A new campaign mailer from the state Democratic Party urging Wake County voters not "to go back back to the days of separate, but not so equal" is drawing complaints from the Republican candidates for county commissioner.
The mailer urging candidates to vote for the four Democratic candidates for commissioner insinuates that resegregation could occur in the school system if the GOP candidates win. The state Democratic Party has been using the school board's elimination of the diversity policy all year to invigorate its base.
"Wake County is at a crossroads," says the mailer. "Are we going to continue our progressive tradition that all our children matter, or are we going to go back to the days of separate, but not so equal? This year's election of County Commissioners is crucial to the future of Wake County schools."
To the left is a group shot of the four Democratic candidates. On the right are head shots of the four GOP candidates.
On the opposite side of the mailer are the messages "don't let Wake County go backwards" and "send the school board a message and vote Nov. 2nd."
Below that is a multicultural picture of three children standing together and holding up a sign saying "please help."
The ad was paid for by the state Democratic Party. But Wake County Democratic Party Chairman Mack Paul said it was the county party that came up with the wording.
It's this ad that GOP Commissioner Tony Gurley was referring to in his statement Tuesday that also objected to the mailer from Democratic challenger Steve Rao.
Gurley said in the statement that he was "shocked and disappointed" in the Democratic Party mail piece He said this ad had taken a civilized campaign into the gutter.
"My opponent and the Wake County Democratic Party have accused me and my fellow Republican candidates for the Wake County Commission of things that we have no control over when it comes to the public school system," Gurley said. "We do not set policy! The role of the Wake County Commission Is to provide the financial resources necessary to build, maintain and renovate schools so that our children have safe facilities that are conducive to learning."
Comments
At 52 years of age I do
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 13:52 — willynillyAt 52 years of age I do remember the NC history. I recall seeing young black men and women being abused at the hands of racists. Yes, and they had police uniforms on. They also had dogs which were unleashed on these peaceful protestors. Now I was only about 2 when the sit in happened. However, I remember people continuing to talk about that event for many years. Mainly because I was growing up in NC and this happened in NC. I am not foolhardy enough to believe that racisim no longer exists, but it has been a very long time since these events happened.
My students in my classes of all colors have the FIRM beliefe that they are "owed" something. I am astounded that almost each and everyone of my students feel that this education is free. Imagine their surprise when it is not. They actually start to wonder why they tear up things at school............would you stomp your Xbox into disrepair? Of course not. So why did you tear the paper towel dispenser off the wall? Hmmmmm.
I have been fortunate enough to travel to many places courtesy of the US Navy. I have been educated in a way I was never prepared for in that we here in NC have NO corner on the market in racisim or prejudice present or past. Again, I am not diminishing what has happened, but the pendulum has swung way to the other side.
I wonder if people know who was in charge when many of these past events took place? How about 1968 and the convention that showed veterans being beaten for protesting? How about who was in charge in Durham when those events took place in the 1950s. I distinctly remember a scene in GLORY (Civil War) about the 54th Mass black regiment. When Denzel Washingtons character and Matthew Brodericks charatcter are discussing the end results of the war Washingtons character states that "we are all dirty in this" and we "smell to high heaven." I also remember a very sage person telling me, "don't forget the past, but do not live in it."
The Federal Govt is in our state now and for better or worse education will soon be taken out of our (NC) hands. While we were looking the other way they came in and took over the system. These discussions and the arguments that ensue do little if anything to raise acheivements. Former Gov Hunt made lots of money off NCWISE and NBCT and neither of those things has helped students.....at all!!!!!!!!
Going backwards
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 09:50 — virginiadareI just read a post on Talking About Politics by Gary Pearce. He was talking about an interview he had done with Rick Martinez on WPTF on his new book about Jim Hunt. Excerpt from the post:
North Carolina is not unique
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 17:40 — woodstockNorth Carolina is not unique in its racist history, so I am not surte why that point keeps being brought up on these blogs ...it just shows that some have have a very limited and NC-centric understanding of history.
