Carlene Lucas is officially resuming her campaign for the District 2 school board seat in Wake County.
In a press release today, Lucas calls her earlier decision to stop actively campaigning "a mistake." She says she has since received support and contributions that will allow her to continue as a candidate.
Lucas is still generally considered a long-shot among the five candidates on the District 2 ballot. She has less money than the other candidates and doesn't have the backing of any major groups.
But Lucas could siphon off votes from other candidates on Oct. 6, helping lead to a runoff on Nov. 3.
District 2 covers Garner, Fuquay-Varina and Willow Spring.
Here's her press release:
CARLENE A. LUCAS STILL RUNNING FOR WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 2
RALEIGH, NC, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009:
Dear Friends,
I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I am still running for Wake County Board of Education in District 2.
My decision to run for the school board was because as a parent and citizen of Wake County, I have experienced the inequalities in our schools. Every child deserves to have an equal opportunity to receive a quality education. Our children and our schools in District 2 are not receiving this opportunity and have been left behind for far too long. It is time for us as parents, community leaders, educators, and students to let our voices be heard.
Since joining the race I have found that politics and special interest groups play a huge part in our school board elections. Upon learning this and the fact that I was not receiving financial support I had to rethink my decision to run for school board. Although I realize the importance of building relationships with business and community leaders, I am not running for school board to play politics or to push the agendas of special interest groups. My primary responsibility, if elected, is our children. We need to ensure that they all are given an equal opportunity to receive the best education possible.
After weighing my decision to stop actively campaigning with family and friends, I realized I made a mistake. I have since received support and contributions that will allow me to continue as a candidate for the school board in District 2. Please join me in reforming our school system because together we can improve the quality of our children’s education and give every child an equal opportunity to a quality education.
Thank you,
Carlene A. Lucas
www.CarleneLucas.com
Comments
My request
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 23:24 — JTedescoI have spoken to Ms. Lucas this past week. She has my sincere pledge that I will be respectful of her campaign. I believe she is a woman with honest intentions. While we have different ideas on how to better our schools, we both have a strong care for our most vulnerable children. Our experiences, ideas, and leadership skills should be reviewed by our fellow citizens and then voted on.
With that in mind, I ask those of you on here who may be in support of my efforts to PLEASE remain respectful to Ms. Lucas and any of her supporters. Our campaign has remained focused, honest, direct, and civil; and I do not appreciate anyone acting in any other manner.
We have a lot of heavy lifting to do in Wake County when this is over. Re-tooling our system, rebuilding relationships with parents and community leaders, and uplifting all of our children will not be easily accomplished by further divisiveness.
Thank You,
John
There are a whole lot of
Mon, 09/14/2009 - 21:46 — woodstockThere are a whole lot of folks who have made sacrifices and invested years in trying to orchestrate change and Ms. Lucas's on-again, off-again committment and status quo-light approach to things is an insult. It is time for serious people to be engaged in serious efforts. It is not the time to coddle someone with too much time on their hands and a casual interest in politics. If these views ruffle your feathers, then so be it.
Ms. Lucas does not have too
Mon, 09/14/2009 - 23:26 — thedudescousinMs. Lucas does not have too much time on her hands. She has the time to devote to making our school system better and ensure every child has equal opportunities. Just one question, have you even looked at her views or are you just going off what some people have posted about them? At least get to know the person before you insult them.
As I mentioned, this is
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 07:59 — woodstockAs I mentioned, this is serious business. Education is as important as it gets. It relates to the future success of this country and the livelihood and well-being of our children. Nationally, we've spent a lot of time recently talking about healthcare reform, but it pales in comparision to importance of education.
So, yes I am very interested in the candidates and have read Ms. Lucas's views as stated on her website. I even went to forums (she was not there as she was taking a break and not running at the time). It appears she has a surface-level understanding of the issues and, therefore, an ill-advised set of priorities. For instance, she lists reassignments and diversity first before academics and drop-out rates. I was amused by one of her solutions for reducing drop our rates: "find strategies that help students remain in school." Really, no kidding? We need more substance than that.
Ms. Lucas is probably a very nice and accomplished person. She is just not yet ready for primetime in my view. Tedesco has the right message, experience and priorities and will prevail on October 6.
Dude - Are You Sure You're voting for Carlene?
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 21:55 — jjgabe30I see you are an avid supporter for Carlene, but It seems to me by the way you talk about John that maybe you ought to vote for Cathy Truitt - I mean given the similarity in the smear campaign tactics... not in good taste...
