Here are most of the letters we've received since last night. Some arrived today too late and too long to see print, and some will be on tomorrow's Other Opinion page.
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I have served as a PTA president or other officer at a District 3 school for 11
of the last 16 years and was recently elected chair of the District 3 Parent Board
Advisory Council. As a registered Republican, I consider myself conservative on many issues, but I am a firm believer that our BOE should be nonpartisan and place the welfare of every student and their achievement at the top of its agenda.
I have worked with Kevin Hill for the last four years on many issues regarding
District 3 and the entire county. He prides himself on doing his homework and knowing the details. We have not always agreed on everything, but he has always listened, studied the information and made a decision based on what he believes is in the “best interest” of the children. He has always exhibited the utmost professionalism and personal integrity at every meeting I have attended, in huge contrast to the behavior I have witnessed and been personally subjected to by most members of the newest BOE majority.
There is much at stake for our children in this election. Kevin understands the
issues inside and out! He knows the parents and administrators and has the unique
insight of a former educator. He has been a teacher and/or principal at every level of
the education system in our county! Doesn’t it make sense to have one BOE member who knows firsthand the realities of educating our children? Kevin believes in schoolstability for those children already enrolled in a school and he believes that details in the newly approved choice plan can be worked out!
Conversely, Heather Losordo has lived in our county only three years. She has scant knowledge of the issues that pertain to the people in District 3, never mind our entire county!
There is a lot of orchestrated misinformation being circulated in District 3. This
is very troubling to me. I am sure Kevin would agree that he has his flaws, but it’s time for the BOE to stop the petty political infighting and get back to educating our children!
Never has the public been so isolated from the BOE and the leaders of this school
system than they are today! Led by the current majority, this BOE has repeatedly
made decisions behind closed doors, prepared a student assignment plan in secret
and held public meetings that do not allow any discussion from the very people that
their actions effect most! This is unacceptable! Ms. Losurdo leaves me unsettled, as
she has backed all of these members since they took office two years ago! And more importantly, the thought of her backing John Tedesco for BOE Chairman renders me sleepless!
I proudly rally behind the candidate who listens to his constituents, believes
in honest answers, student achievement and the education of all the kids in WCPSS!
Don't stay home on Tuesday. Our kids are counting on you!
Jody Gross
Raleigh
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Despite the heated controversies of the past two years, the current Republican majority school board has accomplished much. They made an excellent choice in hiring Superintendent Tony Tata. He is an excellent leader and also a man determined to identify and solve school system problems. Even Democratic icon Mayor Meeker said Tata, "was a very good choice" and he "surpassed expectations." Under Tata's leadership much has been achieved besides the new busing plan; for example, improved opportunities for minorities to take Algebra I; a reduction in the number of long term school suspensions; and the establishment of experimental single sex and K through 8 schools.
As to a new busing plan, even the Democrats admit it is needed. The old plan bused minority students receiving subsidized school lunches out of downtown neighborhoods to make room for mainly white students to attend enhanced program magnet schools. It also attempted to keep minority enrollments in all schools below 40%. It’s no longer workable; white students are now a minority in the system and the Government will no longer allow the use of school lunch subsidy data to pick students to be bused for diversity.
The election Nov. 8th can alter the balance of the school board. The board had been chaired by Kevin Hill prior to the last election. Evidently, he was not concerned as to how the busing of students for diversity affected the education of those students. For under his leadership the school administration did not track the achievement of students bused for diversity.
Considering the progress made over the past two years maintaining the Republican majority on the board by electing Heather Losurdo assures continued improvement for ALL students
Morton Lurie
Raleigh
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Perhaps it was somewhat unfair to dredge up Heather Losurdo's youthful indiscretions regarding personal bankruptcy and employment as a server in a strip club. After all, many folks do things as young people that they aren't really proud of and wish they could change.
However, it is the very recent indiscretion that concerns me most as a voter in the 3rd district. Do we really want a school board member representing us who thinks it is funny to post a joke on a public social network that makes reference to our president's biracial background by likening him to a skunk and then to add the comment "LMAO"? This kind of indiscretion is far more telling concerning current character.
I personally do not want to have this kind of attitude at the table when decisions are being made that are purportedly for the good of all students in our Wake County Public Schools.
I challenge the voters of District 3 who think that a simple school board run-off isn't worth the time to go out and vote to please rethink that and vote Tuesday. It does matter and your vote is needed to make sure that all the students of Wake County are represented with integrity and respect. Kevin Hill can has done that and should be given the opportunity to continue to do that.
