The national NAACP is now joining the call for Wake County school board chairman Ron Margiotta to resign following his "here come the animals out of the cages" comment at last week's board meeting.
In a press release today, national NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous said he's joining the state NAACP in calling for Margiotta's resignation as board chairman. He said Margiotta's comment was 'racially insensitive."
“The racial insensitivity exhibited by Mr. Margiotta underscores the lack of consideration for the interests, needs, and concerns of Blacks and other racial and ethnic minorities in North Carolina,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous in the press releae. “We support the North Carolina NAACP in their call for justice and sensitivity in Wake County, and believe the resignation of Mr. Margiotta is a necessary step in that direction.”
Last week, the Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, had said Margiotta was "unfit" to be chairman. Barber used the remark as part of the complaint filed last week with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Margiotta has said he was "out of line" for the remark. But he's denied it had racial intent. He's pointing out that he was upset that a mostly white crowd was booing a black speaker for criticizing the diversity policy.
Here's the press release:
NAACP PRESIDENT BENJAMIN TODD JEALOUS, NC NAACP CALL FOR RESIGNATION OF BOARD CHAIRMAN IN LIGHT OF RACIST COMMENTS WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN RON MARGIOTTA REFERRED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR AS "ANIMALS OUT OF THEIR CAGES"
NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous joined the North Carolina NAACP State Conference in calling for the resignation of Wake County School Board Chairman Ron Margiotta based on comments made by Margiotta the organization deems racially insensitive. In a recent public school board meeting, Margiotta referred to several stakeholders of color as “animals out of their cages.”
“The racial insensitivity exhibited by Mr. Margiotta underscores the lack of consideration for the interests, needs, and concerns of Blacks and other racial and ethnic minorities in North Carolina,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP. “We support the North Carolina NAACP in their call for justice and sensitivity in Wake County, and believe the resignation of Mr. Margiotta is a necessary step in that direction.”
Margiotta’s comments come in the midst of a contentious and racially charged battle over proposed changes to Wake County school district busing policy that will effectively re-segregate the county’s school system. While the battle for good jobs, good schools and economic solutions continue statewide, North Carolina NAACP State Conference President Rev. Dr. William Barber II asserts that attitudes like that of Margiotta will only increase the divide between people of all races who are affected by the surrounding social conditions.
“The vivid imagery evoked by Mr. Margiotta of uncaged wild animals takes another step toward dehumanizing African Americans while trivializing our concerns,” said Barber. “The racial undertones present in Mr. Margiotta’s comments stand to undermine cohesiveness between racial groups at a time when it is most needed as we work together to achieve a better North Carolina for all.”
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
UPDATED TO INDICATE THAT THEY'RE CALLING ON HIM TO RESIGN AS BOARD CHAIRMAN
Comments
Raleigh, N.C. — The Wake
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 22:20 — AngelaWRaleigh, N.C. — The Wake County School Board on Tuesday evening placed Superintendent Del Burns on administration leave.
The board announced the decision following a closed-session meeting. Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens will act as interim superintendent
wral.com/news/education/story/7202509/
Ron M is smart enough to
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 21:42 — Gr8SchoolsRon M is smart enough to realize what these media hungry people are doing. Thank you Mr. Margiotta and new board members for looking out for all kids. You are doing more for the AA children than CCCAAAC and NAACP combined. These groups are making fools of themselves with their ridiculous race baiting tactics.
So, the NAACP suggests an
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 20:26 — DrActualFactualSo, the NAACP suggests an entire district go without representation--doesn't sound like a good deal to me. I sure hope Bill Randall will comment on what he observed. Here stood a man (AA) running for local NC legislative position that talked about segregation and why he doesn't believe assignment policy 6200's approach to diversity distribution doesn't work and why he supports the new board. Mr. Randall was not booed by the entire audience. He was heckled by only a few of the PTA women who support the policy as it had been enacted. That is when Ron M. made his unfortunate (and unaudible to the audience) remark. His remark was not directed at any race/ethnicity but at the improper audience behavior exhibited by a few people at that point. Their boistrous misbehavior set the tone for a downhill slide from that point on in the meeting. I would think a security tape would certainly put this matter to rest.