I just do not think John is
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 23:07 — thedudescousinI just do not think John is right for Wake County. In his radio address on the St. Aug. channel some of his statements came across as if people owed him. If you want to talk about smearing, just look at what everyone is writing about Carlene. I mean really, she's a mother who has had kids in Wake schools for 15 years now and will still have a kid in school for another 5 years. She has a diverse background, yet a lot of the posters here don't give her credit. Before you make a statement, just look at her site.
To be honest, Cathy is my second choice.
"Carlene is not status
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 17:17 — woodstock"Carlene is not status quo."
Really? Then she needs to update her website because her positions sure do sound status quo to me.
Plus, her recent actions (running, not running) indicate that she is a quitter who easily gets discouraged. That is not a quality we need on the school board.
...
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 17:57 — thedudescousinAre you calling her status quo because she believes in diversity? Diversity is a goal that we should all work to achieve. The current diversity policy is not working because it is just shuffling students around to mask performance and ease overcrowding.
I think it takes a lot of courage to reenter a race and admit to having made a mistake. We need someone with courage on the board.
The votes aren't there.
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 19:20 — ApexterFirst, I want to say that I admire Ms. Lucas for stepping up to run for the school board. It's one thing to pontificate endlessly on a blog, and yet another to actually take action to try to make the change you advocate for happen.
Dudescousin, I also think that you are doing admirably supporting her candidacy. Her plan, as you have presented it, does have some merit to it. At its core, it recognizes the importance of stability and choice, which is certainly a step up from what we have.
However, the important thing to keep in mind that the candidate elected in District 2 will be 1 vote out of 9. Despite the merits of the plan, I just don't see the other 8 board members jumping on board with this platform. The votes just won't be there.
I feel the same thing when I listen to Cathy Truitt claiming that she will be the one to come out and represent Garner the way it needs to be represented. Quite frankly, Garner students HAVE gotten the shaft in recent years, and could use some better representation. But when I hear her speak, I just get a feeling of deja vu. Amy White, with fire in her eyes, could speak articulately on the injustices of how the schools in her district weren't being treated on par with schools elsewhere in the system, but when it came right down to it, she nevertheless voted with the majority most of the time, and made little to no progress for the schools in her district. Horace Tart similarly campaigned on representing Garner schools and giving families there more choices. It didn't happen. In fact, Garner families have less choice now than they did at the beginning of Tart's tenure.
While every candidate should rightfully go in to the job with plans for advocating for the schools in their district, they have to realize that first and foremost, they have to represent all schools in the county. They have to realize that in order to make change, they will have to get their plans on the agenda (which requires the cooperation of the chair), and they will have to pull down at least 4 more votes on their side to make anything happen.
That's why when I hear Ms. Truitt and her suppoorters saying "Garner, Garner, Garner," and I just foresee the remainder of the board blowing her off, saying "What's in it for us?" Even Lori Millberg, who is a very pushy broad (and I say that in an admiring sort of way, as a fairly pushy broad myself) and who proved she could reliably be depended upon to vote with the Raleigh majority, received only a little bit of payback for her own district in return for her critical support. I see Ms. Truitt as just continuing the track record of White and Tart of voting with the Raleigh majority and saying "See! I was good! I voted the way you wanted. Will you please throw us a bone now?"
To be honest, I don't know enough about your candidate, Ms. Lucas, to know if she would be a status quo voter, or if she would be a single-candle-in-the-dark voter for her own plan. In either case, I don't see her proposed plan creating a consensus among the other 8 board members and making a change.
And another instance where the votes just won't be there -- getting votes for the underdog candidate. As the earlier campaign suspension suggests, Ms. Lucas has seen just how hard it is to raise funds and compete against those with deeper pockets. Ms. Truitt has money from real estate developers; Mr. Tart has gotten money from his Homebuilder colleagues. Mr. Tedesco has demonstrated some popular support as well as gaining the support of some influential PACs. I would suggest that it is not realistic to expect that Ms. Lucas would be able to win a majority in a 4 way race (which I think is technically still a 5 way race, as I believe Mr. Augustine will remain on the ballot.)
A 4 or 5 person field makes it very, very difficult for a single candidate to gain a majority in the election to avoid facing a runoff. If you think keeping up with fundraising for the general election is tough, you ain't seen nothing yet until you get to the runoff. That's when the forces from outside Wake County will seriously start putting in their cash to get their desired outcome.
