The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is arguably taking out of context some of the criticisms leveled against the Wake County school system.
In a press release today, GSIW says that private school supporters are calling the school system "unpopular" and a "failure." It says these remarks "appears part of an orchestrated plan to discredit and undermine the award-winning Wake County Public School System."
“The public schools are the crown jewel of our local economy. We should be advocating for them—not condemning them,” said Yevonne Brannon, GSIW Chairwoman in the press release. “It is an insult to the intelligence of our educators and students when we suggest that one of the top school districts in the nation is a failure. If our schools are so bad, then why have they been held up as a national model of success?”
As the press release notes, "this false attack" was "repeated by a conservative pundit in a recent televised debate and endorsed by members of the School Board's narrow majority."*
They're talking about how John Hood, president of the conservative John Locke Foundation, was saying the diversity popular was unpopular and a failure during the recent NC SPIN show. He pointed to the test scores, graduation rates, poll results and last fall's elections results.
Below is Hood's monologue during the show:
"Wake County's system failed. That's why it's unpopular. The test scores and the graduation rates demonstrate that Wake County's poor students do worse than the state average, They do worse than Charlotte-Mecklenburg students. They do worse than most of the other urban systems in North Carolina. They have lower graduation rates than the state average.
"It is a failure. That's why it's unpopular. There's no point in playing around, redefining the English language. It failed."
GSIW didn't provide those qualifications in the press release.
GSIW also took Wake County school board member John Tedesco to task for saying on the show that the majority "talked to thousands of people and [we] felt confident of the direction of where they wanted."
GSIW says Tedesco's statement "contradicts" how 94.5 percent of the 40,000 parents in the calendar survey said they're satisfied with their child's school.
“These unfounded attacks are reminiscent of the behavior of the schoolyard bully,” Brannon said in the press release. “It seems like the Board majority and their supporters are trying to tear down our system, so they can take credit for any improvements we may see in the future."
The GSIW press release was praised on the Progressive Pulse blog by Rob Schofield of the liberal N.C. Policy Watch.
"The good folks at GSIW are out with an excellent statement this afternoon that rightfully denounces a local right-wing pundit for his false statements about the Wake County schools," Schofield writes.
Comments
Rebuttal to
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 07:42 — virginiadareRebuttal to Hood:
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2010/08/18/wake-schools-not-that-simple/
"CMS’s success should not be understated. It is fantastic that some economically disadvantaged students have been doing better on tests. The students deserve all of the credit for striving to be excellent. These students probably know that their success cannot be attributed solely to “neighborhood schools,” if at all. In fact, they probably understand that there are several issues that led to their increased scores. To put it simply, unlike Hood, they would not oversimplify.
Perhaps they would be able to point to the fact that CMS puts a lot of extra money into early childhood education. Hood did not address that point. Maybe they understand the hypocrisy of decrying what Hood describes as “language and tactics of the civil rights movement” while using the segregationist term “forced busing.” It is possible that they recognize that just because John Hood says there is not a legal argument against the change in policy does not mean that there are not several legal arguments. Maybe they would say that research should be done to see why the scores have increased."
These students probably know
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 20:32 — jeffrey1These students probably know that their success cannot be attributed solely to “neighborhood schools,”
the segregationist term
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 08:29 — CaryCurmudgeonthe segregationist term “forced busing.”
Classic !!
You are citing NC Policy
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 07:54 — woodstockYou are citing NC Policy Watch?? LOL You do know that that organization is funded by the extreme left wing nut Jim Goodman and is nothing more than a Democrat political action committee, right?
Good schools for our children.
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 05:08 — annerussellEnough with the fussing and fighting over how to have good schools for our children. This formula doesn't require higher math. It is basic arithmetic: Take the tax $ spent on busing and spend it on neighborhood schools with a higher teacher to student ratio and teachers who are better paid to provide this most important service. Provide equal resources to all schools. Realize that "diversity busing" is an obsolete concept from the past, when society was segregated. Now black and white, rich and poor children don't have to rub shoulders with the "other" in schools. They get a massive dose of each other in shopping malls, on the public streets, on TV and in the movies. What they need from schools is not long bus rides, but schools close to home with good, well-paid teachers whose student loads are small enough to connect with every student and the parents of every student. Simple equation, not requiring a wasteful power struggle misusing statistics.
Charlotte a good model for the "annerussell" plan
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 11:22 — bluedaisyCharlotte did exactly that - and busing dollars went up, and more money was spent in the poor schools created by their proximity plan. In fact, they spend more on busing today than we do. Oh, and CMS has 300+/- less square milesof land than Wake.
Mecklenburg's tax rate is about 30% higher than Wake's. Somehow this isn't working out as well as they had hoped......
Not true
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 20:26 — jeffrey1Charlotte buses a significantly greater percentage of their students than Wake. While it is true that Charlotte spends more money on a per student basis (approximately $100) than Wake, the two districts spend about the same amount of money on a per rider basis.