Regardless, "forced busing" and "neightborhood schools" are NOT code words. That is complete nonsense. It is nothing more than desperate race-hustling to even suggest that they are. I, and whole lot of other honest, decent and well educated folks support neighborhood schools and are adamantly against forced busing. Any who wants to keep insisting they are code words of any sort will be appropriately labeled as extremists and will be left of the discussion of how we move forward.
Wow, I would not say this
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 01:03 — WhalerCaneWow, I would not say this about anyone else who posts on this blog, but Woodstock, the anyonmous coward, once again proving he is acutally stuck in a cluesless racist past.
LOLOL! name calling ...last
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 08:04 — woodstockLOLOL! name calling ...last bastion of those like with no agrument.
Have a nice Tuesday! ;)
So what are we supposed to
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 02:23 — jeffrey1So what are we supposed to say?
Call me naive, or stupid, but don't you dare call me racist. I had no clue that the term "forced busing" is actually a code word for racist. I have lived in and worked in some of the most diverse communities in the country. I've been involved with school assignment for 10 years, and the first time I heard that "forced busing" is a code word for racist was when Barber stated it on the NC Spin program a couple of months ago.
I would be like to able to use a term that describes my children's experience of being yanked out of their nearby school and sent to another distant schools that was further away from my home than 23 existing elementary schools for the sole reason of trying to balance out the SES of the school. They were forced to get on a bus. If you don't want me to use "forced busing," fine. But give me a term that I can use without someone calling me a racist.
Simple way to decide this
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 10:22 — user12345Simple way to decide this ... give them a choice between their gang filled, failing neighborhood school or the top 200 school of excellence they travel five more miles to ... that is a choice model.
Are you saying there ARE bad
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 19:41 — DrActualFactualAre you saying there ARE bad schools in Wake? Why are we keeping them open without fixing them, are we sending kids in to bad schools. That is not a choice model for the one that didn't choose to go but got sent against their will. Jeffrey1, we should call it "Beverly Busing" ..."these people just need to go where their supposed to go."
"Socio-Economic
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 07:47 — CaryCurmudgeon"Socio-Economic Transportation?"
Republican Saint Lee Atwater
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 18:11 — gregishereHere's Lee Atwater, the man responsible for the first Bush:
(I've edited out the awful racist word... but my substitute leaves no doubt what Atwater said, so be forewarned. What Atwater is saying without owning up to it is that the words "forced busing" is just an extension of the hard core racism of the 60s... he's trying to weasle by saying, well, heck, at least we aren't overtly racist, but man we sure know how to use these words to signal to our guys what we are saying. It's like a democratic consultant once said to me: we're making a tough on crime ad not because it's right, but it signals to the racists something that they want to hear.) Oh well, here Mr. Woodstock, from wikipedia:
In 1981, former GOP strategist Lee Atwater gave an interview discussing the matter, quoted:
...and? Is there a point?
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 18:28 — woodstock...and? Is there a point?
And, why is what you call the "N word" the ONLY word virtually forbidden by non-blacks? Why is that? Why does that word hold such power and we are so afraid to use it, yet I hear in a steady stream of it by young black men in casual conversation in public... and my children hear it EVERY single day on the bus?
Race is the great divider... the left knows this and it is why race hustling is so prominent among left-wing extremists like yourself.
Last time
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 18:39 — gregishereYou know the point. You just said that "forced busing" is NOT a code word. I said Lee Atwater said it was a code word. Don't feign idiotic ignorance, Mr. Woodstock. If you really are that dumb that you didn't understand the point. Then fine, my apologies. But I suspect you understood and chose to ignore it because it was on point and refuted your point. If that's the case, then you are of no value to this discussion or any discussion. You are disingenuous and a right-winger, which appears to be the same thing for a lot of Republicans these days.