While I admire her willingness to put herself on the line, I fear that the role Ms. Lucas will end up taking is that of spoiler.
By and large, a large field of candidates works to the benefit of the incumbent. Based on the lack of improvement in the conditions for Garner families over the last four years, I don't see how anyone would consider that to be a good thing.
It could be an upset...
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 20:31 — thedudescousinI believe Ms. Lucas could pull off the upset and end up being in the runoff. I believe this blog has painted her as an underdog but she has been putting in a lot of work as of late.
I am sure you can shoot her an email with your questions and she will respond as she has responded quickly to mine. Her email address is carlene@carlenelucas.com.
Carlene is not status quo.
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 16:16 — thedudescousinCarlene is not status quo. John is a politician and has only lived in Wake County a little more than two years.
Which one?
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 16:39 — SDR256I'm trying to decide if 'the dude' of whom you are a cousin is Stan or Horace.
...
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 21:29 — SideburnsSDR,
When referring to Stan or Horace, I would drop the 'e'.
Neither
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 17:30 — thedudescousinIt was a name one of my friends called me from middle school. He had met my cousin one year earlier and called him the dude, so he started calling me the dude's cousin. I have had the username for about two years on the N&O site.
Tedesco could be a very
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 17:20 — woodstockTedesco could be a very effective politican, he is articulate and very convincing. But, what he really is, is a passionate man who lives his convictions and works daily on the the things he believes in in his community. John Tedesco will be a great addition to the school board.
Not Amused...
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 15:48 — jjgabe30Why Carlene? Jump in... Jump out... Wax on... Wax Off... Wonder if Chris Augustine is going to rejoin the race in Dist 2; add more status Wuhhhhhhhhs or status uh-ohs to the race. I'm voting for the guy who has not waivered on his decisions, vision, and who sincerely cares about how our kids are educated. Vote John Tedesco October 6th.
So it's official - thedudcousin was right
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 16:39 — TrailerParkGirlanother status quo hat in the ring. Still love the oxymoronic nature of her "controlled choice" platform.
You get to "choose" to apply and WCPSS controls whether you actually get into your choice depending on whether or not you meet the right stereotyped demographic according to their stringent parameters. Fab. It's not like that tune hasn't played here before.
Never did get a response on what happens if the applicant pool parameters are way off from the desired parameters. What happens if in a school of 1,200 seats, 800 ED kids apply and 200 NED apply but the 'not more than 40% ED' formula calls for 480 ED seats maximum and 720 NED seats minimum? Do you deny 320 ED kids, accept all 200 NED and then operate at only 57% capacity?
Did you read the plan
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 18:08 — thedudescousinTPG, the plan would let parents choose a couple of schools in rank order. The ones that do not get their first choice will be given their second choice and so on. The school would not be operated at 57% capacity becuase that school may be the second or third choice for other students.
What WCPSS has now is not the same thing becuase you are automatically assigned a school and you can apply to attend a different calendar or magnet option. The controlled choice has been implemented in other school systems in Massachusetts and Florida.
BTW, is your last name Prince King?
Yes, I read her plan months ago
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 19:53 — TrailerParkGirland unless it's changed, it's actually five choices. You might want to brush up.
My point is what happens if in total choices 1-5 800 ED kids apply and in total choices 1-5 only 200 NED kids apply?
Ms. Lucas and I had a couple exchanges on the blog. The more she wrote, the less I liked her views. I disagree with the whole contrived WCPSS defination of diversity and the attitudes behind it, which she shares with the status quo viewpoint.
It's weird to me that people stereotype ED one way and NED another and then say to create diversity we must have X% of each. Where I come from people are not stereotyped and treated differently like that. Where outside of Wake County have you ever heard diversity defined as not having more than 40% ED in a school?
BTW, is your last name Prince King? No. Is yours Nosy Creepy?
...
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 23:38 — thedudescousinYour numbers are hypothetical and with the number of students in Wake County a situation like that is highly unlikely to occur. However, if that did occur she notes on her site that the school system would look at that school and see why it is not being chosen and would develop a plan to make it a more competitive choice.
A diversity policy based on SES is also implemented in Des Moines Public Schools and I am sure other school systems because of the Supreme Court ruling that diversity could not be solely based on race. I am not sure if they use the 40% line but that number came from a study that showed schools with more than 40% ED students performed lower. The children were not stereotyped, it was just a result of the study. Ms. Lucas is trying to improve the diversity policy to ensure that every child receives an equal opportunity at a high quality education.