Well, that's a great
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 07:20 — danofncWell, that's a great plan.......
IF the only change the new board was making was to eliminate 10+ mile bus rides.
The new assigment plan will be more expensive to provide transportation for or it will be exclusionary to certain groups of kids. There will be no saved money from busing to put into teachers. For one thing, much of the transportation funding comes straight from the state, and WCPSS wouldn't be allowed to redirect that money anyway.
I hope your comment about kids learning about other kids from TV and the movies was a joke.
Actually teaching with
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 08:16 — willynillyActually teaching with movies is a VERY effective tactic. In earth Science I use the segement in Jurrasic Park in which scientists are being shown the video with Mr DNA. In the movie Frog DNA is used to fill in the gaps of dinosaur DNA. Certain frogs have the ability to change sex and in the plot of the movie scientists have provided the engine by which (as described by Dr Malcolm) nature "finds a way." As you can imagine, 8th graders love that.
I didn't say that movies
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 10:57 — danofncI didn't say that movies can't be teaching tools.
I was responding to this comment:
"Now black and white, rich and poor children don't have to rub shoulders with the "other" in schools. They get a massive dose of each other in shopping malls, on the public streets, on TV and in the movies."
The poster said that kids don't need diversity in schools because they pass other kids on the street, at the mall, and see them on TV and in movies. That's a different claim than the situation you're describing.
Or would you prefer that kids think the only reason a kid doesn't have lunch money is because he didn't get to go live with his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air?
Now you are just speculating
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 07:24 — woodstockNow you are just speculating and making stuff up. Weak, very weak.
You are spot on,
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 21:09 — xmarkspot62You are spot on, Bluedaisy.
Methinks thou doth protest too much, Lori.
Nice rant,
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 19:21 — CaryCurmudgeonNice rant, Yvonne...
“These unfounded attacks are reminiscent of the behavior of the schoolyard bully,” noted Brannon. “It seems like the Board majority and their supporters are trying to tear down our system
Newsflash for you Yvonne, the Board majority ARE our system, and it is YOU and your equally-vindictive buddies who are trying to tear it apart. Your unfounded attacks are reminiscent of a two-year old, who says he is taking his ball and going home if he doesn't get his way.
“The public schools are the crown jewel of our local economy. We should be advocating for them—not condemning them,” said Yevonne Brannon, GSIW Chair. “It is an insult to the intelligence of our educators and students when we suggest that one of the top school districts in the nation is a failure. If our schools are so bad, then why have they been held up as a national model of success?”
As the wise philosopher David Byrne said, "Facts don't always do what I want them to do." Mr. Hood stated that the WCPSS system failed in educating ED students. Unless you consider 58% to be "success," then he is right. Mr. Hood did not say our whole system failed, only that it failed to help the kids it was to help.
Contrary to Yvonne's belief, I think most parents would have been willing to tolerate the busing and stability of the old diversity plan -- if they saw that it was actually helping these kids. The old board's refusal to do a study, quickly followed by the bottoming out of the ED graduation rate, set the stage for last year's election.
Our schools have been held up as a national model for how to achieve integration without runninng afoul of the Supreme Court ruling which restricted race-based busing. We have some good individual schools, and it is great that they were recognized by Newsweek. But it is an insult to the intelligence of parents and voters when we suggest that Wake is one of the top school districts in the nation.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who has the best schools of all....
YOu lost me at Vindictive.
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 19:47 — WhalerCaneSorry Joe, but you lost me at 'vindictive.' I know you care. It might be possible some of Yvonne's friend's like me also care and our motivation isn't vindictiveness.
BTW, If our schools have been such a 'failure' per Mr. Hood, why are we still growing and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in America.
I think CaryC made it clear
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 21:04 — willynillyI think CaryC made it clear what Hood actually said. To continue on saying that Hood claimed "failure" discredits the source. Is 58% acceptable?
Perry, You also know that I
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 20:32 — CaryCurmudgeonPerry,
You also know that I have no use for either political party :) That said, I think the Hood comment is getting way overblown. He didn't call our system a failure, he said our system failed ED kids. It did.
If you are a non-ED professional and considering moving to this area, then schools are not a show-stopper (stability and transit issues aside). We also have a growing immigrant population, some of these folks may be taking the only job they can get.
You don't need to have utopian schools to be ranked as one of the best places to live and work in America. Historically our job market has been outstanding. We have a great climate, proximity to the beach and mountains, manageable traffic and a fairly low cost of living. Most of the people I know moved here because of their jobs. As a system, I'd say WCPSS does an adequate job, good enough to keep from repelling all those darned invading northerners :)
Well said. People come here
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 20:16 — jeffrey1Well said.
People come here for employment. They like the climate, the proximity to the beach and mountains. They look at our tree lined streets and landscaping, and say it's beautiful here. They look at the schools and say good enough.
Or...
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 20:18 — Bob_SconceAS I did when I moved here at 22 years old, they don't even consider the quality of the schools.
