakers reflex- ively mount soapboxes to call for probes and vilify oil companies. They should be careful, says Investor’s Business Daily, because they get more out of the industry than the industry makes for itself. In fact, Energy Department figures show that government’s take from the oil industry actually exceeds the industry’s profits. In 2001, the major oil companies earned $50.8 billion in profits from their petroleum products. In that same year, government collected nearly $78 billion in taxes from them. The government gathers the revenues through a variety of taxes, including income and excise taxes, on the industry. When all these taxes are combined, an estimated 42 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline is made up of taxes. To put this in focus, consider that about 370 million gallons of gasoline are consumed in the United States each day. When gasoline prices are averaging $1.25 a gallon as they were in May 2002, the government pulls in more than $194 million a day. When prices hit an average of $1.75 per gallon, as they have recently, the government’s daily hauls increase to almost $272 million. Reported in Investor’s Business Daily.

Recessions lower death rates

Death rates fall during recessions, says Christo- pher Ruhm, of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He found that economic downturns im- Senate’s Malpractice Bill Marks a Good Start prove the health of people because they alter their behavior. By Dr. ROY CORDATO increase risks to patients. It would subsidize risky behavior Ruhm analyzed three key determinants to mor- Contributing Editor by health-care providers because above a certain level, tality: whether the person smoked, whether the RALEIGH liability is shifted to the fund and away from the individual person was obese, and whether the person exer- econvening in special session, the North Carolina health-care providers and their insurance companies. cised regularly. Senate recently passed medical malpractice legis Two other provisions of the bill are worth mentioning. He found that during temporary downturns, R lation. The bill proposes some important reforms. The least-desirable imposes price controls on insurance smoking and weight decline, while exercise rises. In Most encouraging is the establishment of rates. The legislation states, “no insurer’s rate particular, the drop in tobacco use is stronger for a medical review committee for each case and shall be approved… that is excessive.” Exces- heavy smokers, the fall in body weight is larger in the implementation of a “loser pays” rule. A sive is not defined except to say that the the severely obese, and exercise increases most panel of three expert “referees” would be “[insurance] Commissioner shall consider among those who were completely inactive. Ruhm chosen, one by each side in the case and a whether the rate…reflects the insurer’s in- found a 1 percent rise in unemployment reduced the third by agreement of both parties or by the vestment income.” Insurance rates should be total death rate by 0.5 percent; studies in Spain, judge. If it had merit, the panel would recom- guided by market conditions of supply, de- Germany, and other nations have come to similar mend to the defendant that the case be settled mand, and risk. If rates are set below those conclusions. It does so by reducing the estimated or, if it was deemed frivolous, that the plain- that reflect these factors then the state would prevalence of smoking by 0.6 percent, severe obe- tiff drop the case. If either side proceeded to lose providers and experience shortages. Price sity by 1.4 percent, and physical activity by 1.5 trial against the recommendation of the panel, controls are always bad policy. percent. and lost, it would have to pay the opposing A provision that has merit would allow Reported in the NBER Digest, June 2003; based party’s legal fees and court costs. judges to order that economic awards be paid upon Christopher Ruhm, “Healthy Living in Hard There are several benefits to this provi- out at specified intervals rather than in a Times,” Working Paper No. 9468, February 2003, sion. First, to proceed to trial in defiance of the lump sum. Payments would be timed to re- Dr. Roy Cordato National Bureau of Economic Research. panel’s recommendation could be very costly, flect future economic damages, such as the especially to plaintiffs. With contingency fees, cost of ongoing medical needs. This would Personal bankruptcies soar plaintiffs can sue at no cost to them, win or lose. Because of ensure that plaintiffs would have funds as they are needed this, defendants face a strong incentive to settle a case and would not deplete the settlement amount before ex- Personal bankruptcies are skyrocketing and a simply to avoid the cost of a trial, even if the case has little penses are incurred. record 1.5 million people have filed this year alone. or no merit. With this new provision, the probability of a Earlier this year a reform plan was proposed, but not This is more than will suffer heart attacks, diag- frivolous lawsuit making it to trial or ending in a purely acted upon, by Sen. Robert Pittenger. Pittenger’s proposal nosed with cancer, or graduate from college, say defensive settlement would be greatly reduced. Further- included a $250,000 cap on noneconomic pain and suffer- authors Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi, more, it would be much more difficult to sway the jury with ing awards. While some doctors and insurance companies in their new book, The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle- junk science. The panel’s findings could be introduced at see this as an absolute necessity, there are better ways to Class Mothers & Fathers Are Going Broke. trial and would act as an objective check deal with the arbitrariness that domi- According to the authors, record bankruptcies on attempts to take advantage of the jury’s nates these awards. Harvard Professors have occurred despite the fact that two-wage- earner lack of medical and scientific knowledge. The initial $20 million Joseph Newhouse and Paul Weiler have families bring in 75 percent more (inflation-adjusted) While the medical review commit- suggested a possible compromise. They income than a generation ago. Almost 90 percent of tee and the loser-pays provisions are wel- would amount to a co- propose establishing a “scale for pain those who file for bankruptcy qualify as middle come reforms, the other major provision erced wealth transfer and suffering damages… containing class by virtue of income and education. should be stripped from the legislation. from the average citi- standardized injury profiles and specific The authors lay much of the blame on the de- The bill establishes an “excess liability damage amounts that would govern the cline in public education. Supposedly, competition fund” to subsidize the malpractice insur- zen in North Carolina parties’ and the juries’ appraisal of par- for houses in “good” school districts has dramati- ance costs of doctors, hospitals, and nurs- to doctors, hospitals... ticular claims.” cally raised the price of housing, prompting parents ing homes above a basic mandatory This would make pain and suffering to take on big mortgages so their children will get a amount. If a claim were made exceeding awards more predictable and more con- good education. Indeed, having a child is the single the mandated minimums, the overage would be paid out of sistent from case to case. The House should consider this biggest predictor of future bankruptcy. the fund. In the first year the fund would be established at approach in its deliberations next year. Aggravating this trend is easy access to credit. $20 million, and paid for by taxpayers. After that the fund This legislation has much to commend it. Clearly, there Lending companies are allowing 120 percent mort- would be maintained at actuarially sound levels by a tax on are provisions that should be eliminated, but the review gages, compared to the industry standard of 80 all doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes. board and loser-pays provisions are important reforms percent a generation ago. Moreover, lenders have This provision would socialize the costs of malpractice that should be included in the final legislation. The Senate filled American’s mailboxes with five billion pre- insurance. The initial $20 million amounts to a coerced bill will act as a good starting point for the House when the approved credit cards this year along alone. wealth transfer from the average citizen in North Carolina full General Assembly reconvenes in May. CJ Reported in Business Week, based on Elizabeth to doctors, hospitals, and owners of nursing homes. Taxes Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi, The Two Income and surcharges used to maintain the fund would penalize Trap, Basic Books, September 2003. CJ the most responsible health-care providers and those doc- Dr. Roy Cordato is vice president for research of the John Locke tors in the least-risky specialties. Also, the program might Foundation. November 2003 C A R O L I N A JOURNAL Opinion 23 Exploding the Myth of Low-Paying Service-Industry Jobs

