North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 04/14/1997

It's Monday April 14th. Tonight the challenges of keeping good teachers in the classroom in North Carolina. Hello I'm Arema Trey thanks for joining us for this Monday edition of North Carolina now. Tonight I will hear from the state transportation secretary Garland Garrett about the future of public transportation in our state. Also tonight Shannon Vicary takes a look at how a certain sport known for its roughness helps quadriplegics regain their athleticism. But we start tonight with the first in a series of reports focusing on the

challenges facing the teaching profession. Over the past 10 to 15 years the field of teaching has changed dramatically with numerous problems and challenges that affect the quality of education. Tonight producer Maria Lundberg examines the daily realities teachers face in the classroom that are driving many of them out of the schools. Teaching has always been a challenging and often difficult profession. It's been regarded as something of a calling one which requires considerable commitment and dedication. It used to be typical to find teachers who stayed in the profession for 20 to 30 years until retirement. But today teaching is a career in crisis nationwide recruiting talented individuals into the profession is one thing keeping them is quite another. Here in North Carolina about 40 percent of all new teachers leave the profession during their first three years of teaching. It's a staggering loss for our schools and for our students. So why are all these teachers leaving the classroom.

Two reasons people do anything. Recognition and reward and translated into teacher reward is obviously pay. That's my number one. That's why I will not be a teacher two years from now. This in the city of Durham I cannot afford a house in an area where my wife can go jogging around the block without me and I'm not to live like that I'm going to I'm going to be able to send my children to college and I'm going to be able to live in a house in a nice neighborhood. And I cannot do that on a teacher's salary in North Carolina. The average teacher's salary is about $30000 each year while the national average is nearly 37000. But for beginning teachers in our state the annual pay is more likely to be in the low 20s. Dave Merriman is in his fifth year of teaching at Shawnee Middle School in Durham. Salaries is a big part that's my biggest one. A lot of it is recognition. You know a lot of it is control. We have very little control of what goes on here. I mean they have all these wonderful programs at here about site based management when I say

that I'll give you a call. Lots of teachers are frustrated about controlling discipline. There is a tremendous number of students that come to our public schools are go to school. You need every day that have very little discipline in how they deal with drugs and the street crime and violence and. They watch and lesser airs of TV of violence and teachers that want to teach to get very frustrated trying to teach about your children's teachers. People in general shouldn't have to put up with a lot of what we've put up with. Not all kids are bad. There are more good kids and there are bad kids but the bad kids can take over. And I fortunately haven't had to put up with anyone put a gun in my face. I have been cussed out since my first year so that's something we're hear about while they're on a Robinson has been teaching math for 4 years at Athens Drive High School in

Raleigh for her lack of discipline is only one factor which drives teachers away. From my perspective I feel like class size has a lot to do with it. Having a small space and a large number is very difficult to work with. Support or the lack of support. There are parents that don't support the teachers. There are parents that are blaming the teachers for their kids problems and that can take a toll on a teacher after a while. I have experienced parents who have say that you do something with them. I can't do anything and that hurts American a kid hearing that come out her parents mouth hurts. Robinson says often teachers must also fill the role of counselor parent referee and friend. And it can be exhausting. I don't have time to grade everything to play and to do the clerical things like we have to do it in this with the

reports with the sin of some assistant set up in school suspension a summons for kids that are home bound that are sick at the same time at the maintain contact with parents. So at conferences professional things if you're in math organizations if you do a math if you're a coach get these games I just finished two seasons back that there's not the time and that I just feel burnt out. Others feel worn out. John Denning a second year history teacher at Wake Forest rolls will high school echoes concerns about lack of respect and support. The most disappointing thing is that look particularly for. The players that are willing to say that you are professional and that you have earned the right to be a teacher and when that transfers are reduced it is very disheartening. Experienced teachers can provide valuable assistance as mentors to new teachers but their heavy workload often don't allow the time. A new teacher needs with them.

