The state NAACP has just sent out a last-minute press release urging people to attend tonight's public meeting being held by federal civil rights investigators probing the Wake County school system.
In the press release, the Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, says "this is an opportunity for OCR to hear directly from the community about the actions and statements of the right wing school board."
Here's the press release:
OCR to Conduct Public Hearing re Wake County Public Schools
Durham - As part of its investigation of complaints filed against the Wake County Public School System by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), NC HEAT, and others, staff with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is holding a meeting to hear from the community. They are interested in listening to the concerns and experiences of parents, students, and other members of the community related to the change in the District's student assignment policy and the District's discipline policies and/or procedures.
We encourage all concerned members of the community attend. Please also reach out to your neighbors, friends, and especially Wake County public school students and parents and bring them with you. This is an opportunity for OCR to hear directly from the community about the actions and statements of the right wing school board.
OCR Parent and Community Meeting
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Martin Street Baptist Church
1001 East Martin Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1641
(919) 833-9756
Comments
I'm listening to the feed on
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 20:07 — loriacI'm listening to the feed on WRAL. Parents are worried about the quality of education, yet no one talks about the school board action to stop using effectiveness index. The current board exposed the discriminatory practice of limiting ED kids in 8th grade algebra, which is a gateway to advanced classes in high school. They have since taken the steps to stop this practice, and use EVAAS to objectively place all kids who should be placed in 8th grade algebra. Thank you to the school board for identifying and taking steps to fix this, even though it was an uphill battle. If Mr. Barber were going to complain about anything, this would be it - yet not a peep. Does he not get it? If he were truly worried about equal opportunity, he would be working with the school board on this.
Barbar does not give a damn
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 20:22 — woodstockBarbar does not give a damn about student achievement or even what is happening in Wake County. All he sees is a an opportunity to seize the spotlight and make a name for himself. That is it and that is all.
Listening to this bizarre
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 20:55 — woodstockLOL What a stacked deck. They are not even pretending to be fair or attempting to listen to both sides. The blatant name calling is disgusting and offensive.
Listening to this bizarre insulting fiasco at the Martin Street Center for Race-Hustling and I am shocked at first by the age of the speakers (average age approximately 84), the number of folks who claim to be Reverends and the profound ignorance being presented concerning the issues at hand. It is like watching a really bad movie as they are all reading their lines... they obviously just got the script. Most of the "actors" have no idea what they hell they are saying. Not sure who the writers are but I have an idea....
Some white lady actually said her son's best friend was a "black person." How trite and condescending.
and if anyone believes
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 21:14 — AngelaWand if anyone believes Bader's crap about the old "super secret" Student Assignment Committee NOT being political, well there's some really cheap oceanfront property in the Mojave for sale too.
It wasn't just the Student
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 23:28 — jenmanIt wasn't just the Student Assignment Committee, it was her committee. I think the smartest thing that Tata did was to not use community members on his assignment committee.
...
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:25 — SideburnsI like the part when she refers to herself as a "seasoned student assignment expert". Almost fell out of my chair on that one.
Are you f'n kidding me??!!!
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 18:04 — woodstockAre you f'n kidding me??!!! They send out an announcement the day of the meeting and then idenify the BoE as a right-wing school board?! No bias there. What the hell was the school board before?
The race-hustling witch hunt continues?
This is our government at work... and the Democrats wonder why they got their @$$es kicked last year and will again this year. It is also why there is talking of doing away with the Dept. of ED. That can't happen soon enough.
Seriously
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 17:48 — sam123456The "right wing" school board. Sounds to me that the NAACP and OCR do not really want to hear from the community --- they just want to hear from "left wing" liberals! Typcial -- liberals will yell and scream, resort to theatrics, etc to get what they want. From what I recall, the community voted for this school board knowing their positions in advance. I would suggest that the community has already spoken loud and clearly.
A small section of the
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 19:08 — Andrew95A small section of the community in a historically very low-turnout election, has spoken. Not to be confused with any sort of voting majority.
It was the very definition
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 19:40 — woodstockIt was the very definition of a voting majority. And it was TWICE the normal turnout, so does that make all previous elections even less legitimate in your view?
You are a child who knows very little of what they speak about, yet you drone on....
He's a child
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 21:14 — Solon77So he is a child - what is your excuse ? I just couldn't resist.
And yet the families being
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 19:54 — duvalAnd yet the families being assigned to the high poverty shcool had NO VOTE in the last election.
Arrgghhh
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 21:41 — starsonoursAnd the 4 districts that voted in '09 don't get to vote in '11, if the composition of the school board changes in '11 can the people who voted in '09 complain about not being able to vote in the '11 election? Everyone gets to vote every 4 years, the schedule is staggered and has been for as long as I can remember.
How's that?
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 19:56 — woodstockHow's that?
You play at being
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 21:28 — duvalYou play at being obtuse. OK. I will play along and pretend that you are clueless.
We all know that kids in Keith Sutton's district are being assigned to Walnut Creek. His voters were not among those with the vote for neighborhood schools.
How many kids in Debrorah Pricketts voting district are assigned to Walnut Creek?
You said some folks weren't
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:32 — woodstockYou said some folks weren't allowed to vote. Now you bring up Walnut Creek. I have no idea what you are talking about. No pretending here.
...
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:22 — SideburnsAnd yet -- none of the voters in Sutton's district voted for him.
LOL, there's that.
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:33 — woodstockLOL, there's that.
...
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:36 — SideburnsWho's to say the majority of those voters don't support neighborhood schools? Hmmmm?
They have a new school close
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 23:02 — woodstockThey have a new school close to home. What's not to like? Really, I don't get it.
If the folks around Walnut Creek don't want their kids going there, the school system needs to seriously rethink putting any new schools in higher poverty areas and instead build them in the more affluent suburbs only. Makes no sense to build schools no one wants to go to or that a community does not want to support.
RIght - the ones who were
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:40 — loriacRIght - the ones who were interviewed said 'stop calling it a high poverty school', and we're glad that we can go to a school close to home. And - we love our kids are committed to making this school work. Sounds like some good, community pride.
So when Mr. Barber calls it a high poverty school, where students are incapable of success - he just 'dissed' every student there, and said they can't succeed unless they are bussed out of their neighborhood to some cul de sac in Cary. Why do people put up with that?
How many kids in Deborah
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 22:20 — loriacHow many kids in Keith Sutton's district have limited access to magnet schools, or were shut out altogether because they weren't allowed out of their base schools? This happened for years in Deborah Prickett's district. Or what about Hilburn, York, JGE with declining enrollments - for years being starved of resources. Walnut Creek is nice, new school - sounds like the parents there are excited and committed to its success.
We don't get to vote in the next election - does that mean we get to complain when Keith Sutton's voters do?
Silly discussion.
ROFL
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 17:46 — nancync"right wing school board" and this one was interesting.....
Please also reach out to your neighbors, friends, and especially Wake County public school students and parents and bring them with you.