School board member Lori Millberg makes a direct pitch for for the candidates she's endorsing while taking a shot at others in a letter to the editor in today's newspaper.
In the letter, Millberg claims "much of the data published by some of the candidates" are "misinterpreted and in many cases are completely wrong." She argues that going to a system of neighborhood schools, such as in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, will be more expensive and less cost effective.
Millberg says that "to get the best value for your tax dollar, vote for Rita Rakestraw, Horace Tart, Karen Simon and Lois Nixon."
Millberg is echoing a position that's being repeatedly made, especially in the closing days of the campaign, that maintaining the diversity policy is cheaper financially.
Comments
I have never experienced a
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 19:06 — changewcpssI have never experienced a public servant with more hatred and distain toward other people. Her endorsements would tell me to vote the opposite. Regardless of who is elected, it won't be any worse than what we have experienced with L Millberg.
Millberg: No Respect for Families
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 20:23 — rainforestAgreed! Remember Lori Millberg's interview on the Scott Fitzgerald radio show, WPTF 680 AM.
http://www.wptf.com/goout.asp?u=http://wptfmornings.blogspot.com/
She has more courage in her
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 17:08 — jenmanShe has more courage in her little finger than you have consistently demonstrated here.
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Perry, I've met McLaurin and I agree with you that she is a very nice woman. But after the "I would never want to make an unfriendly motion" incident I don't think she has the courage to stand up for our at-risk kids. She actually recognized a reassignment that was not in a group of kids' best interests but she backed down when challenged by Patti Head. I lost a lot of faith in her when she did that.
You and me both
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 21:48 — TrailerParkGirlWhen she did that I was literally banging my head on the table. She recognized the problem and tried to stand up for what was right, but backed down as soon as Patti and Rosa said, "Boo."
I'm sorry Perry, but that was a classic case of someone not having the courage to stand up for what was right. By saying she would never make an unfriendly motion that says to me that she doesn't have the courage to stand against the tide for what is right for STUDENTS. That concerns me. I'm not saying she's not nice, she is.
BTW - to catch you up, the situation was an ESL node near Combs magnet being reassigned out of Combs (where they had a special ESL program) to Dillard Drive ES (already considered a higher needs school for the area) in order to open up more magnet seats at Combs. A large group of ESL parents came to the public hearing and had a community representative speak for them against the reassignment. The reassignment went through as planned by Growth Management.
So - in response to some of your other posts about motives:
THESE are the reasons we fight for change. Because even when every reasonable person on the planet can see something is not in the best interest of the STUDENTS especially ED/ESL/SWD, WCPSS does it anyway - in the name of 'diversity.' Tonight my kids were playing at a nearby park with kids from an ED node that are being reassigned out of the 38% F&R school near their home that meets AYP and has a much better pass rate for ED than district average to be bussed 18 miles to "diversify" a school that wouldn't otherwise be "diverse" enough. Are we doing this a) to make "healthy" schools so these kids aren't 'condemned or however you put it' to a high-poverty school (their current school is healthy, not overcapacity, not in a high poverty or growth area and wasn't backfilled) or b) are we doing it to make sure all schools have at least X% of diversity to satisfy another agenda? This little move (and it's not the first like it) just screams b) to me and I don't like WCPSS using the kids from my diverse community as pawns in this manner and have ZERO faith that would change with status quo candidates.
How do the conversations go I wonder? ABC school is not diverse enough. The Susies in that school must be exposed to more diversity (as defined by WCPSS because her neighbors are probably from all over the world so she's already getting diverse exposure by many people's standards) OR is it more about satisfying the people who want to make sure everyone has "their fair share" of "those" kids? Either way, who can we find to diversify the school as this school is in a far corner of the county? Computer spits out node 123.4 in a naturally diverse area (i.e. node 123.4 is near middle income nodes). Do they not bother to look at whether the current school exceeds in teaching the children and if the area in which they live is diverse or high-poverty or do they know and just not care as long as Susie gets her prescribed level of diversity exposure? I've always been curious about these things. Although in this case as they are apartments maybe that was why they were selected.
