Career
Dr. Atkinson worked for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for nearly 28 years (1976–2004) as a chief consultant and director in the areas of business education, career and technical education, and instructional services. A former business education teacher, Dr. Atkinson has been involved in instruction and curriculum development throughout her career.
Atkinson has made presentations to business and other educational groups in 43 states and throughout North Carolina. She is past president of the National Business Education Association, and past president of the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools that Work in 1995-96 and 1996-97. Dr. Atkinson was elected by her colleagues to represent them as President of the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium for 2001-2003.
In 2009, Atkinson sued Gov. Beverly Perdue after the Governor appointed a Chief Executive Officer of the Public School-System, reducing Atkinson to an "ambassador for education." Atkinson contested under the North Carolina Constitution and a Wake County, North Carolina superior court judge ruled in her favor on July 17, 2009.
Ahead of the 2012 general election, Atkinson was endorsed by the News and Observer editorial board, which wrote: "Test scores among the state’s public school students have improved, and Atkinson, a Democrat, is a strong advocate for ample education resources. Wake County school board member John Tedesco, Atkinson’s Republican challenger, has yard signs with the slogan “Our students deserve better.” Well, yes. Tedesco no doubt is sincere in wanting to see all students succeed, but his policies in Wake would have cut against the interests of students from poor backgrounds. He also has played a role in turning the Wake board into a partisan battleground in an effort to advance GOP fortunes."
Read more about this topic: June Atkinson
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