I crave sometimes adult interaction because that's where we really are as professionals and colleagues could share these ideas and make some optimistic things but we can't do that because we have to teach from seven to three and then we have kids back to school to make it work and then we have to go home and make that plans and then we have to grade three hundred pages of essay work. And there's not the time to make those positive changes that we'd like to do that the public somewhat expects. Deming says the frustrations are causing many to leave the profession. And it's not just new teachers. I would say I could see these six or eight teachers that have been teaching for more than 18 years that have decided to leave in the last two years. They give reasons who are financial reasons as well as the sense that it's just so overwhelming we keep being promised that there will be reform and there will be in some type of improvement and it's not there both in terms of respect from

parents and just the institution itself. It's unfortunate but it's just a lack of support and many of them just could sort of go in there and that loss of experienced veteran teachers along with new ones has a profound effect on the students who are left behind to pick up the pieces and move on. Tomorrow night Maria reviews the issues that teachers say must be resolved in order to improve teacher retention. Well still ahead on the program a conversation with transportation secretary Garland Garrett. But first Michel Louis is on assignment. So Shannon bakery is filling in at the North Carolina now news desk. Good to see a Shannon. Thanks Maria. Good evening everyone. Topping our news tonight state lawmakers are reportedly drafting new legislation designed to address cases of child abuse. The measure is expected to make public records any medical and state agency documents

related to a child's death stemming from abuse. Right now the release of much of the information held by government Child child welfare agencies is prevented by confidentiality law. State authorities are currently reviewing the Rowan County Department of Social Services following two fatal child abuse cases in that county. State Attorney General Mike Easley says he's not likely to seek re-election to a third term easily says many of his supporters are encouraging him to run for the U.S. Senate or governor of North Carolina. Easley says he has no deadline for deciding whether to challenge Republican U.S. Senator Lott Faircloth next year or to run for governor in the 2000 race but easily says anyone considering a bid must make a decision by Labor Day for organizational and funding purposes. State coastal officials have approved a stopgap measure to protect the Shell Island Resort. Officials have given the go ahead to place at then still wall around the resort until engineers can build a 400 in 10 foot long sandbag wall. The state granted

approval for the sandbag wall earlier this year. Officials hope the barrier will protect the resort from the waters of Mason inlet until a more permanent solution to the erosion problem can be solved. How would a rail system work linking together the cities of the triangle by commuter train. Why answers to that question can be found at a nine day demonstration across the triangle which big. And today at the state fairgrounds in Raleigh hosting the event is the triangle Transit Authority. The radio splendor train which can accommodate almost 200 people is on display and available for rides. The regional transit plan is to connect Durham the Research Triangle Park Cary and Raleigh. The estimated cost of the project is two hundred and fifty million dollars a goal backers hope to reach by the year 2005. Well looking ahead to tomorrow's weather temperatures in the 60s are expected almost everywhere. Moon will be the exception with temperatures holding in the upper 50s sunny conditions are on tap for the entire state for Tuesday. And in business news the practice of awarding tax rebates to

new and expanding businesses is under scrutiny. A number of local governments see the idea as a means of luring new business. Many economists think governments should stop incentives altogether. DAVID LAWRENCE of the Institute of Government says he isn't sure tax rebates are even constitutional Cabarrus County was reportedly the first to propose rebates to land according to fiber optic plant promising 600 jobs. Now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today. Earlier in our news segment Shannon Viguerie told you about the Riggio sprinter. A small commuter train that is

proposed to operate in the triangle within five years. This proposed regional rail service says a small portion of a larger statewide issue to improve public transportation across North Carolina. Recently the transit 2001 commission assembled by Governor Hunt released a series of recommendations on how to make public transportation more efficient and user friendly. Joining me now to talk about the future of public transportation in our state is Garland GARRETT The secretary of transportation secretary GARRETT Welcome to the North Carolina now. Thank you it's great to be here. Let's go through some of these recommendations more or less hit the highlights of transit 2001. I notice that there are quite a few recommendations that deal with the development of transportation systems between Raleigh the triangle area the triad and Charlotte. Tell us a little bit about that. Well of course that inner city rail and of course one of Governor Hans might go so as to reduce the time between Raleigh and Charlotte and that was one of the recommendations and transit