What exactly is John's plan? Ms. Lucas is the only candidate who has offered a viable alternative to the current reassignment plan. The other candidates have used broad generalities by saying they will create "community" schools. But, I believe our schools now are community schools because we all live in the Wake County community.
If you want someone who has a vision for Wake County schools, you should vote for Carlene on Oct. 6.
...I just thought I knew you from somewhere.
Edit-----You might want to take a look at the Coleman Report and papers by UW-Madison professors Adam Gamoran and Geoffrey Borman on school performance and diversity.
Dude - it's still status quo with a twist of lemon
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 09:46 — TrailerParkGirlMs. Lucas' platform is what we have now only with the twist that there is no base assignment and you get five choices, instead of base + four choices. I agree with JSB's response.
Her platform still has the WRONG focus - SCHOOLS. The focus needs to be on STUDENTS - you know those living, breathing humans. That is what community schools do. It puts the focus on meeting STUDENT needs and STUDENT achievement. If you want to learn more, just google Arne Duncan, the current Secretary of Education, and community schools or you can use the link on John Tedesco's website. I actually think it is interesting that community schools seem like something new, because I grew up in a community school system. What we have now is NOT community schools. There are a few schools that are close - one in particular that I'm thinking of has 50% ED pass vs the 30% district average, but WCPSS is taking an ED node near the school out and sending them 18 miles away to "diversify" a new school that is in a low F&R area. I guess as the node is largely apartments, Chuck figured they wouldn't even realize they were reassigned.
Dude - if you think saying we can't have more than X% ED in a school because the school can't be healthy if there are too many ED in it isn't creating negative stereotypes, not to mention low expectations and defeatism, of low income you are SERIOUSLY naive. The low income students and the schools back home where no distinction is made between ED and NED and there is a lot of community support are doing better than here.
Take a look at her platform
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 10:41 — thedudescousinTake a look at her platform again. Ms. Lucas does say that the schools need to be more competitive for students. It is kind of like the free market approach. Ultimately it will make our schools stronger by having highly qualified teachers, intensive academic programs, etc. These qualities will in turn lead to more focus on students allowing them higher academic success.
Also, Carlene is focused on the students with wanting to track individual student performance. Below is from her Indy Week Questionnnaire:
"
7. Wake County's graduation rate hovers around 80 percent, meaning that of the students entering high school, about one in five doesn't finish within five years. That's better than the state average, but it isn't great. Should the district be doing more for at-risk students in the earlier grades and if so, what?
Yes, we should be doing more for at-risk students in the earlier grades such as establishing a database that tracks attendance, tardiness, behavioral problems, and grades in core subjects beginning as early as the sixth grade. These areas are all indicators of a child who may drop out. Once a student is identified they need to be able to establish a relationship with someone they can trust at the school whether it is a counselor or administrator. We also need smaller class sizes so that teachers can give students individualized attention, we need to involve the parents, and the classroom instruction needs to be relevant to careers."
TPG - besides using Lead Mine, look at the schools in D2 and their test scores. I was a student at two of the schools in D2 and the resources available to them were lacking in comparison to the resources available to the two schools I attended in D8. When there is a lack of resources, the quality of the education is going to be different and that is an injustice to our students. I'm not saying anything bad about those schools, but the teachers just did not have the same resources available to them. We need equality in our schools.
What sort of resources?
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 22:32 — TrailerParkGirlHow did the resouce funding sources differ between your D8 and D2 schools? What actions did your D2 schools take to obtain additional resources?
Ignoring difference in magnet/non-magnets, it is my understanding that much of the resource allocation within the district is based upon enrollment. Then it is up the principal to manage the school's budget and resources. Also, there is money in the district that schools have to request. It is my impression that some may be better than others at these things.
Are you talking about the kinds of things done by a PTA and things parents send in?
I'm not disputing what you are saying you experienced, but to me you fix a problem by fixing the actual problem. If there is a resource allocation equity problem you figure out how to more equitably allocate the resources and/or how to get additional resources where needed, not reallocate the students.
Why is the first and only answer to every ailment here -reallocate the students?
The 80% F&R ES school where I grew up just got a new playground and a new paint job, partially funded by the school system and partially funded by PTA efforts. While the school provided the paint, due to budget constraints volunteers, including some teachers, did the actual painting. Their classrooms also have more books than classrooms here in <40% F&R schools. So what is the deal here?
