The state NAACP is questioning whether the blue and green plans will avoid resegregating Wake County schools or promote student achievement more than old diversity policy.
In an open letter released today to Superintendent Tony Tata, the Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, says school leaders shouldn’t abandon the old efforts of trying to balance schools by family income levels. Barber also asks for a meeting with Tata before a possible school board vote on June 21 on which of the plans to use.
In the letter, Barber raises three questions:
* “What empirical data shows how the two proposals will further student achievement in ways beyond the diversity plan, which had a nationally recognized record of success here in Wake County, developed by (former) Superintendent Bill McNeal and his colleagues?" Barber asks.
* “If well over 90 percent of parents, in a survey last year, said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their children's schools, why would Wake County choose to abandon rather than simply improve such a plan and enable it to address the vibrant economic and population growth that it fueled?,” Barber asks. “Why does neither of these plans build on rather than abandon the McNeal plan?”
* “The empirical scholarship on education is virtually unanimous that diversity and resources are keys to student achievement,” Barber writes in the open letter. “How will either of the proposed plans ensure, with built-in and concrete corrective mechanisms that any significant increase in re-segregation will trigger, that Wake County will not create or increase racially identifiable, high-poverty schools?"
UPDATE
Tata said at today's news conference that he hadn't yet had a chance to review Barber's letter or decide whether to arrange a meeting with the NAACP before next week's vote.
Comments
Since some of you pretend to be ignorant...
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 22:12 — duvalDavid Williams, Tracy Noble and Anne Rouleau - citizen reps representing Republican board members John Tedesco, Deborah Prickett and Ron Margiotta - and Republican Board member Chris Malone, all offered long lists of reassignment changes, primarily affecting black students from Southeast Raleigh.
wakeupwakecounty.com/cms/story/tedesco-scheme
...
Thu, 06/16/2011 - 08:56 — SideburnsWhy do you support placing the burden of your version of diversity on the backs of poor, minority children?
In the end, none of those recommendations were approved -- as you claimed. So, again, you were wrong.
Yeah, it is others who are
Thu, 06/16/2011 - 08:40 — woodstockYeah, it is others who are ignorant, not you. LOLOL
You are either a moron, a conspiriacy theory nut job, or have been brain washed by your race-hustling svengali and buffet aficionado, Rev Barbar. Contrary to the garbage Barber and you try to spew, not everything is about race. Recent reassignments have to do with parental demands to have their kids attend schools on their communities. Nothing more and nothing less. YOU even know that, but have resorted to lies and innuendo simply because you are not getting your way. Pathetic.
So...
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 22:54 — Bob_SconceI'll ignore the absurd attempt in that GSIW article to impose a narrative and ascribe motives based on a thin set of facts, and just point out two problems: (1) the assignment changes that were voted on in that SAC meeting were never approved; and (2) the article mentions that Goldman voted against those changes, but your post below made it sound like she was defending the changes.
In reality, there have only been a handful of changes, and none of them could reasonably be considered to be racially based. For example, the GHS to SERHS did result in mostly black students being moved from Garner to SE. But, phase 2 was to move black students from Middle Creek to Garner.
good questions that need to be answered
Tue, 06/14/2011 - 15:39 — ellabakerThese are substantive, important questions that Superintendent Tata should consider, not confrontational rhetoric against him. I hope he will mull these over and answer them honestly in his mind, whether he formally answers them in public or not. What are the safeguards against re-segregation and how will they go into effect?
Please get informed. Nothing
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 07:26 — woodstockPlease get informed. Nothing happening in Wake County has anything whatsoever to do with "resegregation." That is a term used only by the ignorant and the race hustlers.
Wrong
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 19:29 — duvalMany of the reassignments put forth last year clearly took African American students out of the schools they currently attend and sent these children to schools that were largely African American. These moves were made not by the request of these students parents but by the suggestion of parents on the committee that were not African American nor lived in the nodes that were being reassigned.
For Prickett and Goldman to say "the assignments last year were at the request of parents" is misleading because it was not requested by the parents of the students who were reassigned, but by the parents whom they hand picked to be on the assignment committee.
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Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:03 — Sideburns...it was not requested by the parents of the students who were reassigned, but by the parents whom they hand picked to be on the assignment committee.
Which reassignments were approved last year based solely on an SAC recommendation?
I am not your research
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:17 — duvalI am not your research assistant. If you are really clueless look it up yourself.
...
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:46 — SideburnsTouchy, touchy.
I did look it up and couldn't find a recommendation made solely by the SAC that was approved in last year's reassignment plan. I guess you were wrong.
What does race have to do
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 20:32 — woodstockWhat does race have to do with anything? Students were assigned to schools in closer proximity to where they live. In a poll before the last election most parents of all ethnic persuasions indicated they wanted to attend schools in their communities. Have you been in a cave for the last two years?
No
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:16 — duvalBut apparently you have.
I Will Ask...
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 20:18 — JanisTangohow would you have liked to have seen the school board fill the new Walnut Creek Elementary? A lot of those movements were to fill that school! I'm really interested in your opinion on that. Walnut Creek was decided to be built by the previous school board so you can't accuse this school board for the location of the new school.
What would you have recommended? The previous school board did the exact same thing when they opened new schools in affluent areas! Big groups of kids were reassigned that were in closer proximity to the new school!
Glad you asked
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 20:20 — duvalI would first of all not had the parents from the 'burbs request removing children from their schools.
If we are going to have a new policy and education reform that respects all then it should have been filled by choice, not reassignments from parents whos children will never step foot inside that school.
You Must Have Some Proof..
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 20:32 — JanisTangoto back up this statement.....please provide because I think you are just spreading falsehoods!
I would first of all not had the parents from the 'burbs request removing children from their schools.
Would you want Walnut Creek ES to be empty for a year until the choice model is in place? I personally would like to see schools filled by choice. I do actually know several families that will be going to Walnut Creek ES next year. Many of them are thrilled with the change. They want their children closer to home. I'm sure there are some parents that aren't thrilled that is why I feel they need to have a choice to go elsewhere.
See my response to sideburns.
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:17 — duvalSee my response to sideburns.
Thanks But...
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 21:28 — JanisTangoyou answered the question.. you have no proof regarding that ridiculous statement. If you are going to make accusations like that you might want to have your 'proof' before hand!
Umm, the first question is
Tue, 06/14/2011 - 16:46 — shearertwUmm, the first question is totally invalid as there is no data that suggest the diversity policy had any impact on achievement whatsoever. Therefore, you cannot ask how future policies will impact achievement "beyond that of the diversity policy". How do you call that a substantive question?
<sarcasm> Everybody knows
Tue, 06/14/2011 - 17:07 — starsonours<sarcasm> Everybody knows diversity busing is the best system there is. Why there are mountains of data that proves it works (the location of these mountains is unknown). The previous school boards and school administrators did not even bother to keep records on the success of the diversity busing program, why should they everyone know it works who needs records. It works so well .6% of all school systems use a busing for diversity model. Only 99.4% of school systems use a proximity model. That fact alone proves the diveristy model is best!!! <sarcasm>
At Shearer's request, I
Mon, 06/13/2011 - 20:39 — KeungHui (author)At Shearer's request, I deleted the comment.
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Mon, 06/13/2011 - 17:46 — CaryCurmudgeon.