The bad blood following Tuesday night's vote to scrap work on the community zone plan was in clear evidence among what had been the majority on the Wake County school board.
As noted in today's article, harsh words were exchanged, especially from board member John Tedesco. In the immediate aftermath of the vote, Tedesco approached Goldman and offered a handshake as he said “I’ve enjoyed our friendship while it lasted.”
“This wasn’t a win for community schools,” Tedesco said after the vote. “This wasn’t a win for diversity. This was a win for Debra Goldman.”
Tedesco accused Goldman of being out for the publicity, hence his earlier remark when he called her a "prom queen."
Tedesco said there was nothing he felt they could have done differently to keep Goldman’s support. He said the former minority members had “played her like a fiddle” to get her support.
“She’s not a swing vote,” Tedesco said. “I’m ready to be done with her.”
School board member Keith Sutton said he had conversations with Goldman over the weekend about the new resolution. He said he had drafted it with the help of board member Kevin Hill.
Sutton said that he hasn’t given up hope of restoring some elements of the old socioeconomic diversity policy, despite Goldman saying they’re still moving ahead with community-based schools. But for now, Sutton said Tuesday’s action was a first step.
“We wanted to slow down and halt the work of the assignment committee,” Sutton said. “As we heard from the people who spoke, what was going on was a trainwreck waiting to happen.”
Before the vote, Goldman stressed that she felt she was doing what was right by scrapping the zones being developed by Tedesco.
"I am doing what’s in my heart and my conscience," Goldman said. "This process isn’t working. We only have one chance to do it right. The zone model isn’t working."
UPDATE
Click here to read the resolution that was passed Tuesday. Click here to compare it to the resolution that had been passed in March.
Comments
Snordone does have it right
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 12:59 — TrailerParkGirlUnfortunately, until we start changing the cultural mindset in this county it will be difficult to get the focus on those things and achievement because too many people are still tied to the concept that the health of the school = its demographics. We just saw it with the uproar over the zones/regions. Some of biggest uproar was coming from the area with the school with not only the highest achievement for ED students, but also above average achievement for NED students. People don’t look at achievement results; they just look at FRL% and make assumptions because in their mind FRL = not healthy, bad, disruptive, uninvolved parents. The fact that there are some NED kids that are no different than that – ignored. That was clearly the message in a recent community forum – this zone gets worse because it becomes more “poor and minority” – this zone does ok because it stays the same as far as “poor and minority”. Where I’m from that message would have gotten a negative response (as in that it is racist and bigoted), here it gets applause. No mention of effective schools, leadership, teachers, resources, budget, programs, schools where ED and NED are achieving versus not; nothing – just demographics and overall zone achievement. What kind of message is that? Many people just keep perpetuating the same stereotypes, labels, and lack of focus on anything but achievement and all those things that snordone mentions. But hey, the perpetuators “support diversity” so it’s ok.
Many people just keep
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 13:33 — user12345Many people just keep perpetuating the same stereotypes, labels, and lack of focus on anything but achievement and all those things that snordone mentions. But hey, the perpetuators “support diversity” so it’s ok.
Than change the equation ...the next time people put down a school filled with poor / minority kids here let's tell them they have all been accepted to Harvard and watch their mouth drop ... shake things up ... the best way to break a stereotype is concrete contrary examples that continually defy the stereotype .... not examples in some other system ... but right here ... if an affluent parent does not want to send their kids to Barwell, let's show them that the kids at Barwell speak three foreign languages, blow Mensa away, and are be recruited by Cary Academy ... that would change the perception of the school ... any school ..
Face it - posting here for format
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 00:46 — TrailerParkGirlI agree with what you are saying about what needs to happen as far as the focus and types of programs. However, another thing we have to face is that 100% of parents care about assignment (where their child will go to school) and that is a much larger number of people than care about the achievement gap right now.