It mainly had to do with
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 10:52 — thedudescousinIt mainly had to do with things done by the PTA. The D8 schools had stronger involvement than the D2 schools. Carlene believes that we need more community involvement in our schools, so that resources become more equitable.
Also, I never said reallocate the students. By giving parents a choice, I believe more parents will be involved in their schools. However, I do believe that quality is more important than convenience.
It has to do with community involvement.
Agree that we need more community involvement
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 10:20 — TrailerParkGirlThat is actually one of the key points of community schools, thus the name community schools. That is exactly what the community schools that I experienced have regardless of the student demographics. (They are not the full community schools model like Arne Duncan talks about but similar principles.)
My understanding was that parents could choose any five schools, not necessarily just five schools within a community area, so I'm not sure how that would enhance community involvement to the same extent as community schools. Also as I understood it, the %F&R vs. %non-F&R seats would be set the same across the county so, by default, that would mean that some students could not go to school within their communities, which I see as one of the problems we have today.
I'm sure Charlene means well, I just don't agree that her solution is the best approach and I think we will just have to agree to disagree on that.
Dude - we have the
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 06:49 — JSBinNCDude - we have the situation you talk about now. There are families applying to their "top 4" choices and being denied entry year after year. WHY? Because either their base school needs their income status, or the application ("choice") school they are trying to get into does NOT need their income status. Sure - there is theoretically choice - WCPSS has all the control. From F&R families to the highest of income families (that are still in public at all...) choice is really not present.
There are schools today NOT being chosen. Perception is reality for most people - even after making some of these "problem" schools magnets, etc - they are still not high on the application list simply because they are not. you cannot force people to choose something that YOU think would be good for them - make sense?
I think Carlene has some interesting perspective. I think she also needs a few years of real world understanding on how things across the entire country - are being done - and if she takes that data and information and matures her ideas a little - she could really be a great voice in 4 years. Right now - no way. Too naiive in my opinion.
The bottom line is that WCPSS has schools with high, high F&R numbers that are doing a BETTER job at engaging and educating their F&R population (based on EOG scores) than the schools that are below the magical 40% line. Go look at the % pass rate for schools like Pleasant Union, Brassfield, etc - that are very low F&R schools. The F&R kids actually don't do that well in those schools... Brassfield for the last reported year had about 30% of their ED kids pass... (the school is 12% F&R). Lead Mine, which is about 43% F&R (I think?) had almost 40% of their ED kids passing. Heck MILLBROOK had 37% passing and they are 56% F&R!!!!!!!!!!
The F&R kids at Brassfield are bussed a heck of a lot further out of their community, probably PAST LEAD MINE AND MILLBROOK for some of them - when really they would be better off statistically assigned there because those two schools are DOING A BETTER JOB AT ENGAGING AND EDUCATING that specific demographic. But I bet you as sure as God made little green apples - if those F&R families listed Millbrook or Lead Mine in their top 5 choices, there is NO WAY they would get in - simply because Brassfield "needs to be more economically diversed" - who cares that they won't actually serve those children as well as another closer school!
It is ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS. not the RIGHT NUMBERS - but about the numbers, for sure.
Families are given three
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 10:52 — thedudescousinFamilies are given three choices are their request form and then year after year they have to fill out that same form to remain at the school. Also, students are reassigned year after year, except now it will be every three years. Ms. Lucas' plan allows parents to choose five schools that they want their child to attend and they will never be reassigned to another school. However, if they are assigned their #3 choice and the #1 choice has an open seat, then they are given the opportunity to switch schools.
"I think she also needs a few years of real world understanding on how things across the entire country - are being done - and if she takes that data and information and matures her ideas a little - she could really be a great voice in 4 years. Right now - no way. Too naiive in my opinion." --- I think Ms. Lucas understands how things across the entire country are being done because her plan comes from schools across the country in Florida and Massachusetts.
Please take a look at D2 schools and their student test scores, instead of using schools outside of D2 like Lead Mine. Lead Mine has a lot more resources available to it than many D2 schools.
Augustine said he's still in
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 16:28 — g88ky07after he suspended his campaign, so I expect we'll get a post about his waxing on, waxing off soon too.
I have no problem with Carlene "getting back in", may the best man win! And that man WILL BE John Tedesco!
If "living here only 2 years" is the best ya' got, bring it on!