Correction
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 18:10 — Solon77Woodstock is a conservative. Code word for: traditional, conventional, unchanging, controlled, inflexible, bourgeois, obstinate,uncreative, unimaginative - preserving the status quo.
Really? That is a pretty sad
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 08:36 — woodstockReally? That is a pretty sad attempt. Try this:
Conservatives:
The Republican Party -- where most onservatives reside -- is the party of Lincoln who led the fight against slavery and for states rights. Additionally, Republicans were the intiators and supporters of civil rights.
As a matter of fact, since 1933 Republicans had a far, far more positive record on civil rights than the Democrats.
In the 26 major civil rights votes after 1933, a majority of Democrats opposed civil rights legislation in over 80 percent of the votes. By contrast, the Republican majority favored civil rights in over 96 percent of the votes.
From the History News Network:
For 150 years, the Republican Party held high the banner of civil rights. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party defended slavery, segregation and allied itself with the Ku Klux Klan to take the vote away from black and white Republicans and terrorize them into submission. Little wonder the Democratic Party was known as the “party of the Klan” well into the 20th century. When Democrats finally embraced the cause of racial freedom in the 1960s, they were the “Johnny come latelys” of the civil rights movement, simply undoing the damage their Party had inflicted on racial minorities during the prior 100 years. We, the Party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and Ward Connerly, have a far better claim to civil rights.
Try again
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 21:50 — Solon77The Republican party today is not the party of Lincoln. Not since the conservative coalition in the mid/late 60s, when the party sold out to the Southern Social Democrats. Prior to the 60's the Republican party could be described as classical liberalism and progressivism. Can you imagine Hannity, O'Rielly, and Beck calling themselves anything with liberalism and progressivism.
The Republicans cannot even hold the distinction of being fiscal conservatives. The Reagan/Bush presidencies resulted in our national debt rising 4 fold from $990B to over $4 trillion. Clinton held the annual federal budget in the range of $1.6T - $1.9T per year over a period of 8 years, balanced the budget and actually handed Bush a surplus. Bush on the other hand increased spending from $2.0T annually to $3.1T annually. This doesn't even consider the off book spending such as the war and the raiding of the Social Security fund to mask the true financial picture. This increased spending combined with the tax cuts resulted in significant increase in the National Debt. Obama discontinued the Bush accounting tricks and is calling it as it is. Unfortunately this gives the false impression of increased spending, when in reality spending is lower even with the stimulus package.
With regards to the mantra of individual's freedoms and rights - this is only to the extent that it is aligned with the conservative view. How do the Republican's reconcile support of individual's freedoms and rights and limited government with supporting government intrusion in the areas of marriage, military service, research and women's choices - to name a few.
Environmental Policy - Teddy Roosevelt - National Parks and Nixon - EPA expanded the role of government for the common good. Would today's Republicans support such actions ?
Education - enactment of NCLB can be viewed as an expansion of the Federal Government, how is this limited government ? There use to be a view that if democracy was to be successful, its leaders and the public need a good education. Republicans supported such a view. Today they point fingers are teachers and deny funding by hiding behind "we already pay enough in taxes, it is a matter of shifting priorities" So I ask - what programs at the Federal/State/ Local level should cut ?
Today's Republican Party is not the party of Lincoln, it was sold out many many years ago.
Yes ... Yes ...it turns my
Sun, 10/31/2010 - 10:51 — user12345Yes ... Yes ...it turns my stomach knowing what the Republican Party was and what it has evolved into ...
So, Lee Atwater is the go-to
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 17:47 — woodstockSo, Lee Atwater is the go-to guy for code words. That's your agrument? Funny stuff!
If you think right winger = Republicans, you are way more clueless than I ever gave you credit for. I wish you were right, but unfortunately you are not.
So....
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 11:55 — Bob_SconceHe's right that many folks who weren't born here (and, probably, many who were) aren't aware of the region's history. But, so what? Which is more important -- the history of a place or the history of the people? Did the Spanish conquering what is now Mexico worry about going back to human sacrifice? Do college students in Ann Arbor need to worry about returning to the atrocities of the Beaver Wars? Of course not. Those are the histories of the places not of the people.
