A state government that's engaged in a war on public education. The challenge of enforcing a ban on smartphones in classrooms. Artificial intelligence that threatens to put an end to critical thinking. Now is perhaps the least attractive time in history to be running a public school in North Carolina — or pretty much anywhere else, for that matter.

So you have to applaud the courage of Todd Murphy, the new superintendent of Polk Schools. He took over the reins a few months ago, and just about the only thing he can know lies ahead is an unpredictable year.

At least Polk County doesn't have any private schools to siphon money away from our public schools. So there's that.

Notes:

Niche ratings

The utility of cell phone bans

The threat posed by school vouchers

Kids and AI