By MICHAEL L. WALDEN factures that system? The real concern about service jobs is Also since 1990, six of 10 new service jobs in North Contributing Editor their pay. The conventional wisdom is service jobs pay less Carolina have been in six categories: professional and RALEIGH than manufacturing jobs, and this is the major reason why technical, managers, teachers, clerical, health care, and e’ve all heard the statement that the United people are upset about the growth of service jobs relative to restaurants. These jobs paid an average of $32,000 in 2002, States is becoming a service manufacturing jobs. slightly more than the $28,000 salary of the lost manufac- W economy. Usually this comment is Before this issue can be examined, we turing jobs. However, unlike the manufacturing jobs, there greeted with some dismay because many view must define “service” jobs. The broadest defi- is a wide range in the salaries of the growing service jobs, service jobs as somehow less important than nition of service jobs, technically called “ser- from a top average pay of $65,000 for managers to a low pay manufacturing jobs and, more importantly, vice-producing” jobs, includes all employ- of $11,000 for restaurant workers. less financially lucrative. ment outside of manufacturing, construction, Indeed, the salaries of the growing service jobs can be Why are service jobs increasing? Most agriculture and forestry, and mining. split 40-20-40. Forty percent, including professional, tech- would say it’s because our country’s manu- “Service-producing” employment in- nical, and managerial jobs, pay salaries higher than the pay facturing sector is crumbling. Nothing could cludes a broad array of jobs, and consequently of the lost manufacturing jobs. Twenty percent, like teach- be more removed from the truth. Both the the salaries are diverse. Service jobs such as ers and some health care, pay salaries roughly equal to nation’s factories and North Carolina’s facto- those of physicians and financial managers those of the lost manufacturing jobs. The remaining 40 ries continue to make more manufactured prod- can easily pay more than $100,000 annually, percent, in the clerical, nursing and residential care, and ucts. North Carolina’s manufacturing compa- while another job in the service sector, restau- restaurant fields, have salaries less than that of the lost nies increased production by 72 percent dur- rant workers, can make as little as $11,000 per manufacturing jobs. ing the past quarter century, despite the fact Michael L. Walden year. So the picture is certainly not bleak for the earnings of that factory employment dropped by 6 percent. So to determine whether the reduction in service jobs. In fact, 60 percent of the new service jobs in Of course, the reason manufacturing out- manufacturing jobs and the increase in ser- North Carolina during the past 12 years have paid the same put has been able to increase while manufacturing employ- vice jobs have resulted in better or worse salaries for North or more than the manufacturing jobs cut in the state during ment has fallen is that each factory worker, using modern Carolinians, we need more specifics. We need to know the same time period. Clearly, among the many myths technology and equipment, can produce significantly more precisely what manufacturing jobs are being cut and what about the economy, include the one that says service jobs than his or her predecessors years ago. types of service jobs are being added. are universally low-paying. CJ Are service jobs somehow less “worthy” than manu- More than 85 percent of the manufacturing jobs lost in facturing jobs? Of course not. Any job that provides value North Carolina since 1990 have been in so-called “tradi- to the economy and the consumer is “worthy.” Why would tional manufacturing” in our state: tobacco, textile and Michael Walden is a William Neal Reynolds distinguished pro- anyone say the person who repairs and services your apparel, and furniture manufacturing. In 2002, these in- fessor at North Carolina State University and an adjunct scholar heating system is less worthy than the person who manu- dustries paid similar salaries, averaging $28,000 annually. with the Locke Foundation. ‘Breck Girl’ John Edwards Is Just Another Unattractive Liberal