Colleen Lee
Raleigh
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The contrast between the candidates for District 3 representative on the school board could not be greater nor couldstakes be higher. Will Wake County move away from the unprecedented partisan shananigans of the last two years by re-electing Kevin Hill or will we elect Heather Losurdo and be in for at least two more years of the school board working for the interests of their rich backers who own and support charter schools and openly scorn public schools?
Here are the candidates' qualifications. Kevin Hill has been involved in education in Wake County since attending Sanderson High. He taught in Wake County schools for 14 years, spent another 14 years as a principal and assistant principal, and now teaches at N.C. State. Heather Losurdo has exactly zero experience in education and has only recently moved into the area.
Kevin Hill has been both the chairman of the school board and a vocal critic of the highly partisan antics of the current board majority which spent money foolishly, conducted meetings in secret, resorted to childish name calling, and imperiled the accreditation of our high schools. Ms. Losurdo spent her time as a leader of the Republican party.
Even those of you who can only see issues in terms of dollars and cents can agree that the stability and reputation of our high quality schools is paramount to attracting new businesses to the area.
Finally, I leave you with two very frightening words if Kevin Hill is not re-elected: Chairman Tedesco.
Dave Greune
Raleigh
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I am a retired Wake County school principal who fully endorses the reelection of Kevin Hill to the Board of Education. I am not going to repeat all of the personal and professional qualifications that Kevin possesses. However, I want to pose one question to the voters: Without Kevin sitting on the board, who will be making decisions that has had any experience working in public schools? Not a single board member or the superintendent.
I assume all have good intentions but without a voice of experience, no one will be able to look at the unintended consequences that decisions at the board level can have. Nor will anyone be at the table to look at how a decision will actually be implemented in the schools.
Kevin, with his experience as a teacher and a principal at elementary, middle and high schools brings that experience, expertise, and knowledge that will be critical in the decision-making process. Don't we want at least one voice of experience in this critical role? It's your choice: experience, expertise, and knowledge or just good intentions?
Tom Benton
Zebulon
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I am watching with serious interest the run-off in Wake Countys District 3 School Board election. In January of this year ,I was among many in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina who voted in favor of a resolution the content of which may prove helpful to District 3 voters. The part of the resolution which, to me, speaks clearly to the decision at hand reads: That the 195th Convention of the Diocese of North Carolina, in light of the witness of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11), believes diversity is an essential criterion in student school assignments to ensure equal education. The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina urges its bishops, priests, deacons, and lay members to work for an equitable education for all students... We work for an equitable education for all students by our witness in the public arena and by the ballots we cast as citizens. Those who will cast a ballot in hopes of supporting diversity in education are not alone.
Lorraine Ljunggren
Raleigh
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I hope that voters will follow the money in the District 3 school board runoff. Heather Losurdo’s list of donors includes the usual cast of characters who do not support public education. Some of these supporters have defunded public schools at a state level and have worked against local school bonds.
Why would Art and Katherine Pope, Bob Luddy, House majority leader Paul Stam and former state Rep. Russell Capps support Losurdo? Do they expect a return on their investment?
In contrast, Kevin Hill’s list of supporters is full of citizens who support public education; a number of his donors are former teachers and principals who have devoted their lives to teaching our students.
The choice could not be more clear for District 3. Say no to special interest groups, vote for Kevin Hill.
Vickie Adamson
Raleigh
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Reading about the Wake County school board race two years ago, I felt like I was having a flashback to the ’70s. Despite the updated language of economic diversity, the issue was still neighborhood schools versus mandatory busing.
And so it goes once again in the District 3 runoff. While the costs of busing versus its putative benefits have been much discussed, the idea itself is flawed. At its core, busing for diversity is nothing more than paternalism: Send disadvantaged kids to nice schools in middle-class neighborhoods and we will take care of them.
One proven key to public school success is family and community participation. Granted, this is not easy to achieve in poor and disadvantaged communities. But one way to make sure it never happens is to bus students to distant parts of Wake County.
Proponents of mandatory busing see its continuation as the way forward. In truth, it is a sidetrack. The time has come to abandon this temporary remedy from the Nixon era and engage all families, neighborhoods and communities in the great task of educating our children.
Rob Ahlin
Raleigh
The writer was a Wake school board candidate in 1995.
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Wake County’s excellent public schools have been a pillar of our economic success; they have made our community a magnet for creative and innovative people and companies from around the world. School board member Kevin Hill served as a highly respected teacher and principal in our public schools for 28 years. By contrast, his runoff election opponent, Heather Losurdo, has no college degree and has not worked in education.
I hope we will elect the candidate who has dedicated his life to our schools, not the candidate whose backers would rather dismantle them. If Wake County’s public schools are allowed to decline, our period of economic preeminence will end, and the whole community will suffer.