The suggestion that Northerners become racists merely by moving to the South is as ludicrous as the idea that Americans become anti-semites merely by moving to Germany. If there's anybody in the region who is likely to 'return' to the ways of the past, it's the people who were here and lived it. To those of us who moved here from someplace else, that past and the idea of returning to it are as alien as the suface of Mars.
Sorry, I don't get your
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 12:17 — virginiadareSorry, I don't get your distinction between the history of places or of people. I am not suggesting that Northerners ( or Westerners -- I believe Rick Martinez was from Arizona) become racists when they move here. I am suggesting that they don't understand why people, both white and black, who have been here and struggled against racism and worked to be sure our schools were equitable are upset when a new assignment plan will create schools that are racially identifiable and high poverty, just like that time in their past when schools were separate and NOT equal. I would hope that learning about that past would help them understand the emotions of the other side, just like reading the book about Jim Hunt helped Rick Martinez understand.
So..
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 17:33 — Bob_SconceIf you're saying that knowing somebody's personal history helps you understand them better, I agree. John Tedesco would understand Dr. Barber better if he had studied Barber's history. Similarly, Barber would understand John better if he had studied John's history.
The problem that I have is with the next step -- that we should defer to the views of long-time residents, simply because they're been here longer.
It's as if you went back in time to the 11th Century and interrupted a doctor as he was bleeding a patient. He complains, as you sweep him out of the room "If I don't bleed him, he will die." Then, you give penicilin to the patient and the doctor is astounded that the patient lives -- it's completely outside of his experience. Similarly, there may be certain doctors around today who think abandoning the diversity policy will revert us to racism, and who will never believe otherwise. They need to be swept from the room to allow a third option to be tried.
The suggestion that
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 12:13 — user12345The suggestion that Northerners become racists merely by moving to the South is as ludicrous as the idea that Americans become anti-semites merely by moving to Germany.
Bob, think of it as being insensitive vs. racist .... more like JT's comment about DG pink hair was insensitive. Not having experience with cancer made him unaware of what he was saying, just like many newcomers don't know southern racial history except from history books and use terms like "forced bussing" not understanding what they are saying.
Good points ... you are
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 10:46 — user12345Good points ... you are right that recent newcomers are not sensitive to the issue and history ... I think many want to recreate the same town-based schools system they grew up with in NY and are having a hard time adjusting to a county-based system with more income and racial diversity then are use to ..
When I say this notice, I thought about how many of these folks say that racism was banished in the 1960's ....
School leaders were touting last month how there's been a 30 percent increase this year in pre-algebra and Algebra I enrollment in middle schools. But the data also indicated that 3,324 students weren't placed in those classes this year even though EVAAS indicated they were ready.
You can continue to paint
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 10:33 — SideburnsYou can continue to paint this as a racial issue all you want. I know it's much easier for others to digest it as such. But, the facts remain -- under the old policies, low-income children were targeted for long distance busing and year after year reassignments with no regard for the educational impact. MYR was presented as a way to address growth when, in reality, it was used to have ultimate control of the F&R %s at all schools. Under the voluntary model, the school system did not get enough low-income families to apply -- so they implemented MYR and forced them to go.
During the 3 years my child attended our traditional calendar opt-out, we watched low-income children come and go each year -- not because they were not performing at their current assignment but because other schools didn't have enough poor kids. The first year they were removed and went to Davis Drive Elementary -- even further away from their home. The 2nd year, they went to Olive Chapel and Turner Creek -- some travel up to 18 miles. In one year, out the next. The old 6200 was destructive and placed zero value on stability or, heaven forbid, educational needs.