BTW - do liberals ever stop to think that if Susie's parents are cool with diversity, she will be whether her school is 8% F&R or 20% F&R (will that really make a difference) and if her parents are not cool with diversity, there's a good chance they will just pull Susie out of the school. (So no one gets confused people pull out of public school for many reasons (mostly stability and quality of education), just saying you maybe can't force certain things when the people you are trying to force for good or bad aren't a captive audience.)
Tell me Perry - why shouldn't I be fighting for change considering these situations and the lack of progress on the achievement gap under the current policy?
Good riddance
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 17:03 — freedom12Lori - so glad you're stepping down. We Wake County parents will really miss your barbs and your condescension!
Dr. McLaurin Talking to Congregation about Oct. 6 elections
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 14:47 — btwalshFrom: Cynthia Ball
Date: Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Subject: SUNDAY FORUM: Anne McLaurin on Wake Co. Schools
To:
October 4, 2009
9:15 to 10:15 am
"The Future of Wake County Schools"
Dr. Anne McLaurin
Wake County School Board Member
This Sunday we welcome Dr. Anne McLaurin to discuss the future of Wake County Schools.
The election this Tuesday may dramatically reshape public schools in Wake County. If candidates who oppose busing and reassignment (who say they support "neighborhood schools") win the majority of the 4 seats up for election, efforts to maintain classroom diversity could be abandoned. Some fear that this will lead to a de-facto re-segregation of NC's largest school system. Come and weigh in on the topic.
Visit www.newsobserver.com for several analyses, including the most recent story.
Dr. McLaurin, a family physician with SAS Healthcare Center, was elected in 2007 to the Wake County Board of Education to represent District 5. She has also been an active community volunteer and advocate, particularly in the area of breast cancer screening. The wife of Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, mother of two, and the daughter of two physicians, Dr. McLaurin graduated from Rice University and Cincinnati's College of Medicine
The Forum meets in Vaughan Fellowship Hall at Community UCC which is located at 814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh (corner of Wade Avenue and Dixie Trail).
If you need more information, call 919.387.9479 or email cball@ballmediation.com.
You may be removed from this email list by replying with "delete" typed in the subject line.
Cynthia Ball
Chair, Forum Committee
Community United Church of Christ
An Open and Affirming Church and Just Peace Congregation
www.communityucc
And another...
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 17:33 — Bob_SconceForm 13909 goes to the IRS. Churches, like all tax-deductible charitable organizations, are not allowed to participate in elections.
I agree with Dr. McLaurin
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 15:47 — woodstockI agree with Dr. McLaurin (FYI: she's Mayor Meeker's wife) the Wake County schools will indeed be "reshaped" when the proponents of positive change are elected into seats on the school board. These knowledgeable and dedicated candidates recognize that data proves that existing policies are failing at-risk children at an ever increasing rate. Only 54.6% of economically disadvantaged students even graduate from our school. Ten years of efforts to correct this trend has seen no improvement.
Change is needed. Vote for Malone, Tedesco, Goldman and Prickett on Oct. 6.
I find it interesting -- and frankly, offensive -- that a church would propogate misleading information regarding the wrong and insulting insinuation of "re-segrgation and work for the political gain of certain candidates. This is a violation of their tax-exempt status.
I find it interesting and
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 16:56 — WhalerCaneI find it interesting and frankly offensive that you keep posting without identifying yourself. Dr. McLaurin is a true public servant, and one of the most decent persons you could every possibly hope to meet. She has more courage in her little finger than you have consistently demonstrated here.
As to the 54.6% graduation rate of ED students you keep citing is a cherry picked stat that does not give the real picture.
First, I doubt highly it is the ED students that are your primary concern.
Second, that number has been going up because of the significant increase in non english speaking students and because the standards to graduate are higher than places like Halifax County that WSCA candidates and supporters have cited previously.
Third, check NCreportcard.com and look at end of grade tests, and you will see Wake ED students exceed every school district opponents cite as proof that Wake is failing.
Fourth, if you eliminate economic diversity as a criteria in assignment, then by definition you will be economically segregating our schools.
Finally, it is you and other WSCA supporters that have constantly misrepresented what is the state of Wake County Schools.
“I find it interesting
Sun, 10/04/2009 - 10:16 — user12345“I find it interesting and frankly offensive that you keep posting without identifying yourself.”