Part of the reason for that is an awareness issue. Many people are either unaware of or do not contemplate the long-term societal impact of the achievement gap. Some people are aware but either don't care or don't think as you do that today's reality doesn't dictate tomorrow, some people if made aware will care and some people if made aware won't care or believe it can be changed. In order to really rally the community to get the sort of things in place that you are talking about awareness needs to be raised to increase involvement. The school system can't do it alone, principals can't do it alone, the teachers can't do it alone - it has to be a complete and coordinated community effort.
Raising awareness would not be that hard if it were headline news. Unfortunately, it seems there are people who have reasons not to raise awareness and they have clout. IMO they prefer to keep the facade that all is well in Mayberry because they don't want to risk what they profit from the facade (business types, the chamber, mayors, realtors) rather than putting a spotlight on the not so shiny part of reality here - they prefer it stay under the rug. It is common for people to keep up appearances and try and gloss over the tarnishes. That was one thing that makes Warren Buffet stand out - if his company had a crappy year - he would just come out and say it frankly. That is a rare trait. He seems to do alright sans facade.
The other part is that some people are simply self-focused and current focused. It is about them and their child, their property value, their neighborhood, their life, what they want now, not some kid they don't know and not what the long-term effects are if that kid doesn't finish HS actually knowing how to read.
That is one of the challenges - right now there are barriers to removing the barriers that are keeping the kids from being successful.
1) The masses don't care
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 08:44 — user123451) The masses don't care about the plight of the poor.
2) Political parties only care about race, assignments, achievement in that those issues can be used to further their quest for power.
3) Ultimately, it will take leaders who educate and direct the masses to what is important and put it into law. Working through the masses or political parties won't work. They are too ignorant and have too short term a perspective.
Think about efforts to get people to eat right, exercise more, encourage reading, etc. Through media, law, policy,etc. we eventually get something moving.
Until society understands that a shrinking group of super educated affluent Biff's can not carry the entire nation and having a large restless, unemployed, uneducated mass of people is destabilizing to a democracy we can not move forward to solve this problem.
Trying
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 14:16 — TrailerParkGirlThat is the kind of thing that some having been trying to work towards, but it is an uphill battle against the low-income, high-poverty can’t crew, not to mention things that don’t make sense. For example, does it make sense that because a reviewer thought a grant application was not clear enough on how minority males would be served that funding was not granted for schools that are minority schools (i.e. have a large number of minority males), which would have provided for things like access to foreign language to minority males? It makes as little sense as Morrison saying she would like to consider Alves plan the day after she votes against zones.
So any suggestions on how to make it happen - I'm listening.
TPG .. we need to face facts
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 15:18 — user12345TPG .. we need to face facts ... poor / minority schools are ignored and under funded for the work that needs to be done ... many poor / minority kids are not prepared for school, are not encouraged in school and don't have any reason to believe doing well in school is worth the effort. Please, I am not saying that because that is a fact today it means it has to be like that forever (fate) .... personally, I like the Marines, "no man left behind" motto ... it defines the behavior that is expected and the sequence of events that should be followed ... they are not making value judgement on whether they will be poplar when they rescue a comrade ... it is an agreed to policy ... so until we see each child as important and feel we have all failed if we leave some kids behind we really can not do much for them ...I don't know if people are more selfish today but they sure seem to be able to rationalize many things I can not. As I have said before ... if I was a BOE member, I would work on Barwell until it shined and export all the best practices to other schools ... and than I would pick the next school on up the line ... it might take 10 years to get all the schools off the bottom but there would be progress. Worrying about zones and assignments and finding a new superintendent / lawyer would not be a priority.
insure all the schools have
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 10:38 — AngelaWyes, and then we no longer have the need for magnet schools, do we?
well unless you want to
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 11:00 — user12345well unless you want to build new schools ... there will always be places in the system under capacity and unless you force kids to go there, you need a voluntary program entice suburbanites to leave their neighborhood and take a seat further away ... plus, I would like to see magnets in math and science, health, IB, and VoTech since there is not enough critical mass in single schools to support those program ...
