If you're furious with Tricia Cotham now, just wait until she...

[littlemissmartypants]

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If you’re furious with @triciacotham now, just wait until she votes to dismantle public education in North Carolina, and then goes back to being a lobbyist for charter schools.

That was always the plan. I’m guessing it started when she took over the AAC.*

Link to tweet

https://www.wfae.org/education/2023-04-25/ncs-new-voucher-plan-could-upend-states-approach-to-public-education

She wants to weaken State Board of Education oversight of charter schools and give them tax payer money for property purchases and building renovations. And that’s what she’ll do before she leaves office.

Back in 2016, as she was preparing to leave the legislature, she was one of five Democrats to vote for a GOP bill that would allows a charter school management company to take over low-performing schools.

AAC was formed the following year. Cotham became President the year after.

AAC was hired by the State Board of Education to manage the low-performing school in the Robeson County town of Rowland.

They were hired despite the fact that they had little to no experience turning around low-performing schools or working with at-risk children.

Under Cotham’s leadership , the AAC failed to meet its contractual obligations in running Southside-Ashpole Elementary, to the detriment of its students.

Data showed students had made few academic gains. The school received a state performance grade of “F”.

This was the plan since Cotham returned to politics - weaken the public schools and promote charter schools. She ran as a Democrat and campaigned to protect access to abortion, but that was just a lie. She always planned to betray the people she represents.

Her move to the GOP was orchestrated from the start. It was not opportunistic. It was calculated. She never planned to run for re-election. She will go back to lobbying for charter schools and she’ll get a huge bonus for passing the abortion ban.

In January, before she switched parties, Tricia Cotham was one of the few Democrats who received top committee positions.

Speaker Tim Moore appointed her as chair of the K-12 education committee.

What better way to dismantle public education in NC?

Link to tweet

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/politics/2023/01/17/moore-reveals-new-north-carolina-house-committee-leaders

In this video of @triciacotham avoiding questions - she doesn’t seem to have the smug, self righteous arrogance to lead this deception. I suspect someone’s pulling her strings.

She’s a hypocrite who lied and betrayed NC voters.

But she’s not alone,

Link to tweet

I’m guessing it goes back to John Bryan. He’s been using his billions to manipulate NC politics for years.

@triciacotham was a lobbyist for Bryan’s TeamCFA when she worked at McGuire Woods. Then she replaced Tom Holten at AAC.

It’s all about the money.

Link to tweet

https://dianeravitch.net/2019/10/10/north-carolina-a-sad-bedtime-story-about-a-failed-state-takeover/

@LindsayWagnerNC did a great job of following the money trail back in 2015

That was just about the time Cotham decided not to run for re-election.

Link to tweet

?t=k3gkSyHQjNJgY_M-7lzxiw&s=19

https://ncnewsline.com/2015/08/13/out-of-state-money-behind-secret-plan-to-fund-charter-takeover-of-ncs-worst-performing-schools/

And let’s not forget when she voted to gerrymander the N.C. Board of Education and hand it to Republicans.

This was February 7, a month after she assumed office (and months before she finally came clean about switching parties)

Link to tweet

https://www.carolinajournal.com/one-democrat-backs-amendment-making-n-c-board-of-education-members-elected/

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*AAC stands for Achievement for All Children and you can read more about the recently formed organization here:
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article208006534.html

❤️pants

[blm]

1. 😢

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Good Grief! I spent a lot of time in North Carolina after my grandmother retired there

I was also a member of the peace group she joined and went with them when they made their initial trip to their "sister town" in the USSR. I got to know members of the group well and they became my friends, too. Of course, I was a few decades younger than all but one of them, but I can't help but wonder what they'd think of what's happening in NC now. Every single one of them would have fit in well here on DU.