Good point. That was the
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 20:35 — jeffrey1Good point. That was the case with me as well. Many of those that move here are recent graduates with no families. For them, jogs are #1.
From a Charlotte Real Estate Agent
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 21:54 — bluedaisyThe 20 somethings are drawn to the trendy neighborhoods in Charlotte. (like our Five Points, condos downtown, or Midtown) They get married, and have babies. Then when Jr is 4 or 5, they move from the trendy areas to either as far north (Huntersville) or as far south (Providence) from the center of Charlotte as possible, or they move to Union County - for the schools. Or, stay where they are and go private.
And your point is....
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 22:41 — Bob_SconceLiving in Wake County under the rule of the old board, before I got married, I lived off Western Blvd. When I got married, I moved into North Raleigh and then when we started having kids, we moved about as far North as we could possibly get and still be in commuting range. That's pretty common for every city -- that's why we have suburbs, after all.
You can't raise a family in a condo. While I'm sure there are some people trying to do it, that's a life for folks without kids, even if those kids aren't in school yet -- kids need a yard. And, with the real estate market the way it was prior to the crash, there were lots of nice new homes to be built, so you moved to the outskirts where the new homes were.
Differences
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 23:07 — bluedaisyTrue - - But - Raleigh has a tremendous (or had, before things slowed down to a trickle) tear down in the core, and rebuild, and existing remodel. Some people wanted to stay in the area they started in. Check out the North Hills area, which is like Charlotte's middle ring, which has not seen the same impact to the extent here. Not everybody flew to the 'burbs to get a new house once married with children here. The schools are good in the core. Our infill has brought reverse diversity - a new term - bringing in more affluent white into a higher poverty and historically minority areas. There is more of that needed before we can truly be naturally diverse, as Mr Tedesco calls it, downtown.
Do you live downtown?
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 08:13 — CaryCurmudgeonDo you live downtown?
The 20-somethings are not
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 22:26 — CaryCurmudgeonThe 20-somethings are not drawn to Charlotte if there aren't jobs there.
You have got to be kidding
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 19:35 — bluedaisyYou really think that these 4 were voted in because the voters in those areas were concerned about the ED graduation rate? Yea, they were so worried about it they wanted the ED kids out of their neighborhood school. If these parents and voters had been concerned about the ED kids, they would have banded together, demanded additional resources for them, organized tutoring, mentoring, college visits, etc. to help them succeed. I'm not buying your rant not one iota.
I am sure there were some parents who actually did do things like I listed above, but by and large, the message sent to the rest of the county was "we don't want those kids in our schools".You will never convince me otherwise.
No one is kidding. You may
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 07:16 — woodstockNo one is kidding. You may be right that not every voter cared about ED kids, but they cared about their kids. So, when they saw their kids being jerked around by the status quo with constant reassignments, long bus rides, and calandar "choices" that weren't really choices, they asked a simple question: WHY? They wondered what the point of all the sacrtifice was. When no one could give them a good answer to that question, they demanded change.
Your comment "You will never convince me otherwise" says it all. You belligerently adhere to your biases and no amount of data, logic or reality will penetrate your beliefs. Engaged and intelligent people who care about making positive changes are open to new ideas and can be "convinced otherwise" when faced with facts.
The simple answer
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 22:55 — bluedaisyThe simple answer was simply "growth". Still is. This was said. But everybody else thought others should be moved, not them.
Had this new board altered the old student assignment plan to provide more stability and expanded the magnet program, I would hail their logic. Had this new board studied data and quickly moved towards putting together a bond, building more schools where we so desperately need them, I would have faith in them. Had the new members come in with an effort towards consensus building with the other board members and in the community to pull us all together so we could pass a decent bond, I would thank them for seeing the realities of our county's funding situation. But they wiped the old plan off the map, removed F&R, and changed calendars to reduce capacity, and moved lots of poor kids out of the schools they had been at for years with no notice to those parents, no opportunity for discussion from them. How's that better than the old board? I'll be the first to tell you the old board acted arrogantly. I also think the old board did an awful job communicating just how badly the system was affected by the growth, and they managed it terribly (Monday morning quarterback). But I sat in the board room once when the folks from the overcrowded areas would come rant at the board, even though they think they were polite, I saw differently. This new board, IMO, are simply there to make another set of people happy, while the other problems get ignored or back burnered, or new problems created due to shortsightedness - just like the old board. Just once I'd like a board where all 9 members got along and put all kids first. I see no logic from this board, the data are ignored, and the realities will soon be seen.
...
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 09:27 — SideburnsWhen you sit in a magnet, the view of the system must be grand. No reassignment, no MYR, and plenty of academic electives for your children. Without those worries, you can then spend your time berating those parents who want the same.
I wouldn't know SB
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 22:00 — bluedaisyI wouldn't know, SB - I'm not a magnet parent.
Did you talk to every voter?
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 19:42 — loriacDid you talk to every voter? Interesting that you profess to know so much about the majority of Wake County voters in those districts.