Seats are still available for Wednesday's Wake Regional Education Roundtable on socioeconomic diversity.
It should be a lively discussion considering the two groups who are sponsoring the event — the Wake Education Partnership and the Garner Chamber of Commerce. Both have somewhat differing visions about diversity.
It's clear where the Partnership stands on the issue. They're going to present the position they put forward in their report, “Striking a Balance: In Support of Diversity in the Wake County Public School System.”
The Chamber's position is a bit more nuanced.
On one hand, Chamber members have complained about the large number of low-income students who are bused into the town's schools. They've also griped about how Garner students aren't going to schools in town.
In many ways that is what's articulated by supporters of neighborhood schools.
On the other hand, Chamber members have complained that Wake isn't doing a good enough job of following its diversity policy to get Garner schools to the goal of having less than 40 percent of their students receiving subsidized lunches.
Chamber members have had a big hand in school issues in recent years.
With the backing of Chamber members, Amy White defeated incumbent J.C. O'Neal for the school board seat in 2001.
The business community was again out in force in 2005 when they helped elect Horace Tart to the board. Since then, Tart has become more critical of neighborhood schools.
Chamber members lobbied Garner town leaders to threaten to delay permits for renovations at Smith and Aversboro elementary schools unless their F&R percentages were lowered.
Business leaders also urged town leaders to lobby against opening the new Bryan Road Elementary School out of fear it would have lots of low-income students from out of town.
Wake delayed Bryan Road into the next bond issue and is considering adding a magnet program at Smith.
It costs $10 to attend the forum. Lunch is provided. It will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Eagle Ridge Golf Course. (It's a private golf course.)
Click here to reserve your space.
Comments
re:
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 01:05 — benzs600Official Ed Hardy Store for all Clothing and Gear by Christian Audigier. The lifestyle brand is inspired by vintage tattoo art incorporating apparel Ed Hardy Clothing | Ed Hardy Ed Hardy Hoodies | ed hardy swimsuit | ED Hardy Long sleeve
awesome to read how many
Thu, 10/02/2008 - 08:01 — bigwinnieawesome to read how many showed up to debate the "merits" of the diversity policy.....reality (fails) vs. theory (good idea)......
Beer Pong
Sat, 09/27/2008 - 15:11 — shank56Darn... we missed 2 nights of Beer Pong at Eagle Ridge. Check the Game Night activities for August at the Eagle Ridge link.
Assignments based on bogus FRL data
Sat, 09/27/2008 - 13:58 — Kent Misegades (not verified)The JLF/CJ has an ongoing investigation into the massive fraud in the state's free & reduced lunch program, the basis for the WCPSS' socioeconomic assignement scheme. 2X - 3X more children are enrolled than should be. See the following link for details:http://www.johnlocke.org/acrobat/cjPrintEdition/cj-july2008-web.pdf
Disturbingly, now the NCDPI is blocking attempts by the CMS BOE to perform a more detailed audit of fraud in Charlotte. Government schools have much to lose if the "F&R" rolls are more reflective of the truly needy families, so this is no surprise. We have called on the State Auditor to force such an audit at all 115 school systems in the state. Please help us by asking him and your county commissioners to do the same.
Where are the "journalist" on this one.....
Wed, 10/01/2008 - 13:11 — WuptdoWow, look like a nice juicy story to me. I wonder why the McCatchey papers are not jumping all over this fraud, waste and abuse?
The truth is a 3-edged sword.
Because nobody will do anything about it
Wed, 10/01/2008 - 16:27 — Voice_of_Reason_1. The USDA doesn't prosecute and high enrolment keeps funding in their department.
2. Schools get more money with high F&R numbers.
3. Prosecutors are scared of getting sued by civil rights groups (funded by US taxpayer money).
4. Democrats love it and Republicans are scared of being lynched in the news media without the ability to get a fair "hearing."
5. The problem is nationwide. And as long as Democrats have enough power to block change as they have for as long as I can remember, nothing will get done about it. Just look at the current housing mess, it's the same... just on a larger scale. Just ask yourself, if the Republicans were to blame --- where are the hearings??? I can just dream that one day people will wake up before it all collapses. Socialism does not work !
Rebuttal to WEP paper
Sat, 09/27/2008 - 13:43 — Kent Misegades (not verified)Good luck to anyone who plans to dispute the WEP philosophy at this session; they generally ask dissenters to leave check opinions at the door.
My rebuttal to their weak position paper has been available since April. I have yet to receive a single refutation. Download here:
http://www.ullisart.com/images/Misegades_Balance_rebuttal.pdf