Your fear-mongering is insulting. Using a campaign flier from 1950 politics? The emotion you refer to is your own doing. Our school system must move forward with an innovative approach to education -- all families should be provided choice, increased stability and the best educational opportunities for their children -- regardless of their race or income level. We can't stand still because of the fears from 1950. We can not forget the past but it is shameful of you to inflame today's issues in such a way.
People who don't know or
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 10:58 — virginiadarePeople who don't know or understand the past are likely to repeat it. Though we won't ever have de jure segregation again, we could very well have de facto segregation (or, as Jeffrey prefers to call it, racial imbalance.) Increased choice and stability, and even greater emphasis on proximity, can and should be provided without doing away with any consideration of diversity. The strangulating growth (complicated by underfunding) is what caused the annual reassignments, which obviously caused hardship, especially where most of the growth was occurring. No one has said that those decisions were always the correct ones, and I know that even most of the people on the school board and in the administration were never happy with any reassignment plan. They had to make hard decisions in a crisis situation. Today's issues are already inflamed because too many newcomers, like Rick Martinez admitted, do not know about or understand the history here. That history will have to be considered in order to move forward in a way that will be acceptable to the entire community.
Though we won't ever have de
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 01:59 — jeffrey1Most of the people who have
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 11:23 — CaryCurmudgeonMost of the people who have kids in school here weren't even born in the 1950's. I guess you also have a problem with "too many newcomers."
The flyer is nothing more than a cheap attempt to dredge up historic racism and guilt in order to win last-minute votes. I personally think a lot of people will be turned off by it, just like those TV commercials that Jimbo Goodmon during the school board campaign. The subliminal message is "vote for us and we'll put things back the way they were." Voters already decided that the way things were didn't work.
One message comes across loud and clear: If you want your commissioners meddling in assignment policy, vote for Democrats. If you want commissioners who will let the elected school board do their job, vote Republican. I'm voting Republican.
Forget The 1950's
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 18:41 — fiveblindmiceHeck you only have to go back to the 1990's to get to the in-your-face racism of Jesse Helms (the infamous "white hands" commercial was in the early 90's, for example). And it is a FACT that most of the *current* Republican power structure in NC grew up idolizing and emulating that man, his philosophy and his methods*. We're not talking ancient history here we're talking direct one-generation mentor/mentoree connections to one of the most brazen and outspoken of the racist segregationists and his powerful political machine. That is precisely the kind of very obvious local history - very recent local history - that new arrivals don't even think about. It's a real dimension of reality that often goes completely under their radar, through no fault of their own.
(*= If I recall correctly one of the Republicans running for County Comnmissioner right here in Wake County is even related to Helms and has used both the family and political connections to further his political career).
"looking at teacher cuts in the thousands"
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 21:46 — FSandYOUWow, that's a lot of pain your calling for. Do the teachers know this is coming?
So if we are going to cut that many teachers, are class sizes going to double and who for heaven's sake is going to teach all the growth kids coming for their "best of the best" piece of pie?
I sure hope this news doesn't get out to the "best of the best" magazines. Heaven forbid newcomers, the ones causing all of our problems, hear the truth BEFORE they arrive that once they get here there won't be any teachers left to teach their kids!
I sure hope this news
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 22:26 — user12345I sure hope this news doesn't get out to the "best of the best" magazines. Heaven forbid newcomers, the ones causing all of our problems, hear the truth BEFORE they arrive that once they get here there won't be any teachers left to teach their kids!
Many of the newcomers are thankful to have a job and probably could care less about the schools at this point in time. They would move to Detroit if there were job openings. Ultimately, we will shoe horn them in and long time residents will wake up one day with 40 kids in their child's class and wonder how we got there. Of course home builders will care less since they will have been repaid their donation investment.
Then you're saying the
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 19:24 — CaryCurmudgeonThen you're saying the Democrats are lying about their commitment to maintain the diversity policy. That's what they say they will do in their forums (via a "third way" or other means). All four current Democratic commissioners signed resolutions condemning the school board. They are making some heavy political promises and I think they are very serious about honoring them.