2001. And we're working to accomplish that goal he wants to get it down to two hours by 2000. I want that right now. It's about three hours and 45 minutes. And you know if we can reduce the time it's going to make it more attractive for business people to use the trying instead of driving. They can do their work on the trying the computer or they'll have fax access and telephone access. And we think it would be a better way to go. It will relieve some of the congestion that is now presently on how waste and public transportation it has to be convenient in order for people to use it. So you can develop a transportation system of getting somebody to the station or the train station or whatever. But then how do they go about getting to their specific destinations within that particular city are you working with regional transportation authorities to help accomplish that. Of course North Carolina DLT is constantly working with regional

transit authorities and local transit authorities to work plans on how they best can serve the public. You know there are many ways. That folks can do that here in the Triangle area this parking lots that they can park get on trance and go to their destination and of course in the future there will be hopefully means to use public transit within a block where they only have to reach their shopping destination or to their work and special here from Raleigh to the Research Triangle Park will be one of the best ways that we can relieve if we can develop and develop a system one of the best ways we can relieve congestion on Interstate 40. We did a series here in North Carolina now about a week or so ago talking about the growth of our state and and all of the experts were touting the importance of public transportation. But it sounds like it's an awfully expensive issue. Where would get the funding to develop this and who's going to pay for it.

Well there's going to be many avenues that we will have to take. But right now our governor has proposed in his budget expanded funding for public transit. The amount of thirty six million dollars. And of course that's going to have to go through the legislature and of course I'm I'm happy that the Senate transportation. Appropriation Subcommittee last week approved our budget so that we will enable us to to have that extra thirty six million dollars and now it goes to the full committee and then to the floor of the Senate and they have a goal of getting that out this week oh by the 18th. We talked about the developing public transportation throughout the main three metropolitan areas within North Carolina. Are there any plans to extend public transportation throughout the rest of the state. Well part of the report was to extend the rail service up to Asheville to the western part of the state. And of course we're not just talking about those three major

areas although those areas are important. There are other communities like Wilmington federal. There's also another aspect of it the rule transit system which a lot of folks that live out in the rural areas especially there the elderly and the handicap they need a way to get to the services that they need. And van pooling the is one way. Doubt public transit system both urban and rural is going to help people that are on welfare get off of welfare and be a part of the government's work force program. So there are many aspects of transit a lot of people think of buses and in the metropolitan areas but transit 2001 we're really covering the entire state. It's an exciting time to live in North Carolina. It's a pretty exciting time for transportation. A lot of folks think about the Transportation Department just covering highways. Well we're not we are

multi modal Transportation Department now which it encompasses all aspects of transportation transit rail aviation. First system we've got the second largest first system in the nation. A lot of folks don't know that and of course our ways how always will always probably be the backbone of the transportation system in the near future. But we also got to look at the other modes of transportation to. Well Secretary GARRETT It sounds like you have a lot of exciting things to come in the future we hope that you'll stop by from time to time to keep us posted on everything. Thanks. It's great to be with you. Well I appreciate your time tonight. Thank you. Imagine a game with the intensity of football the pace of basketball and the objectives of

soccer. If you live in Charlotte such a game might sound familiar to you. The Queen City is now home to North Carolina's only quad rugby team and issued a victory reports in its first season the game and its team members are crashing on to Charlotte's diverse athletic scene like no other team has done before. I would suspect it's coming and pretty soon we're going to get the February invoice. Most people who know Mike's of Vickie think of him as a mild mannered professional consultant but behind his calm demeanor. So Vicki has an intense determination which for the past seven years has fueled his fight to get his life back on track. In 1993 Vicki sustained an injury while training to become a Navy fighter pilot. Basically I dove into a rave on the beach and the wave broke at the right time or the wrong time I guess you could say and pushed my head into the bottom fracture of one of the vertebrae. I was awake

the whole time and it was kind of frightening. Being face down in the water not being able to move any of your lens and only being a few feet from shore my immediate thought was OK it's going to die and by you know the luck of God I want up washing up on shore and had started to drown hadn't taken any water or anything at that point things became kind of fuzzy. Today the long days following his injury seemed far away as racing down the court you know one winter rugby game he says began to help him recover. At the time I was going through rehab rotation. I had always been a radical and had been into sports and when I got injured all of a sudden I felt like that was taken away from me. But then several quad rugby players came to visit and asked Vicki to join them