I cannot see time spent on
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:48 — red_balloonI cannot see time spent on assignment changes as being productive unless the support of one bloc or the other is assured. With Goldman's switch, major changes to the assignment policy will either not happen or be subject to protracted negotiations and backroom deals that will likely corrupt whatever amended objectives are defined going forward. Major assignment changes are best deferred until there is a clearer mandate from the 2011 elections.
For now, the BOE should pause and re-evaluate priorities. I hope achievement related priorities rise to the top by unanimous consent. The changes to the inter-personal dynamics and SAC direction should be an opportunity for the BOE to shift priorities to achievement and coalesce around improving academic achievement for all kids. Work on academics please and wait until 2011 when the county has another chance to weigh in on the direction for SAC.
I generally agree with you
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 12:13 — festusI generally agree with you red.
This disappointing and very public tiff to me is the consequence of the partisanship that drove the selection and election of these four new board members in the first place. As 20-some former board members said earlier this year, this was an unprecedented invasion of partisanship into Wake County school politics. The folks chosen for the board by Margiotta--particularly Malone and Prickett--appear to have been chosen for their loyalty to Margiotta and not for any particular interest or expertise in education. Tedesco was always a wild card, accent on wild.
This is indeed an opportunity to stop having factions on the board. If in fact we end up with no clear majority and a lame-duck chair, then the individual members can be free to do their jobs rather than to grandstand. It would help if we had more administrative transparency, and going back to the former committee structure would help. So would embracing the extraordinary amount of public interest and expertise available--from the many faculty members at area universities who spoke at board meetings to the engaged and committed members of GSIW and WakeCares and CCAAC. I think most contributors to this blog are a great example of the expertise available to the board.
If the biggest sin of previous boards was failing to listen to the parents and wider public, then this is the moment for this board to redeem that sin.
Jeez
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:12 — pmDisgusting.
I've long been a proponent of both the diversity policy and year round schools. I was disappointed that the election seemed to take the board away from both of those issues. However, I trend conservative and was at the same time excited at the prospect of a board that might try to control spending, increase quality in our schools, move towards teacher accountability and so on.
This most recent display by the majority is absolutely depressing. The failure of the majority is epic and destructive. Further, the majority acts in no better manner than the previous board. Consider Margiotta met with Goldman along with Tedesco at one their homes. I understand that this doesn't technically break rules governing public meetings, jeepers, it sure is tough to argue that there is a substantial difference in the methods of governing.
Ugly.
Fessing up, or lying?
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 19:33 — bluedaisyWhile Goldman tells of the meeting at her home between Tedesco, Margiotta, and herself, Tedesco was caught on camera by a news crew last night - I think it was WRAL, saying "That never happened". Today on the Bill LuMaye Show, WPTF radio, he said Goldman invited himself and Chairman Margiotta, and she baked a cake. Which is it?
Keung commented on this elsewhere
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:13 — Dove314As I heard the same and had posted it. Apparently WRAL got the context a bit off and Tedesco's comment wasn't regarding whether or not he went to her house instead relating to what happened while he was there.
But then again, he also said he didn't make any comments about Goldman's pink streak in her hair when he was caught on tape calling her "Ms. Pinky-Hair".
But then again, he also said
Thu, 10/07/2010 - 09:38 — user12345But then again, he also said he didn't make any comments about Goldman's pink streak in her hair when he was caught on tape calling her "Ms. Pinky-Hair".
I don't understand his true character ... he seems to be confused on what the truth is ... and he is such a church guy too ... you would think he would just blurt out the truth ...
If she baked a cake, she did
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:10 — red_balloonIf she baked a cake, she did the icing Tue.
Based on last night, if I
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:15 — woodstockBased on last night, if I were them, I am not sure I'd eat a cake offered by Goldman.
One should. Those crumbs
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:26 — red_balloonOne should. Those crumbs might be the only thing the non-magnets get out of her "equity" system.
he praised her cake, and he
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:17 — xmarkspot62he praised her cake, and he obviously lived to talk about it : )
I also wonder how Goldman,
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 20:30 — woodstockI also wonder how Goldman, Sutton and Hill got together to write the resolution she read last night ..the one no one else knew about. Did they do it do it by osmosis? I am sure you are curious about that too, but just forgot to mention it.