He is that “Jeff” person in the Wake Republicans …Woodstock
Thank you for providing so
Sun, 10/04/2009 - 11:44 — woodstockThank you for providing so much insight about me that I was completely unaware of. Now, my name is, Jeff? (rolling of eyes) how embarrassing for me to not to have known my name all these years. I am going to have to run out for some new business cards...damn!. LOL
If the school board issues had anything to do with me personally, all your chatter might matter. But it obviously doesn't. It is about improving education in Wake County for all students and families, something I have cared deeply about and have fought for, for years.
I understand the impulse for those without an argument to want to attack others and to distract from the real issues at hand, it happends all the time when campaigns are in trouble, as the status quo candidates clearly are.
User, you seem to support Tedesco. I support him too and have not said anything that he would disagree with. So, I don't even understand what the hell you even stand for. You send a plethora of mixed and confused messages when you post.
Cherry picked stat? That's
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 20:50 — woodstockCherry picked stat? That's an intersting position. Very convincing argument there, Captain Courageous.
Are these cherry picked too?:
Graduation Rates in Wake County
- Decline in overall rates 4 years running (currently 78%)
- Native American: 52%
- Black: 64%; Black males: 50%
- Hispanic: 52%
- Economically Disadvantaged: 54%
- Limited English Proficient: 38%
- Students with Disability: 56%
I have to stop, my fingers are tired from all this "cherry picking."
So we have a higher
Sun, 10/04/2009 - 10:02 — user12345So we have a higher standards for graduation ... if a higher graduation rate is what people want simple lower the standards and use social promotions and we can be like every other county.
That's you argument? It is
Sun, 10/04/2009 - 11:42 — woodstockThat's your argument? It just shows how informed you are.
FYI: EOC tests, which students must pass to pass a course in, for instance Algebra I and English (which are needed to graduate), are all state normed and are the same in all counties in NC.
You may want to become better informed if you want to continue throwing darts.
What Is The Real Picture?
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 17:47 — MamaLynnAs to the 54.6% graduation rate of ED students you keep citing is a cherry picked stat that does not give the real picture.
First, I doubt highly it is the ED students that are your primary concern.
How can you cherry pick a stat? 54.6% graduation rate is pretty straightforward! Kind of hard to skew that result! Also, didn't WCPSS cherry pick a stat on the kids that took the SATs this year? Less kids took it plan and simple!
Second, that number has been going up because of the significant
increase in non english speaking students and because the standards to
graduate are higher than places like Halifax County that WSCA
candidates and supporters have cited previously.
Our graduation standards lag behind the rest of the US it's disgusting. Sighting non-english speaking students is a little low even for you! If they would let these children stay in the schools where they are getting the help they could maybe succeed! They let our ESL teacher go this year with 17 others so help is what they need, but guess what they are not getting it!
Third, check NCreportcard.com and look at end of grade tests, and
you will see Wake ED students exceed every school district opponents
cite as proof that Wake is failing.
When a student gets to take the a test twice to pass they are probably going to do better. I really thought that was a ridiculous thing they did this year because taking a test twice doesn't mean you understand the subject matter. It just means they could see where you failed on the first one and they could drill the content into your brain prior to the second one. At least that is what happened in our school. Also, all the kids that passed the EOGs spent the last 4 weeks of school doing practically nothing.
Fourth, if you eliminate economic diversity as a criteria in
assignment, then by definition you will be economically segregating our
schools.
Here you go again. No one....I repeat NO ONE has ever stated to eliminate economic diversity as a criteria. I guess diversity at all costs if your mantra. I like to think education for all is the way to go!
Finally, it is you and other WSCA supporters that have constantly misrepresented what is the state of Wake County Schools.
Wrong again Perry...do we need to give you the test again so maybe you can pass this time? Data doesn't lie and WCPSS doesn't even look at their data correctly. If they did, they should be ashamed.
She's NEVER been about
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 11:03 — JSBinNCShe's NEVER been about education.
What a crock of poo!! A well educated community is what is in the best interests of tax payers!!!
...
Sat, 10/03/2009 - 09:49 — SideburnsKeep talkin', Lori. You're doing us a favor.
From the letter:
In other words:
Did she forget this is the Board of EDUCATION she is talking about?