By R.E. SMITH JR. Al Sharpton and Carol Moseley Braun. He raised lots of deeds? Not well, when you look at his record. Contributing Editor money earlier this year from trial lawyers, but recent New Edwards has aligned himself with a party dominated WILMINGTON Hampshire polls give him 2 to 6 percent of prospective by leftists and assorted factions selfishly trying to get more is youthful face and full head of hair are back in votes. Along with the fresh face, the press would like voters from others. With them, he runs on empty. North Carolina newspapers — the “Breck girl” to think Edwards is a moderate. Edwards has a 95 percent score from the left-wing Himage, some call it. Stories appear about his small- Edwards may have his act a bit more together than last Americans for Democratic Action — equal to Sen. Ted town background, his rapid rise to riches as a trial lawyer, year, but in May 2002 he didn’t look good on NBC’s “Meet Kennedy’s ranking. He is highly rated by the government the family charity projects, and the family tragedy. the Press.” Hearst columnist Marianne Means said he employees union. Edwards wants more government en- John Edwards wants to be the Democratic choice for smiled nicely but “had nothing to say.” Bill Safire, New York titlements for college education and health care. In addi- president. Editors are gaga over the glamorous, but very Times, columnist said, “He projected profound shallow- tion, he wants to repeal some of the promised tax cuts, and slight prospect of their North Carolina fair-haired boy ness.” Safire referred to Edwards at the time as one of give tax breaks to special voting interests. leading the pack of Democrats. It’s the first time for such a “seven dwarfs” seeking Snow White. Edwards also sides with environmental extremists prospect since former governor and U.S. Sen. Terry Sanford Of course, it’s not wise to judge candidates on only one who threaten to damage the economy by demanding more tossed his political hat in the 1970s. appearance. And what press pundits say may not be worth regulatory control over American industry. Earlier this In his Robbins, S.C. hometown, and a conservative much, but there are clear signs that Edwards’s ideology is year, Edwards proposed, through an appropriations bill, state that pundits call a “must-win” for Edwards, he told not what it is portrayed to be. to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from textile workers that they need to vote for a change in He certainly wants socially conservative Southerners loosening its death grip on American factories. Washington. Some nerve. Last February he showed dis- to believe that he squares with their values. “I learned that North Carolinians put Edwards in the U.S. Senate dain for their cultural icon, calling the Confederate battle the simple promise of America is the enduring greatness of based on his charming Southern personality. Now he has flag “an offensive symbol.” Then, Edwards personally America — a better life for all who work for it,” Edwards abandoned them for a bigger personal quest. It’s not likely joined the NAACP’s boycott of South Carolina businesses. said at his campaign stop in Robbins. Sounds good, to the that Democrats will search beneath his looks. But, regard- Of the 10 Democrat candidates, Edwards ranks behind homefolk, but how do these words relate to Edwards’s less, their other choices don’t look any better. CJ CBS Focuses on the ‘Dark Side’ of Homeschooling in North Carolina