Shame, shame, shame
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 15:25 — freedom12The NAACP stands more for the National Association for the Restriction of Colored People. Everytime they raise a ruckus like this, for something this contrived, they keep African-Americans back. Advancement??? Don't think so! And they insist on double standards every time they open their mouths. They can call names but no one else can, and furthermore others can't when DEFENDING their positions. The NAACP act like racists. There's a classic Bill Cosby speech where he calls out the African-American community for keeping themselves back.
School Board 5, please keep up the good work and try to filter out this ugliness as best as you can. You don't deserve it. Neither do the students of Wake County.
Where will it all end?
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 15:12 — louiselee44"Wow, I don't think I fully grasped how offensive his comment was until I read their take"
Exactly - this is "their take".
"In a recent public school board meeting, Margiotta referred to several stakeholders of color as “animals out of their cages.”
Totally speculative and not at all factual, unless the term "of color" applies to all colors. Ron made his comment after an African- American speaker was booed and jeered by the mixed-race crowd attending the board meeting. He has acknowledged that he should not have said what he did, and has apologized.
This episode has been blown way out of proportion, and I would say the same thing if someone on the other side of the fence had been in Ron's shoes. It wouldn't be the first time I have taken the side of justice and fairness over opinion.
People are abusing fellow individuals in order to further their agendas. This is unconscionable to me. Both sides need to put a stop to the ugliness that has seeped in where human decency used to abide.
The naacp wants nothing but
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:43 — golfer_68The naacp wants nothing but the camera, they are media hounds. and will do
anything to incite a crowd. I hope the wake board will stand strong and not be bullied by the likes of barber. GOOD JOB WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
Oh Brother
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:33 — mommy59The remark was said to everyone in the audience.How come no white group is making an up roar about this.It didn't bother them! Let's move on.
I am for the new school board and I don't ask for anything to be said to me when I read that anyone who goes with a the new school is racist.Also don't even get me started about the Italians and Mafia.
Keung: Can this line be edited?
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:17 — red_balloonFrom your online article (2nd para):
Margiotta had said “here come the animals out of the colleges” after a mostly white crowd had booed a black critic of the diversity policy.
The sentence could be interpreted as Margiotta siding with the crowd and referring to the black person with that remark. Also, is it "colleges" or "cages"?
Fixed.
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 15:30 — KeungHui (author)Fixed.
The new board members and
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:02 — ncarolinagirlThe new board members and Ron have been constantly attacked since they've taken office. They've been called racists, uneducated, and have even been told they're going to Hell, and it's undeserved. Anyone who watches that tape can clearly see that Ron's comment was directed at the entire crowd, which was mostly caucasian by the way, and not at any particular subset of people. I'm continually perplexed by the NAACP's actions. Minority children have been labeled, discriminated against, and bused to far corners of Wake County for years. Now that we have a Board who wants to do away with the discrimination and try to build strong community schools for everyone, the NAACP is up in arms. Where have they been for the past 10 years when minority children have been shipped off to the burbs where their parents can't even come pick them up from school when they're sick? Where have they been when minority children have been labeled and shipped off so that affluent suburban and ITB families can have their coveted magnet schools?
Follow the money
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 21:18 — local23as long as they can keep status quo - money will come from gov't sources to help the poor children - abuse comes in many forms. Not saying everyone is on this agenda..but it's pretty political and who is driving this so that one, do not stop the flow of money and two, don't uncover has bad it really is in the school system.
Margiotta referred to
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:03 — jenmanMargiotta referred to several stakeholders of color as “animals out of their cages.”
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This is utterly ridiculous. So when Ron made this comment, he was singling out the black members of the audience? It was a majority white crowd and the majority of the people behaving rudely were white. Good grief people have lost their minds in this.
Wow, I don't think I fully
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:47 — carson79Wow, I don't think I fully grasped how offensive his comment was until I read their take. They know how to get you that's for sure. I was pretty angry when I saw it on the live feed but I cooled off. He could have incited a riot had it been picked up by the room microphones.
