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Name of the New Game

Four years ago I moved home to be a part of a growing movement for civil rights and social justice in the South. I have learned many, many lessons and found great clarity along the way.  In these four years, I have confirmed that the Southern Powers That Be are— surprise —still quite conservative. Not only in political persuasion, but perhaps more consequentially in tolerance of risk, of trying new things, of investing in people and ideas that have moved the needle towards justice and equality.  In these four years, I have also confirmed my long-held belief that— surprise again —the South is not universally conservative. Courageous Southerners (native and adopted!) are working on reversing all manner of injustices incurred in this generation and those long past—from public education to women’s rights to justice reform and beyond. Many are my friends. All of them are my heroes.  And after four years of Life-As-A-Progressive-Southerner-Living-In-The-South, I have learned tha
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Recent posts

Reflections on three years with SC Future Minds

Just over three years ago, I was honored to join the SC Future Minds team in a critical mission for the state of South Carolina: to connect private resources to public education, and to strengthen our school system as a driver of economic and social progress. Our work is anchored in the needs of communities and companies, the experience of teachers, and the best future for our students; and I am grateful to each of you for your support along the way. As I transition from SCFM CEO to SCFM Donor, I am thrilled that the Board of Directors has named Debbie Jones as Interim Executive Director. Debbie helped start SCFM ten years ago and has served as Program Director for the past three years. Her vision and tenacity have fueled SCFM’s growth, and I know great things are ahead under her leadership. The last three years have been filled to the brim with lessons for me—an education in public education, if you will. While it would probably take another three years to write them all down, I wante
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The Line

This time six years ago, a friend put out a call: come to Cleveland to help re-elect President Barack Obama. I've never been much of a campaigner.  The last political campaign I'd worked on was Alex Sanders for US Senate, which resulted in South Carolina sending Lindsey Graham to Washington for the very first time. So, yeah.  Political greenness aside, I couldn't stand the idea of staying in solid blue Boston when there was work to be done around the country; so I begged leave of my business school professors and off to Ohio I went.  In hindsight, those four or five days knocking on doors in Cleveland change the course of my life. I witnessed poverty and disenfranchisement within American borders that rivaled communities I'd visited and worked in throughout Latin America and Africa. Naive world-changer that I was, my sense of pride and security in my native land was rocked to its core.  Fast forward four years, and the call came again: this time to North Carolina
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Southern Politics, of the Heart

In the early Spring of 2018, a mentor gave my name to the Chair of Georgetown County's Democratic Party — their convention was coming up, and would I consider providing the keynote address?  There is most definitely a first for everything.  I accepted with gratitude and a healthy amount of anxiety.  Below is an excerpt from my speech, which I'm sharing now because I know many good-hearted, rational folks shy away from politics.  I get it, it can be uncomfortable, and it's certainly been divisive of late.  But we've gotten to a point in our country where we can't afford you not showing up to cast your ballot.   So maybe my interpretation of politics helps you a little, or maybe it totally pisses you off — either way, I hope it nudges you towards the polls on November 6th.    *** I'm biased, but my name is pretty special. I inherited it from my grandmother, who was a pretty special woman.  Most people called the first Caroline Mauldin "Happy,"
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Care about education? Want better for teachers? Vote like it

https://www.thestate.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article212727544.html?platform=hootsuite LETTER TO THE STATE EDITORIAL BOARD LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY June 11, 2018 07:18 PM Updated June 11, 2018 07:18 PM COLUMBIA, SC  Did you know that May was Teacher Appreciation Month in South Carolina? Yes, indeed; proclaimed by every governor since 2012. The gesture, much like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day (June 17, by the way), is an important reminder to acknowledge and celebrate a group of people who are pivotal in our lives. Of course, we all know that every day is Mother’s and Father’s Day, just like every month is Teacher Appreciation Month, right? I wish. Though South Carolina’s teachers have not staged walk-outs like their peers in other states, our educators are no less struggling with the burden of increasing responsibilities compensated by decreasing paychecks.  Contrary to popular belief,
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An investment in the stewards of our future

https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/an-investment-in-the-minds-of-the-stewards-of-our/article_f4a0b39e-5236-11e8-bb39-2bb94bbb5fe8.html Opinion An investment in the minds of the stewards of our future BY CAROLINE P. MAULDIN May 13, 2018 The lights are low as 700 people collectively hold their breath. A drum rolls, followed by the crinkle of an envelope opening. “And the winner is ...!” Gasps and applause fill the room as people jump to their feet in pride, and the winner shuffles up to the stage in disbelief. No, this is not a scene from the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, but one much closer, and more significant to our state: it is South Carolina’s Teacher of the Year gala, held every May in Columbia. Just over 10 years ago, a group of business leaders recognized a simple fact: If we want to recruit top talent to teach in South Carolina’s public schools, we need to show that we value teachers. It was from this basic idea that South Carolina Future Minds,
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Working on our future in SC: An Update

Dear friends and family: I am so excited to be writing you with this long overdue update.  Fair warning—it also includes a request for your help, but I promise  it is made with great joy and hope !  As you know, just about two years ago, I moved home to South Carolina.  Shortly thereafter, I became the head of  South Carolina Future Minds  (SCFM), a small statewide nonprofit working in public education.  SCFM was not new, but I certainly was.  New back to South Carolina; new to the field of public education; new, of course, to the organization and all of its stakeholders.  To put it mildly: I had a lot to learn.   Thus began my re-education at home.  In the past 18 months, I have driven nearly 40,000 miles, criss-crossing the state that raised me.  I have met with  hundreds of educators , witnessing their daily heroism in our classrooms.  I’ve spoken with parents who want the best for their children, but too often can’t see a path to achieving it.  I’ve listened to princip
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