Is there a point
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 20:41 — Solon77Is there a point to be made ?
Are you kidding? If you do
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 20:52 — woodstockAre you kidding? If you do not get the point, I am not sure I there are sufficient words to explain it to you.
Sufficient words
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:34 — Solon77It has been a long week so I need a little help. Are you saying they did something inappropriate ?
Nah, the dynamic changing
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:43 — woodstockNah, the dynamic changing resolution was written in a very transparent and inclusive process ...nothing inappropriate. And, Goldman was just kidding around when she voted for the process and direction the Student Assignment Committee has been working on for months. It's all good.
Religion
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:21 — Solon77Did you find religion somewhere along the way ? As Dove points out the new board reset the standard for (un) ethical behavior. I guess it was by accident that resolutions come out of no where and the 5 agreed 100% on the language without any question - time after time after time. And now you are crying foul - how pathetic.
most likely
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:10 — Dove314Most likely it happened the same way all those agenda items have been happening since December beginning with the removal of Kevin Hill and all the policy changes that just pop up fully formed on the BoE agendas for months where 5, count 'em 5, BoE members knew all about them and enacted them. If it was all good then, what's changed for you now?
LOL Nothing has changed for
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:25 — woodstockLOL Nothing has changed for me. Do I have to spell it out? YOU are the ones who want to bitch about some members meeting separately -- as you did again above -- yet you are not commenting on the Goldman/Sutton/Hill get-together.
As for me
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:53 — Solon77As for me - just adapting to the new rules of the game established by Margiotta, Tedesco, Malone, Prickett, and Goldman.
Check again
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 22:41 — Dove314Check again. I -- as in Dove, representing no group or element -- have not bitched even once about members meeting separately except in response to your own biased response. Who is the plural to whom you refer? As you note, you cannot criticize the side you don't like for the same actions committed by the side you do.
I agree and am totally with
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:37 — user12345I agree and am totally with you ... I am guessing that when you don't have to listen and compromise, you get lazy and dictatorial ... ultimately, to make epic changes you need to convince a large group of people to participate which the majority forgot, and thought they could skip.
These board members need to
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 08:55 — CaryCurmudgeonThese board members need to shut their mouths and open their minds. A war of words does nothing to help the children of Wake County. Let's move forward.
Which war of words are you
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 20:24 — woodstockWhich war of words are you talking about? The barrage of attacks from the folks who spew insults at board meeting after board meeting, the ones from Barbar and his crew that end up in them getting arrested, or are you referring to the outside agitators and Pirates whose lack of knowledge is made up for by the shrillness of their voices? Or are you just referring to the ones uttered in shock by Tedesco after he was publically stabbed in the back by a colleague?
Tedesco's Reality
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 20:54 — Apexcitizen1"Or are you just referring to the ones uttered in shock by Tedesco after he was publicly stabbed in the back by a colleague?"
Attention Woodstock....its time to return to reality. Please come back to reality sometime soon the world misses you. Funniest thing I've seen you type in awhile. Mr. Tedesco just met his reality! Poor man can't handle the pressure.....Great day today for the tax payers of Wake county stopping the Tedesco express train wreck.
I find it odd that
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 21:11 — woodstockI find it odd that someone in fantasy land is asking me to face reality. Thanks for the chuckle! But, as funny as that is, it is not nearly as funny as things will get with Goldman running the show. It sucks, but it should have tremendous entertainment value.
I agree with you Joe
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 11:36 — hmoncelleHarry_Moncelle
What has happened to the ideas of compromise, transparency in local government ( not hidden weekend meetings) working together to solve problems? I agree Joe, we need board members who can work together and not get bogged down in silly name calling and petty politics, our kids deserve better!
Agreed.....
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 16:22 — JanisTangoAgreed Harry. The one comment I have is our state governent is the most inenpt and corrupt state governments I have ever seen! I don't know how you create transparency and honesty at the local levels when they can't seem to do it at the top!