Then we get ads from the Republican party promising no tax increases. I'm not a complete dummy and I know that is malarchy. Two of the Republicans spoke openly at our forum about the fact that future bonds must be funded through tax increases. Two of the Democrats also were open about this.
At this point, I'm not sure whether either set of candidates has the guts to do what is necessary to properly fund our schools. So I have a choice. I can vote for people who I KNOW are committed to undoing the results of last year's election, but MIGHT give our schools the funding they need, or I can vote for people whi I KNOW will not try to undo last year's election result, and also MIGHT give our schools the funding they need. My greatest sorry is that there is not a door number 3, a set of candidates who will honor last year's election result and have the courage to implement whatever taxes and impact fees are necessary to not just protect our schools, but to make them something we can be proud of.
2/3 of our school funding comes from the state. I think last year's cuts in the state education budget were a disgrace, I would have much preferred having my taxes increase, and I think many parents feel the same way. Would the Republicans have pounced on them for increasing taxes? Absolutely. But leaders should be willing to do the right thing, no matter the consequences. Who knows, maybe if they had sold off the corrupt ABC liquor distribution system which was estimated at $1B value, then they could have had the best of both worlds -- no tax increases and no education cuts.
Show me the resolution
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 12:35 — stan_norwalkJoe,
You said that "all four Democratic Commissioners signed resolutions condemning the school board."
You don't have the facts. I wrote the resolution to which you are referring. Here are my remarks introducing the resolution.
He (Norwalk) said he has told the concerned citizens that the county commissioners do not have the authority to be involved in school assignment. He said the resolution was an attempt to put the elected officials' position on record for the public.
Here is what the resolution said:
Be it resolved that the City Council of Raleigh and the Wake County Board of Commissioners hereby express their deep concern over any attempt to re-segregate Wake’s public schools by either race or socioeconomic status.
Nowhere in the body of the resolution will you find a single word condemning the BOE. You may not agree with the thinking leading to the resolution, but you don't have the right to misrepresent it.
The #1 concern expressed in the body of the resolution was the creation of high-poverty schools. Are you in favor of re-segregating the schools and creating schools with high concentrations of poverty in low income areas?
You may try to convince the public that Democratic Commissioners would try to undo the results of the last BOE election, but the BOE itself is doing a good job of that all by themselves. I imagine you don't like the current deadlock on the BOE ...but, why blame the Democrats on the BOC? Does any of the blame fall on those individuals who helped recruit and support the new BOE members?
Just by using that ridiculous word
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 08:31 — FSandYOU"re-segregate" you lump yourself in with the loonies. However, most already had a feeling that was where you like to hang.
As long as those who helped get this BOE elected work just as hard to keep you from being re-elected, no, they don't share in any of the blame.
Stan, Thank you for taking
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 14:22 — CaryCurmudgeonStan,
Thank you for taking the time to respond, I don't envy our commissioners and the burden that you all carry.
All due respect, I think this is a matter of semantics. When you sign a resolution that says
Joe, Perhaps you should move
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 11:35 — WhalerCaneJoe,
Perhaps you should move to Charlotte where you vision has come to fruition. So called 'neighborhood schools' that have led to high resegreation, and now the closing of inner city neighborhood schools and magnets even after dumping hundres of millions of extra tax dollars into that, but some nice quality public schools in rich neighborhooods.
Despite all your previous rhetoric, it is pretty obvious that assignment is more important to you than funding or achieverment, there fore you voting Republican was never in doubt.
It just a steady stream of
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 17:55 — woodstockIt just a steady stream of impotent BS from you. You will NEVER have achievement until you address what is wrong with a community or neighborhood that cannot sufficiently support a school for their children. All we've done for decades is disguise the problem. We could pick an assignment plan out of a hat and if we don't not make systemic changes that matter in terms of the real challenges poor families face, the same kids will succeed and the same kids will fail. In Wake County, we've relied on forced busing for 40 years; where is the improvement? There is none. In fact, the achievement level of poor and minority kids -- especially black males -- has steadily declined.
