The post-election rhetoric about the Wake County school board election results is pretty high now.
As noted in today's article, commentators on the left are exuberant. Those on the right are unhappy.
One of the challenges facing the new Democratic board majority is trying to bridge the gap. Or will it be two years of fighting before the 2013 elections?
“There’s no magic wand that we can wave to get everybody on our bandwagon,” said Democratic school board member Keith Sutton. “Feelings are high right now.”
Republican board vice chairman John Tedesco said the ability for both sides to work together will depend on what the Democrats do. He said it will depend on whether the new majority wants to move Wake forward or go backward.
But Tedesco said that Wake voters already have some reason to wonder about what the new majority will be doing.
“If Rev. Barber, Rachel Maddow and The Huffington Post are praising the results, then the people of Wake County should be curious about why they’re uttering such praise,” Tedesco said.
But Tedesco said talk about pulling children out of the school system should be dialed down.
“I wouldn’t tell people to run from public education," Tedesco said. "Wake County schools will still be strong.”
Tedesco said a lot of good things have happened in the two years that he will work to protect.
Sutton said all the pessimistic talk about the change is "scare tactics."
Sutton said the Democrats will work to build the trust of the Republican board members and their supporters.
“We will have to demonstrate our ability to govern and lead,” Sutton said. “Over time we will win some people over.”
But no matter what they do, Sutton said some critics won't be won over.
Comments
But Tedesco said talk about
Fri, 11/11/2011 - 17:33 — hippiefreakBut Tedesco said talk about pulling children out of the school system should be dialed down.
“I wouldn’t tell people to run from public education," Tedesco said. "Wake County schools will still be strong.”
When the Republicans took over in '10, never would you've heard a Democratic board member even speak of withdrawing children from the public schools. The thought would never occur to them. Once again we have a Republican making a public statement which shows the party's true colors. A lovely blend of despicable and hypocritical.
Once again
Sat, 11/12/2011 - 10:12 — FSandYOUwe have someone who's been on this blog all of 17 hours and thinks they know it all.
Keep trying Billy Jr.
Just for fun....
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 09:51 — bpuli9999the democrats should elect Goldman as chairperson.
I said long ago she'd be next
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 10:07 — FSandYOUShe avoided saying anything for a year or more in public to quieten those who quickly saw she was different than she portrayed to be as she campaigned. Now that no one has heard from her in months, or longer, she's the perfect choice.
The dysfunctional governing of our children's education shall now continue.
doesn't Tedesco get it?
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 09:37 — EBDarcyHe's one of the reasons Margiotta and the Rep candidates lost. People were sick and tired of his childish behavior, devisive comments and victim act. The ability of the new board to work together doesn't rest with just the Democrats, it's every members responsibility.
Somehow I don't see Tedesco hanging around for the next two years. Playing second fiddle doesn't match his personality or his ambitions.
Maybe he should focus on...
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 09:50 — bpuli9999reforming education in all of NC instead of just Wake County.
In terms of establishing a
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 08:28 — CaryCurmudgeonIn terms of establishing a board majority the 2013 elections mean nothing. The Democrats will own the majority until 2015. And if the Reps can't protect all of their remaining seats with a 4-0 sweep in 2013, then the Dems stand a great chance of holding the majority into the forseeable future.
Much like Hill hurt his own district with his last two years of "take my ball and go home" politics, the republicans would do the same to their districts with that approach. To borrow a quote, "War's over, man, Wormer dropped the big one."
Kevin Hill now has the votes he needs to go and have his consensus-building workshop which purportedly would get all of the board members working together. I challenge him to put that idea back on the table. I know the old board didn't support it, but a sincere gesture at this on his and his compatriots' part would go a long way toward healing wounds and making sure that minority voices are heard. Neither side has all the answers.
Do I hear some consensus...
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 09:49 — bpuli9999building?
"Neither side has all the answers" - since when? Over the past two years, it sure sounded like the republicans did.
Turns out no one liked their answers.
I am confused
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 11:30 — nmoskalIf no one liked any of their answers then why did the Dems run on "we are not going back to the old way"? Why didn't they run on going back to old policies? Why do they say they will move forward with new plan? Wasn't that plan developed under the '09 Board and under Tata who was hired by that Board (the Dems didn't vote for hiring him)? If no one liked the '09 Boards answer for a Superintendent, why did the Dem candidates keep saying they don't plan to get rid of him and their supporters say Losardo was fear-mongering? Why didn't the Dems run on a platform of getting rid of Tata and bringing Burns back? What about the policy changes like those related to suspensions that had bi-partison votes, does no one like those?