Matthew Brown
Raleigh
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I hope the voters in the Wake County school board runoff election between Kevin Hill and the right wing’s latest designate to carry out its anti-public education agenda will recall that only a handful of votes for Hill would have prevented this election.
Hill, despite whatever trash is out there about him courtesy of the right wing’s surrogates and minions, is a bonafide candidate with experience and, most of all, integrity.
Please don’t take anything for granted Nov. 8. Get out and vote, or help get out the vote, for Hill.
Donald Schlenger
Cary
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The Oct. 27 letter “Margiotta is the issue” tried to incorrectly place blame for the lack of civility at Wake County school board meetings on chairman Ron Margiotta and the fact that he is not from the South. The letter-writer couldn’t be more wrong. It is so clear that the discord and acts of disobedience were very well orchestrated by those who opposed the changes being made.
From the first meeting in December 2009, the Rev. William Barber (a Southerner) led the charge in disruptions, arrests and rude behavior. It wasn’t people from New Jersey who got arrested for trespassing at board meetings. They were Southerners. As a woman who has lived in the South all of her life, I believe Margiotta was overly tolerant of this abhorrent behavior.
Pam Stevens
Raleigh
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Human resources professionals at all employment levels understand that in order to avoid “pitfalls” in hiring for any private or public positions as well as recommending or electing candidates to state and local boards, careful scrutiny of background and experience is vital. This is especially true in the Wake County school board District 3 runoff.
Board member Kevin Hill holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from N.C. State, has more than 28 years professional teaching and educational background in Wake public schools, numerous volunteer civic and local experiences and is currently an assistant professor at NCSU College of Education. Heather Losurdo has lived in Wake County for three years and, according to a Nov. 1 N&O article (“School candidate defends her resume”), has no college degree and has a history that includes a 1993 Colorado personal bankruptcy and brief work experiences as a waitress in New Orleans, service in the Air Force and in First Union banking.
Voters in District 3 have the opportunity and responsibility to complete the reversal of the 2009 deceptive assault on North Carolina’s largest and nationally recognized premier school system by returning Hill to the board. He will continue the careful planning for Wake’s current and future students and their parents.
Doris Whitfield
Raleigh
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Regarding the Nov. 2 letter “Principled stand”: The writer wrote supporting Kevin Hill and ended by stating “Reassignments would have occurred in Wake County even if there had never been a commitment to integration simply because our county didn’t plan well enough for growth.”
The board prior to 2009 was controlled by the Democratic majority, including two years with Kevin Hill on the board. Planning for growth was a major part of their job.
When I was vice chair of the Cardinal Gibbons High School board, the majority on the board wanted to put the new high school in Southeast Raleigh to enhance diversity. I persuaded them to put it instead on Wade Avenue next to the RBC Center to facilitate future growth. The new school has increased its enrollment by 400 percent there. Do you care to guess what the growth would have been now if it had been built in Southeast Raleigh?
In the runoff election, Heather Losurdo is a better choice for the board.
Winston T. Hooker Sr.
Cary
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I have been a teacher at Baileywick Elementary since the doors opened in1996. It is a wonderful small school with dedicated, caring teachers. I am very devoted to my school so you can imagine the surprise and concern I felt when I opened my mailbox recently and read a campaign flier with false statements made by Heather Losurdo concerning Baileywick.
She claims that we are a high-needs school that has been denied federal funds because of Kevin Hill. This is not true as we are currently a federally funded Title I school. Baileywick offers a rich and varied program to meet the needs of all our students. Based on 2010-2011 test scores, Baileywick was named a School of Distinction and exceeded growth, and our level IV and AIG students posted one of the highest gains in Wake County.
In addition to weekly art, music and PE classes, students enjoy clubs such as Computer Art, Cardio Power, Chorus and Digital Storytelling.
Losurdo falsely claims that our school is unable to get the funds we need because Hill will not advocate for us. Most schools in Wake County need additional funds, and Kevin Hill does support Baileywick.
Becky Norkus
Raleigh
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As a student in the Wake County Public School System, I have been closely watching the upcoming runoff election in the third district. When I glance at Kevin Hill’s resumé, I am extremely impressed. Hill has been an advocate for schools all of his career as a teacher, principal, and board representative. He is in tune with the needs of parents, taxpayers, educators, and first and foremost, students.
Additionally, Hill has lived in Wake County for over forty years.
Then I look at Heather Losurdo’s record, and my smile fades. Losurdo lacks the necessary experience and knowledge of our system to be on the Board of Education. After all, she has only resided in Wake County for three years. Not to mention a vote for Losurdo is a vote for John Tedesco as chair.
I sincerely hope that the voters of District 3 will choose an experienced leader who will set a positive example for students in Wake County. Mr. Hill is that leader.
Joseph Womble
Cary
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