Where the hell is your buddy Mayor Meeker and his partner in crime Harvey Schmitt on addressing the economic challenges in their beloved "inside-the-belt-line?" They'd rather bitch and moan about Republicans and people "not from around here" than actually do some work that matters to their constituents.
Perry, Despite the fact that
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 12:54 — CaryCurmudgeonPerry,
Despite the fact that you and I disagree on some issues, I've never called your integrity into question. I won't suggest you move somewhere else, we need people here who can articulate both sides of the argument.
Funding the schools is still my number one priority among the commissioners. But the Democratic candidates have made it clear to me that they intend to do whatever they can to force a return to diversity busing. I believe that a Democratic majority will withhold money from the school system if the school board does not agree to play their diversity game.
When the Reps were in the board majority, we saw that they could withhold funds to convert schools to MYR. I believe a Democratic-led commission can find a way to do the same thing, and I'm not in favor of the commissioners using money as a policy bludgeon.
Joe, I am not questioning
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 01:12 — WhalerCaneJoe,
I am not questioning your integrity, just your vision and your hearing. Steve and Jack have made it abundinatly clear in every venue that they would actively seek a third way, and that what they want from the BoE is a plan with costs and impacts attached to it. Their Democrats. They are going to fund schools. They understand to pass a school bond will take consensus, and that we should avoid the mess that is Charlotte which you repeatedly profess you do not want, but what you advocate will get us exactly that.
You said you were going to stay out. Yet, based on false assumptions you keep propagating the Party line and frankly misinformation. I like you bubba, but I'm going to call you on it.
I don't want a "third
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 08:12 — CaryCurmudgeonI don't want a "third way." We have elections to decide county commissioners and we have elections to decide school board members. I want both groups to do their jobs. You and I both agreed that assignment policy was not within the CC's purview.
I like you too bubba, but when you're leveraging the assignment debate to gain support for your candidates then I'm going to call you on it too.
As far as "staying out of it" I made it clear that I was voicing my own opinion, and not that of any organization. I have no CC signs in my yard, which I'm sure makes the homeowners' association happy. But I WILL call it like I see it.
No one has been able to
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 02:08 — jeffrey1No one has been able to define a "third way." In my opinion, there is no third way. Diversity and achievement are either in Policy 6200 or out of Policy 6200. Right now they are out. What's the third option?
You are all making a big deal out of costs, but the fact is the costs associated with an assignment plan are simply the costs of busing kids to school. Those costs are are highly predictable, and linear in nature. They are O (n), or Order N, as we computer guys like to say, and are largely determined by the number of miles driven by the buses. According to WCPSS, average one way ride time is 16.5 miles per student. It can't get any higher, no matter what the plan.
Funding the schools is still
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 13:30 — user12345Funding the schools is still my number one priority among the commissioners. But the Democratic candidates have made it clear to me that they intend to do whatever they can to force a return to diversity busing.
So, you are choosing reduced funding to avoid diversity at all costs? You would rather impact 140k kids with substandard funding to avoid at all costs 5000 kids being sent from their failing neighborhood school to a school of excellence a few miles further?
Yes, that is what he said.
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 17:33 — gregishereThis cool curmudgeon often sounds reasonable, and I have no doubt he cares about schools. But he is mistaken because he allows his blinding bias against busing to color what appears to be his final take on the county commission races. There is no doubt -- none -- that either the republican candidates will NOT raise taxes, which by every measure they must do to fund schools in the near future, or the candidates are lying cravenly to take votes from fiscal conservatives who have no idea or some screwy backwards idea about schools and a school system this large and dynamic. The mudge man, quick-witted and smart, just doesn't want to admit that FUNDING is just a little bit more important than his distaste for busing (which he equates to the "forced" variety or the "diversity" variety). Oh well, there you go.
