Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo is reaching out to Tea Partiers in her bid to knock off incumbent Kevin Hill.
During a speech at Friday's Tax Day Tea Party rally in downtown Raleigh, Losurdo praised the actions of the school board majority while jokingly saying she'd ask Gov. Bev Perdue for her endorsement. She also argued that the current system isn't helping students reach their true potential.
"Eighteen months ago, you achieved a monumental goal when you elected a majority, a conservative majority on the Wake County school board," Losurdo said to applause. "You worked hard. You gave of your time. You gave of your money and you went out and you voted."
Here's the rest of her speech:
"We're now at a crossroads. We have seen that the current majority has shifted the track in the right direction that our schools are on. But you and I know that they have only scratched the surface. There is much work to be done. It's time. We have got to provide our children with the very best education.
Who am I? First and foremost, I'm a mom. I'm a mom of two awesome middle school girls and I've waited too long. I've waited every day for my kids to be challenged. I've waited for them to be looked upon as the future of our nation. I can no longer wait. I can no longer sit idly by as our children are held back from unleashing their true and their full potential.
We have got to ensure we're providing an environment for high academic achievement. But make no mistake about it. There is no one governing body that can do that alone. We have got to build stronger partnerships with our parents, our communities and our businesses. I believe that strong communities equals strong schools. We must begin to provide every student with challenging and enriching educational opportunities that will advance each one of their unique and individual needs.
After careful consideration and many, many prayers, I have decided to roll up my sleeves and fight for the future of our children. I am running for Wake County school board in District 3. Thank you. I ask you to make a commitment alongside me. I ask for your prayers. This race will not be easy. It's going to be a big fight.
The Democratic Party already has a couple of fundraisers for Wake County schools. Beverly Perdue, United States Congressmen Brad Miller, United States Congressman David Price attended a fundraiser for Wake County school board members. I think I will ask for their endorsement.
Secondly, I ask for your time. I can not do this alone. I need your voice. I need you out there telling people this message. And all you have to do is look at the last 18 months and one person does make a difference.
Last but not least and I'm sorry but hate it as much as you do. It takes money to run campaigns and it takes money to win elections. We have donation envelopes over here at the Northern Wake table, at the Southern Wake table. I ask you to consider giving anything this evening. Help me kick this campaign off and be your voice for student achievement in Wake County."
Comments
Neighborhood schools - leveling the playing field?
Thu, 04/21/2011 - 02:20 — NCSU_fanIf neighborhood schools ever become a reality they will create schools with higher concentrations of low performing students, I think everyone can agree on that. Higher concentrations of students inherently means more work for teachers, i.e. retention processes, interventions, one-on-one instruction, etc. Trust me my wife is currently a 1st grade teacher at Brentwood E. (a predominantly economically disadvantaged school) who works 12-14hr days everyday. She was previously a 1st grade teacher in Cary that has significantly less economically disadvantaged students and she worked 10-12hr days. My question is should there be a tool such as increased pay or bonuses that these schools with high concentrations of low preforming students can utilize to hirer and maintain good teachers to level the playing field? She and all Brentwood teacher are looking for new jobs due to Race to the Top and this is one of the main issues she is weighing when determine where to apply. Why would teachers knowingly apply for positions at schools that require longer work days with no increase in pay?
The Tea Party didn't even
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 15:55 — CaryCurmudgeonThe Tea Party didn't even exist during the 2009 elections, so I'm not sure how they "elected a majority."
Shh, don't ruin her point
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 17:07 — Andrew95Shh, don't ruin her point ;D.
If, in fact, the schoolboard majoirty was not elected by a considerable number of soon-to-be tea partiers, they're still going to have a hard time shrugging that label off next year.
Shrug off? Label? You say
Wed, 04/20/2011 - 16:14 — eddie2Shrug off? Label? You say that as if the Tea Party were a bad thing. Bad news for leftists, maybe.
Also bad news for moderates
Wed, 04/20/2011 - 20:22 — Andrew95Also bad news for moderates and right-of-center republicans.
Most of us could care less how they were elected
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 21:20 — FSandYOUor by whom. It's those who have stood in the way of progress & improvement since that election who need to be worried about the labels. You know, the "minority" on the board, Goldman, Barber, Brannon, Shearon Harris Sherron, Block & Tantrum Throwing Bader, Seth and his criminal buddies ...
The obstructionist are the ones that need to worry about labels.
If "us" is people on this
Wed, 04/20/2011 - 09:45 — Andrew95If "us" is people on this board, then yeah. But the voters may feel differently.
They may...
Wed, 04/20/2011 - 14:12 — midtownmomor may not. It will prove to be interesting.