Honest question - if the Dems had run on not supporting the new assignment plan and getting rid of Tata, how do you think things would have turned out? Why didn't they run on undoing the new theme schools and ending the Renaissance schools? Had they run on rejecting everything the new Board did and won by higher margins then maybe you could say "no one liked their answers" but considering the Dems ran on keeping what the '09 Board put in place with "tweaks", I don't think you can conclude no one liked the answers. What most people seemed mostly not to like and reject was the process, not the answers. I think the Dem political consultants understood that and that is why they ran on goverance process rather than rejection of the 09 Board's answers. Time will tell if that was more than just a campaign strategy.
Now, there are those among the Dem supporters who want to go back toward the old ways (do reject the answers) and there are those that do not reject the answers and want to keep moving forward. It will interesting to see which of the two viewpoints will prevail and the ensuing fallout. If the move forward side prevails, I think reason from both political sides will dominate. However, if the move backwards side prevails, it is going to be back to the same problems and divisiveness.
One possible way to move would be for the "move forward" types on both sides of the aisle to bury the hatchet, but that will mean turning a shoulder to the more extreme people on their own side. That can be a difficult thing to do, which leaves the extremes dominate and those in between on the outside with a neckache from watching the volleyball match.
The NAACP came out against
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 12:20 — CaryCurmudgeonThe NAACP came out against the assignment plan. Now that the gag order has presumably been lifted on Mr. Barber it will be interesting to see how this disconnect is handled. Kevin Hill may get his set-asides, but I don't think that would be enough to make Barber happy, he seems to want mandatory (not voluntary) creation of diversity.
Ding Ding Ding
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 11:48 — jenman"One possible way to move would be for the "move forward" types on both sides of the aisle to bury the hatchet, but that will mean turning a shoulder to the more extreme people on their own side."
Absolutely correct and it is what was needed during the past 2 years as well. Unfortunately neither side was willing to do it before--let's hope they are now.
APOLOGY
Fri, 11/11/2011 - 10:49 — Just_ask_RonSeeing your post right here next to Joe's makes me wonder if WSCA will issue an apology. When WSCA stood behind you, WSCA lost the support of the radical right. When WSCA endorsed Losurdo, WSCA lost the support of moderate Republicans.
WSCA did not have to endorse any candidate in the runoff. But they did. WSCA choose again to throw its weight behind another Luddy puppet.
WSCA is dead. That organization has alienated every possible group of supporters who would ever stand with it. Like Wake Cares, it is a group with no members.
But I hope you will continue to play a role in Wake County education. The new board will need a watchdog like you. Please stay involved. Someone needs to keep them honest.
I do thank you for your kind
Sat, 11/12/2011 - 13:25 — jenmanI do thank you for your kind words, but WSCA doesn't owe me an apology. Everybody had to do what they felt was right. For me, it was not endorsing anybody in the runoff. For WSCA it was endorsing Losurdo. It wasn't a black and white issue and both candidates had their negatives. Everybody needed to decide which negatives they could live with and which they couldn't.
Don't worry--I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be speaking out on the issues I care about. :-)
Good for you Joe
Thu, 11/17/2011 - 19:02 — tartexanI hope you continue to speak out and stay involved. We need different opinions and ideas in order to stir debate and make good decisions.
Amen
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 12:38 — Dove314Amen to that!
No. Our group always
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 09:59 — CaryCurmudgeonNo. Our group always pushed for consensus-building. We recognized that the new board's first meeting was NOT the way to start off. While our members were getting removed from the GWIS and CCCACC distribution lists, we were holding sessions trying to bring both sides together. Last year we issued a call to action, asking that the board bring in an outside mediator to get the two sides working together. We did not support the bitter partisanship. Others may get religion when the dust settles, but we had it all along.
The question is, will the same people who spent the last two years complaining about their board reps being ignored now support that same behavior among the new majority?
Well Said CC....
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 08:40 — JanisTangoWell said CC....we should also be thankful Dean Wormer is not running WCPSS! HA!