"...that either the
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 18:16 — woodstockIt is time to LOWER taxes
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 21:15 — user12345It is time to LOWER taxes especially for the folks that make real money and that fuel the economy and create jobs
You must not have much retail experience ... let me recap ... after years of investment and good leadership we are the most popular area in the country ... "best of the best" in every magazine / category... more and more people moving here every day ... more than our roads and schools can accommodate ... when you have a "product" like that you raise your price not drop it ...we have enough people now and need to control growth and make it pay for itself.
This is where you and I
Thu, 10/28/2010 - 19:34 — CaryCurmudgeonThis is where you and I disagree. To me, education funding should be sacrosanct. Responsibly spent, every dollar we pour into education now saves many more dollars down the road in prisons and social services.
I don't think lower taxes are a reasonable expectation. At the Federal level, the Bush tax cuts haven't even been extended yet. The Republicans, with Tea Party backing, are campaigning on fiscal conservatism, ie. not selling our childrens' future down the road. If they take over Congress and try to implement sweeping tax cuts beyond extending the Bush ones, the Tea Party will (rightly) crucify them. At the state level, looking at a $3B deficit next year, I don't think a tax cut is in the making.
Do you disagree that we
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 17:56 — woodstockDo you disagree that we should have better priorities in spending our tax dollars? Is there not money spent foolishly on other things that could go to education? I might -- MIGHT -- agree we need to spend more on education, but from a holistic point of view we need to be better caretakers of taxpayer dollars. Until that happens, expecting taxpayers to take on additional burdens -- especially in such a crappy ecomony -- is wrong and irresponsible.
Also, there is not a lot of evidence that more education dollars increases achievement -- look at DC for instance. Better teachers AND LESS INEFFECTIVE ONES is should be the number one priority.
Yes, I do think there are
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 23:08 — CaryCurmudgeonYes, I do think there are better priority decisions we could be making. At the state level, I would like to have seen them sell off the ABC distribution system. I think it is silly for the government to be in this business, and they could have reaped $1B which would have meant no cuts to education. I also think it is absurd that Marc Basnight has a $20M pier to nowhere funded out of the state budget at the same time we are laying off teachers. Things seem to be tighter at the county level, and I'm not up enough on the budget to identify areas where it makes sense to move funding. At the Federal level, we are pouring money down the toilet in both Iraq and Afghanistan, I'd rather see that money spent here, or spent to pay down the debt.
Talk About A Really, Really Fiscally Stupid....
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 20:21 — fiveblindmice...idea. Whether the state should or should not be in the business is a legitimate issue. But good lord - if you're going to divest then at least insist on a sane price. Anyone that would selloff an entity generating $250 million in revenue each and every year for only $1B ( leaving you with an enourmos budget hole every year before this year's kindergardner's get out of elementary school) should be kept as far away from our money as is humanly possible.
Financial Expertise
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 22:03 — Solon77This is one area lacking. So there is a $1b (assuming to be the correct amount) one time gain. Then what do you do next year and the year after ? This is almost as irresponsible as selling off the administration building and leasing office space. Sure there is a short term gain but in the long run this will end up costing our kids millions each year until the cycle can be broken.
This statement from you and
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 01:16 — WhalerCaneThis statement from you and voting for these Repbulican Commissions is completely inconsistent, and if you belive it true, frankly, delusional.
The Dems have done nothing
Fri, 10/29/2010 - 08:08 — CaryCurmudgeonThe Dems have done nothing at the county level to increase school funding in the last two years, despite the growth in student base. The Dems at the state level have actually decreased student funding. Traditional party dogma would say I can expect better funding out of the Dems, but where's the beef? I think it will take a long time for us to recover from this recession, years. In the first two years of this recessioon, the Dems at the local/state level cut education funding. How can I possibly believe that during the slow and painful economic recovery ahead of us that they will be any more prone than Republicans to fund our schools better?
My statement is based on recent track record, not campaign flyers.