Several additional legislative days have been announced. Among them are:
HKonJ, People of Color Justice and Unity Legislative Day is Wednesday, May 23. The opening session will be at Raleigh’s First Baptist Church on Wilmington Street at 9:00. The group will then march to the General Assembly Building, where there will be a press conference at 11:00, followed by legislative visitations. For more info, contact HKonJ at 919-682-4700.
The Duke Center for Child and Family [...]
Continue reading Upcoming Legislative Days and a Revenue Plan
The newly formed House Select Committee on the State’s Role in Immigration Policy met for the second time in as many months on Wednesday, January 25, 2012.
The focus of the most recent Committee hearing was squarely on how much unauthorized immigrants cost the taxpayers of North Carolina. Various state agencies (Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Health and Human Services) presented information primarily about the restrictions already in place that prevent [...]
Continue reading Update: GA Committee Meets on Immigration
Back in November, I told you about the political battle that was ensuing over school lunches in our country. More specifically, the Obama Administration was calling for healthier meals made with less fat and sodium as well as more fruits and vegetables, while the spending bill passed by Congress recognized tomato paste as a vegetable and called for more research on long-term sodium reduction.
Well, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and First Lady, Michelle Obama, [...]
Continue reading New Nutritional Standards for School Lunches
Governor Perdue has called on the General Assembly to restore three-quarters of a cent of sales tax which the General Assembly allowed to expire last year and to use the money to reduce cuts to education.
In a statement, the Governor noted that “The North Carolina Association of School Administrators pointed out recently that North Carolinahas fallen to 49th in the nation in per-pupil funding. The legislature’s budget has hurt education at all levels – from pre-k [...]
Continue reading Governor Proposes Adding Back Emergency Sales Tax
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Overview – Public Education
Focus Text: Mark 9:30-37
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
Scripture Commentary by [...]
Continue reading Public Education – Proper 20
More than 125 people of faith in North Carolina, including the heads of 10 denominations, are calling on the state’s leaders in Congress to protect vulnerable people in the midst of heated and divisive budget talks.
The faith leaders have signed a letter, circulated by the North Carolina Council of Churches, that cites the federal budget as a moral document that must reflect priorities that help those in need.
As a compassionate society, we must [...]
Continue reading NC People of Faith Urge Congressional Leaders to Protect the Vulnerable
Across North Carolina, congregations are participating in this year’s groundbreaking national event called the DREAM Sabbath 2011. Sponsored by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, the DREAM Sabbath is a month-long opportunity to integrate stories of DREAM students into prayers, readings, reflections, or study sessions as a way to help educate and spread awareness of DREAM students and their hopes to attain full recognition of their contributions to our communities. Over 300 congregations nationwide are participating. [...]
Continue reading DREAM Sabbath Takes Off in NC
From September 16th to October 9th, congregations across the United States will lift up the lives of DREAM students in prayers, readings, reflection and education during at least one Sabbath service as a way to help educate and spread awareness of DREAM students and their hopes to attain full recognition of their contributions to this country. The large showing of support by faith groups will hopefully continue to build momentum for the DREAM Act in Congress. [...]
Continue reading Join the DREAM Sabbath
Schools across North Carolina are opening in the face of substantial budget cuts. All those touched by public education are affected; in particular, children and families who have the least also have the most to lose.
Even those not being served directly by the state’s public education system are touched by the young people who progress through it. Whether the mechanic working on my airplane tire or the surgeon working on your heart, [...]
Continue reading Remembering Public Schools with Prayer and Action
This is the purpose of education wherever it takes place, moving beyond rote repetition to provide each learner the possibility of a future better than what might otherwise be expected. Psalm 78 invites humility, gratitude, and “the exercise of power in the form of love, not of force. [...]
Continue reading Proper 21, Year A
The General Assembly returned to Raleigh in July for what was, in reality, Round Two of its 2011 Long Session. The primary tasks were to take up overrides on bills Governor Perdue had vetoed and to adopt redistricting plans for U.S. Congressional districts and for the state House and Senate. [...]
Continue reading Raleigh Report – August 5, 2011
The 2011 session of the General Assembly adjourned around midday on Saturday, June 18. Legislative leaders and the media are trumpeting the efficiency of the session and the fact that this is the earliest adjournment since 1973. But that is misleading since they aren’t really finished with their work. The adjournment resolution calls them back into a special session on July 13. At that time, they will take up the thorny issue of redistricting as well as controversial bills from the just-ended session which remain in conference committees and any bills vetoed by the Governor. [...]
Continue reading Raleigh Report – June 21, 2011
The seven individuals who were arrested at the General Assembly on Tuesday showed great courage and commitment to social justice. They spoke for those who often have no voice, were a visible presence for those our society often treats as invisible, and did justice as they walked humbly.
We are grateful to our colleague, David LaMotte, to Rev. William Barber, Rev. Curtis Gatewood, Rob Stephens, Rev. Kojo Nantambu, Timothy Hodges and Rev. T. Anthony Spearman [...]
Continue reading Truth to Power
As I write this note, it is 12:30PM and I’m sitting comfortably in my office at the NC Council of Churches. At 3PM, though, I will be in the gallery at the NC Legislature, and by late this afternoon I may find myself in jail.
[Editor's note: David was arrested on Tuesday around 4pm.]
The current legislature is making a host of decisions which are contrary to the teachings of Christianity, and I feel called [...]
Continue reading Why I Am in Jail
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