By PAUL CHESSER only once, despite repeated attempts. The home, which had Gonzales apparently didn’t ask whether the residence Associate Editor rotting food and animal feces on the floor, was in an was conducive to other activities, and if he did, it wasn’t in RALEIGH extremely unhealthy condition. the broadcast. He also asked Marcia Herman-Giddens of BS News, in a two-part investigative report in the N.C. Child Advocacy Institute, “The laws of North which it claimed to uncover a “dark side of Placing Blame Carolina — do they protect children who are being C homeschooling,” focused its “Eye on America” homeschooled?” segments on Oct. 13-14 largely on an abuse and murder According to an April 2002 report in The News & “I don’t think they protect children,” Herman-Giddens case in Johnston County. Observer, a state Child Fatality Review Team did not find said, “because there is virtually no oversight.” She served The network held up the case of Nissa and Kent War- fault with the county social services, the judge that “worked on the Review Team for the case. ren, whose 14-year-old son Brandon committed suicide with social services to protect the children,” or lawyers on Then CBS cited a few others as evidence of the “dark after he killed his half-sister and brother in 2001, as an the case who “worked beyond the traditional role in order side of homeschooling,” including the Texas case of An- example of families in a subgroup of the homeschooling to assist in the protection of the children.” drea Yates, who drowned her five children in a bathtub. movement that abuse their children. In 1991 the Warrens Despite probable cause that brought attention to the “The genuine homeschoolers are doing a great job with were convicted in Arizona of child abuse and served three Warrens in the first place, the Review Team found fault their children,” Herman-Giddens said in the report. “But years of probation. A worker there who handled the case with home-school laws that “allow persons who maltreat there is a subgroup…keeping them out of public view wrote, “The children are tortured physically and emotion- children to maintain social isolation in order for the abuse because the children often do have visible injuries.” ally.” The Warrens moved to North Carolina from Mesa in and neglect to remain undetected,” the newspaper re- In response, CBS interviewed Hal Young, president of 1996 with their three children. ported. CBS did not explore why social services and law the North Carolinians for Home Education. “The cases you CBS reporter Vince Gonzales linked the alleged lack of enforcement, in North Carolina or Arizona, failed to act mentioned are very, very rare, extremely few,” he said. accountability that homeschoolers have to a child-abuse more aggressively in the Warren case. “There’s not a pattern there. There’s not a trend,” he said. trend that is “out of the public eye.” However the Warrens Gonzales instead honed in on homeschooling. He asked Concluding the report, Gonzales noted the inadequacy had not escaped the attention of Johnston County Social Johnston County District Attorney Tom Lock about the of homeschooling laws in most states. “Not one state has Services, which had repeatedly contacted them about the Warrens’ trailer, “Is this a location where you expect some- criminal background checks to see if parents have abuse poor condition of their home and of their children. During body could be learning lessons?” convictions,” he said. “It’s hard to know how widespread the several weeks before the deaths the Warrens allowed “I certainly don’t think this sort of environment could abuse might be, because the government doesn’t keep social workers to inspect their trailer and their children be very conducive to homeschooling,” Locke said. track.” CJ November 2003 C A R O L I N A 24 Parting Shot JOURNAL A Somewhat Literary Treatment of Campus News Higher education selections range from Renaissance literature to the bard to American popular song

