Blaming the calendar law for the year-round ruling

Must we keep beating a dead horse (and wearing me out as well)?? You know as well as I do that over the past 5 years, the school calendar law has been blamed for everything from Johnny's "D" on his exam to Susie's shortened trip to Daytona beach over spring break.

 For the umteenth-millionth time, why don't these people who are speculating as to the whys and wherefores of the law actually check with those who helped craft the wording and who know every itty-bitty detail from day one? I do not have time to keep rehashing all of this.

If I had not picked up the phone in the fall of 2003, setting into motion the events which led to the forming of Save-Our-Summers - NC, the school calendar law would never have even been an issue in 2004. That is an absolute fact, whether people choose to believe it or not. If those judges want to know the intent of the law, why year-round schools were exempt, or any other question, I will be more than happy to provide an answer.

Would I change some things now, in hindsight? Probably - but hindsight is 20/20, and what we did accomplish went against all odds as it was. Also, you don't just go out and say "Here's how I want this law worded so take it or leave it", unless you are asking for failure. There has to be give-and-take. We knew that there would be abuse (many of us even predicted that Wake County would take the first shot) of the year-round exemption wording. We also knew that the law would not have passed without it.

To exempt year-rounds from the uniform opening and closing dates did nothing to change the status of those schools. They were already legal, and already in existence.

Maybe you could have chosen to quote Justice Martin's remarks. He truly "gets it" when it comes to understanding what the law is all about. And, as he points out, the law could be used to defend either side of the year-round issue (although, in my opinion, it presents a poor defense for both).

I'm glad his mind works in a logical fashion. Here's an excerpt I especially liked:

"It is illogical to reason that, in an amendment expressly bounding the school year and thereby preserving the traditional summer break, the legislature meant to allow all local boards to eliminate that break by imposing mandatory year- round calendars. That interpretation, adopted by the majority, permits the exception to swallow the overarching intent of the amendment: to curtail calendar expansion and protect summer vacation."

Thank you very much...

RALEIGH -- Patrick J. Short, a student at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, was named today as a 2009 Presidential Scholar, an honor that goes to some of the best and brightest high school seniors in the nation.

Short is one of 141 recipients across the nation and only three in North Carolina. A 29-member commission selected the scholars based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

The Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., tentatively scheduled from June 20-24. Short selected Ginger Cherry, an English teacher at Sanderson High, as his most inspiring teacher so she’ll be invited to attend the conference with him.

In this economy the average person doesn't have an extra $5,000 to put out every year for private school.Nothing like bragging !

Take control over your life and your child's future and reject government schools.

Thales Academy Apex holds its next Open House this evening at 6PM, across from Apex Town Hall. For directions see thalesacademy.org Grades K-6 are offered on a traditional calendar this fall. Guaranteed no reassignments, ever and low $5,000 annual tuition. No guarantee that a seat will be available for your child, though, as the school is filling rapidly.

Kent Misegades
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Thales Academy Apex