Well, all I can say to the
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 07:32 — woodstockWell, all I can say to the opposition is enjoy Goldman while you can ..if that is possible. She's demonstrated over and over that she doesn't stand for anything, lacks any sense of loyalty, does not possess the will or character to commit to anything other than her own selfish ambitions, and if you don't constantly feed her gigantic ego and lavish her with praise and attention, you better watch out. She's a poisonous snake in the grass, so don't be surprised when you get bitten; it is her nature to bite...it is just a matter of when
Wow
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:09 — changewcpss1Wow, woodstock, or should I say Mr. Prickett, your level of hatred is clearly over the top.
Again?! LOL
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 16:14 — woodstockAgain?! LOL
I don't know what you "should" do, the question is why would you? I can assure you my name is not Mr. Prickett, Dallas Woodhouse, Jeff Morse or any of the other people I've been accused of being ..and have never met, but if it fills a void for you...
btw, you do not detect anger from me, it is disgust.
Fabulous 5
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 08:59 — HereWeGoWell, no more Fabulous 5 just a losing 4
the real issue
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 07:53 — mainesI don't think a school board member should be concerned with "loyalty." I think a school board member should be concerned with what is best for all students in the Wake County School System.
So you don't value loyalty
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 07:57 — woodstockSo you don't value loyalty to constituents, loyalty to see things through, loyalty to a process and direction that she voted on, or loyalty to collegues to discuss things face-to-face instead of publicly stabbing them in the back?
Loyalty
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 18:25 — civesorbisterrarumIt seems to me that the post to which you are referring is not talking about any of those things except the last one. Ms. Goldman's loyalty to her constituents--in her district and in the county as a whole--shone through in her decision. She saw what was developing with the former majority's plan and found that it wasn't what she believed in. She attempted to discuss these things face-to-face with her colleagues, but they shut her out. She did not stab them in the back; she told them that they were going down a path that she could not follow. The loyalty to which the original post was referring was blind faith in Mr. Margiotta's coalition. The only loyalties a government official should have are loyalty to the law, to constituents, and to morality.
Believe what you will...I'm
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 18:53 — woodstockBelieve what you will...I'm not buying it. .
I value loyalty to "her"
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:39 — user12345I value loyalty to "her" constituents which she was defending. I know you want a robot to block vote for Pope. Each district has different needs and priorities and a single JT plan would not fit all.
EI?
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 06:56 — loriacWas there a discussion or vote on the use of the Effectiveness Index last night?
yup.....thrown into the pot,
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 07:01 — AngelaWyup.....thrown into the pot, it sort of got lost in the fray though....with DG saying somthing to the effect of, I wish it were worded differently, so no and voted against using EVAAS exclusively.
This is a real shame.
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:15 — lferreriThis is a real shame. Was the vote 5-3? Continuing to use the Effectiveness Index is going to mean more problems in the future. Having two different systems that can give two different signals about the effectiveness of schools, teachers, and programs creates a mess not to mention the unfairness of EI's diminishing expectations for ED students and high-ED schools. It's likely to have some real negative consequences including an impact on teacher bonuses under Race to the Top. There's an interesting blog about this at barbarastakeonwake.blogspot.com/ Personally, I also think the EI's automatic reduction of projections for special education students may be illegal.
Use of the word exclusively?
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 07:44 — Dove314The debate seemed to center around the word exclusively. There was a lot of consensus to retire the effectiveness index but not consensus to focus exclusively on EVAAS.
It defies economic sense
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:26 — red_balloonIt defies economic sense that WCPSS wants to maintain and use two systems. Considering that WCPSS focused on school level health, which can be ascertained by EOG performance, and that teachers aren't assessed for performance, I question the economic rationale for keeping EI alive. I was disappointed the BOE failed to examine the needs of WCPSS, the functionality of EI and EVAAS, and the cost burden. They spent more time playing building architects than stewards of education.
misunderstood
Wed, 10/06/2010 - 09:44 — stepbystepIf your main concern is cost, replay those sections of the tape at COW and the BOE meeting because multiple times we hear there is no additional cost for EI as it is phased out this year.