UNC-Chapel Hill has one. So does Duke. And now UNCG “We’re not waiting for any one event. We want to keep the Sixteen hundred SAT score — and N.C. A&T … both want a bell tower… momentum going,” said Karen McCall, vice president of public That’s my free pass into your door. “Bell towers on many campuses provide a sense of unity,” affairs for UNC Health Care. — The Charlotte Observer, I can party senior year long, A&T Chancellor James Renick said. At a fast-growing A&T, he “UNC pursues cancer center: Hospital officials seek way around ’Fact right now I’m sitting in class said, “it will be a dominant symbol. What we think is important lack of funds,” Sept. 1, 2003 Writing this song. is to have the appropriate symbol and appropriate climate.”— Greensboro News & Record, “UNCG, A&T officials long for [Enter Hillian] All my counselors say, “Wise up, kid! bell towers,” Sept. 2, 2003 To build, or not to build — that’s not the question: Or you’ll later wish that you did.” Whether ’tis nobler at this time to suffer But I know my ticket’s punched now. Meditation MMIII The stingy cash flow of our state’s misfortune If my laziness’ll hurt me PERCHANCE they for whom this bell would toll may Or to seek alms against our funding troubles, I don’t see how. think so ill, as that they would know not it would toll for And by our begging end them? Why beg? They’re cheap, them; and perchance they may think themselves so much That’s all; and by “cheap” we say we mean What’s the deal here with this letter? better off to see their state to have caused it to toll for them. The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks “Hasta la vista? See you later?” If we understand aright the appropriate dignity of this bell Our budget’s heir to. Our center’s construction’s It’s a joke, right — not rejection? that would toll for us, we would be glad to make it ours. The Devoutly to be wish’d. To beg, to build — Hey, you can’t do that to me; bell doth toll for them that think it doth; and though it To build! perchance to dream: ay, there you go! I had perfection! intermit again, yet from that minute that that occasion Our enterprise is of great need and momentum; wrought upon them, they are united to Campus. With this regard, let building start anew, Take me back, No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece And keep the name of action. Admissions Off’cah of the campus, a part of the main. If a clod be awash in his Take me back, no more Slackoffa, own self, the campus is the less, as well as if a professor ß ß ß Don’t leave me were, as well as if the manner of thy friend’s or of thine own Out here to get a job were: any man’s selfishness diminishes us, because we are 18-year-old Mark Edmonson filed a lawsuit … that contends Because, you know, I’m just a lazy slob all in this together, and therefore never send to know for UNC-CH unlawfully rescinded an admission acceptance offer … whom this bell tolls; it tolls for we. I mean, for us. Edmonson, who scored a perfect 1,600 on his SAT last year, Take me back, I promise graduated in May … Edmonson received a D, F and Cs during I will study more ß ß ß his senior year, prompting UNC-CH to [rescind] its offer. — And go to class ‘cause that’s what class is for. Greensboro News & Record, “UNC admissions letter at suit’s Oh please don’t keep me out. For a second year in a row, state lawmakers couldn’t find a center,” Aug. 20, 2003 You’ve made me whine and pout. way to pay for a new $180 million cancer center at UNC Chapel Hill. Hello Chanc’lah, Admissions Off’cah, Wait a minute — got an idea! The school’s solution: Let’s get started anyway. Here I am at Camp Slackoffa, You’re a law school — hire a lawyer! UNC Hospitals is asking a state agency to let it use $7 School is useless, time just ill-spent, Suing you now — gee, that’s better million of its reserves to start planning the new building, slated They can say to get to work Chanc’lah, Off’cah to open in 2009. But I’m in like Flint. Kindly disregard this letter! CJ

Host Tom Campbell Chris Fitzsimon Barry Saunders John Hood

Whether it’s politics, education, taxes, growth, or the legislature, the issues that affect North Carolina are important to you, so…

THE NC SPIN NETWORK (Partial) Every week, hundreds of thousands of NC SPIN has been called ‘the most WLOS-TV ABC Asheville Sundays 6am North Carolinians watch NC SPIN for a full, intelligent half-hour on North Carolina TV’ WWWB-TV WB55 Charlotte Sundays 11pm all-points discussion of issues important to and is considered required viewing for WJZY-TV UPN46 Charlotte Sundays 6:30am the state. Politics. Education. Growth. anyone interested in state and local politics WHIG-TV Indep. Rocky Mount Sundays 10am, 7pm Taxes. Transportation. and public policy issues. WRAZ-TV FOX50 Raleigh-Durham Sundays 8:30am WRAL-TV CBS Raleigh-Durham Sundays 6:30am A recent poll showed 48% of North Caro- If your organization has a message for WILM-TV CBS Wilmington Sundays 11am lina ‘influentials’ — including elected officials, CEOs or government and education WXII-TV NBC Winston-Salem Sundays 7am lobbyists, journalists, and business leaders leaders, NC SPIN’s statewide network is WRXO-TV Indep. Roxboro Saturdays 6pm — watch NC SPIN, with 24% saying they the place for you to be! Call Rudy Partin WCTI-TV ABC New Bern Sundays 11:30am watched the show ‘nearly every week.’ (919/274-4706) for advertising information. WCTI-DT UPN48 New Bern Sundays 5:30 pm Cable-7 Indep. Greenville Fridays 8pm Tuesdays 6:30pm Saturdays 9pm Mountain News Network Sundays 9:30am (WLNN Boone, WTBL Lenoir) Mondays 7pm