We've got the political pawn/resegregationist vs. the flip-flopper.
As noted in today's article, those are some of the uncharitable accusations being flung by the candidates in the District 2 school board runoff election. There's clearly no love lost between John Tedesco and Cathy Truitt, who is expected to announce today that she's dropping out of the race.
"Every day it's a different kind of sensational language," Tedesco said in the article of Truitt's charge that she will stop him from resegregating the schools.
Tedesco and his supporters have accused Truitt of flip-flopping on issues, noticeably on the diversity policy. Truitt's decision to stand with the groups at the Friends of Diversity press conference have raised questions about her statements she would end forced busing for diversity.
"She stood up on stage with the people who are supporters of the diversity policy," said school board member Ron Margiotta. "It's a strong indication that she supports the diversity policy. Or is she doing it for political reasons?"
Truitt insists that her opposition to the diversity policy and her appearance at the press conference are consistent. She says she opposes the diversity policy but attended the press conference to show her support for the underlying concept of diversity in schools.
Tedesco is also taking jabs at Truitt'a age, saying how much voters are looking forward to having a young and energetic school board member. He's 34. She's 60.
"I'm going to be here for a generation, long after Ms. Truitt is gone," Tedesco said in the article.
Truitt and her supporters have been firing away at Tedesco, not just on her being the swing vote against resegregation. Throughout the campaign, she's argued that she would be an independent voice for District 2 while Tedesco will be a pawn of western Wake and Margiotta.
"If Tedesco is elected, then Cary, Apex and Ron Margiotta are in control," said Debbie McHenry, a Truitt supporter, in the article.
Margotta said claims that western Wake would control Tedesco and the board are ridiculous. He said those charges by Truitt give him and western Wake too much credit.
"We can say western Wake has made more noise than any other group for the past decade," Margiotta said. "It started here but you can't say western Wake would be in control. It's the other parts of the county who have the same issues now."
Truitt's camp has focused on the large amount of money that Tedesco has received from western Wake residents and from the Wake Schools Community Alliance.
Atlhough school board member Horace Tart said he isn't endorsing anyone in the runoff, he too says that Tedesco will feel obligated to follow the agenda of western Wake because of the campaign contributions. Like Tedesco, Tart received western Wake support and money in 2005 but split when he became a supporter of the diversity policy.
“I was about representing District 2, not groups whose interests are different from District 2," Tart said.