again. I was into him and they put me in a van and drove me out to a practice and put me in a sports wheelchair of a quad rugby wheelchair threw me a ball and said go and it was at that point that I kind of rediscover webisodes around and discovered that I could still do the things that I had done before but just different. Computer programmer Doug Luther also knows what it's like to suddenly see your life change. He broke his neck in a 1984 car crash and it takes a good while to realize that you're going to be spending the rest of your life and share a good part of your life and share. And now after more than 10 years in a wheelchair loser has also found himself on the quad rugby team being able to get out and they get you know the search yourself and do so. There's a call again and I mean I'm 38 I'm older than I probably the second oldest on the team but just make your specs feel young and I don't feel that old anyway.

Wonderfully Dick Rugby is a new game for many people in the Queen City both Mike's Avakian Doug Looper helped build the Charlotte team which has just completed its first full season. It's kind of a bang up sport that takes the checking in hockey. Passing like in hockey shooting in basketball. Full contact on the mentality and blends it into one teams of four take on each other at gyms like this one all across the country. Rugby is one of the fastest growing in Wiltshire sports and the Charlotte team is just the latest one to join the US squad rugby Association. What rugby is known for its fast pace and high intensity impact game is so intense. When it was first developed in Canada it was simply called those quadriplegics up in Canada. Founded this board were confined to a hospital and didn't have access to balls or basketball courts or

things well the story has that. Burger Bar was named for two reasons The first was I didn't have a volleyball so they used human heads and they went around the hospital looking for the perfect head and took that off whatever corpse they could. It's not known if that story is fact or fiction but the cordless quad rugby seems to be popular in Charlotte in its first season. The team picked up 13 players and even during practice. Fans come out to support the home team like the Carolina Panthers we were expected to do well at all we want our very first game by one point in overtime. We didn't win any more but we want to expect them to win and I think we did very well and we're going to have the other team who played and gaining respect is a goal for many quad rugby players. The player say with your goals forward they are also hoping to break the stereotypes that often play to do it.

There is one stereotype that comes with people in wheelchairs and that's the same old individuals are fragile. Kind of like a little vase a glass vase on a shelf. You don't want to touch it you don't want to move it and God forbid if it falls over it's going to break. A lot of people are saying you can't do anything and they've got relatives that say I cannot touch that chair I cannot touch you because you have a disability. But these people are go out there they hit full contact. They're strapped into their chairs so they're not going to fall out they're not going to hurt themselves. We get along well we learn so much from each other. That is one of the big draws has been we can pull on each other's knowledge not just about rugby but about life in general and how to deal with the various problems that come up because the thing that really excites me not only just individual performances and seeing my teammates improve but the chemistry that you hear about with team sports.

A chemistry that for many quadriplegics helps them live a new life in a new way taught me about building a team it's taught me about being a leader. It's taught me about how to follow. And it's sort of made me the person I wanted to be. Now you want to grab a pencil because if you would like to learn more about the quad rugby game you can check out the Charlotte team's Web page and their addresses w w w dot Shahr web dot org slash sports slash capital c w a slash. Q A D B y dot. I hope you got that. Now before we go tonight a program note to pass along Wednesday night Euan CTV and NBC 6 are hosting a live forum to discuss the controversial decision by the Charlotte Mecklenburg County Commission to will eliminate county funding of the Arts and Science Council. Now the public is welcome to attend this forum on a first come first serve basis starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Children's Theater in Charlotte

a panel of Charlotte residents will be there to answer questions from the audience. If you would like to submit a question you can fax it to us at 7 0 4 7 8 6 5 0 3 7. Or send by e-mail at Art's at UN CTV dot org. You can also see the former live right here on us see TV Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m.. Well we hope you make plans to join us tomorrow night as Maria Lundberg continues her series on teachers in North Carolina by taking a look at what teachers say it would take to improve the situation in the classroom. Plus we'll talk to an expert about the effects of daycare on your children. That does it for tonight's edition of North Carolina now. We'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.