Carolina Journal Radio No. 801: Ballot set with N.C. election lawsuits resolved for now

With legal battles over congressional redistricting and state constitutional amendments resolved – for now – North Carolina’s election ballot is now set for November. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the key issues voters will be addressing in this so-called “blue moon” election with no presidential, gubernatorial, or U.S. Senate race. Critics of school voucher programs often point to history. They say vouchers arose from segregationists’ efforts to fight school integration. Phillip Magness, senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, says the actual history is much more complicated. Magness explains that the earliest supporters of school vouchers often believed they would help fight the negative impact of segregated public school systems. A new digital tool is giving members of the UNC Board of Governors quick access to valuable data about the system’s schools. During a recent discussion about the new “dashboard,” board members debated the value of relying more heavily on data to guide board decisions. The N.C. General Assembly is setting up a new committee to examine the details of a $58 million fund set up in connection with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, explained in a recent committee meeting why lawmakers want to examine Gov. Roy Cooper’s role in establishing the fund. Kristi Jones, Cooper’s chief of staff, questioned lawmakers’ actions. You’ll hear highlights from their remarks. A national education group claims that North Carolina’s public school math scores have lagged because the state dropped its support of Common Core academic standards. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and resident scholar, says the argument is wrong. Stoops corrects the record. He explains why North Carolina’s math standards still have ties to the controversial Common Core.