Bet he wished he hadn't said it. He has to issue a formal apology and explanation that he meant nothing racial by his remarks now or this is going to get a lot worse. Anyone agree?
Individual lens
Wed, 03/10/2010 - 01:21 — SDR256I think it really depends on the individual lens you use to view the events. If you were in the audience, you only saw what the board intended you to see and the audience did not hear the comments. The only reason we were 'privy' to the comments - the perspective of the board - was because of the mikes. Some, who sympathized with all the pro-diversity passion expressed to that point may have heard it as an opposition statement. For me, because I sympathized with the board, I understood it as a purely human expression of emotion. This was a heated meeting. You cannot deny that. All the context leading up to it and in the room was pressurized. All the responsibility of keeping the room under control was laid on Ron's shoulders. This was a huge potential situation. And he felt it. He is a feeling human being and he slipped. He was anticipating trouble. He didn't word it well, but look at the crowd. I could just as easily say that WSCA was offended because we had several members in attendance.
I have to say, though, when the real test came - after Mr. Gatewood's display - Ron was admirable. He did not noticably respond. He did not let the situation become overblown. And he let Mr. Gatewood have his last word. I was impressed by his experienced handling of this overly dramatic moment.
So, for pete's sake, we the public need to understand that this is a partnership, and if you approach it that way it will become more and more that way. If it is approached as an adversarial scenario, and it continues on this path, you will have lesser and lesser and lesser qualified candidates to run in the future. After what the NAACP and others have cooked up who in the future will be willing to enter this gladiator battle? Total slaves to the system-du-jour or total power freaks. Neither is the best scenario for our children.
Sorry, but since they are
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:08 — red_balloonSorry, but since they are baying for his blood, I wouldn't suggest tendering a formal apology at this stage. Let them simmer for a few weeks or however long it takes the NAACP and WEP and others to realize Margiotta is not stepping down as chairman. At that point, if the crowd's behavior improves, he can consider apologizing. I see no reason to apologize based on the NAACP trying to incite the masses and given the crude behavior of the crowd at the BOE meetings. If anything, I would like to see the crowd apologize to the BOE and the county.
What exactly are you talking
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:12 — carson79What exactly are you talking about?
Can you give any examples of "crude behavior" ? I watched the entire feed and don't agree with your assessment at all. I've asked several times and received no answer. The booing was started by Dallas Woodhouse, should he apologize?
From the accounts I have
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:25 — red_balloonFrom the accounts I have read of Woodhouse's behavior, I believe he should be amongst those in the crowd to apologize. And no, I am not playing your game of "can you give me examples of crude behavior". If you are able to single out Woodhouse, certainly that intellect and hearing can be applied to identify other instances at the meeting that reflected poorly upon the crowd.
Exactly, I didn't see
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 15:06 — carson79Exactly, I didn't see Woodhouse boo first, just heard it.
I figured since you said many people displayed crude behavior would have examples - the same way someone did when i asked why they said Woodhouse was way out of line at the meeting. Guess not! Were you even there?
I think I got it carson! My
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 16:00 — red_balloonI think I got it carson! My hearing and sense of etiquette is different from yours. Did you seriously fail to pick up the groans and booing while watching the proceedings on TV?
Exactly red balloon! It
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 21:03 — aquaman4life68Exactly red balloon!
It would take a deaf clown not to hear the booing and groaning the crowd made!
"He could have incited a
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:53 — shearertw"He could have incited a riot had it been picked up by the room microphones."
Are you suggesting the people in attendance have no control over themselves and would have reacted with violence after hearing someone's comments? Sounds like a bunch of animals to me.
Uh, not sure what you mean?
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 14:03 — carson79Uh, not sure what you mean? I think the tensions were high there - have you not read any first hand accounts?
There is one on that Progressive Post or whatever blog. I exaggerated when I said "riot" but people could have gotten very angry. It's exactly the kind of remark I would make if I wanted people to get mad and violent!
He should not have said it and it was really unfortunate bc of the racial implicatiosn of the issue that he is participating in. I would not want to be him right now.
We were asked to forgive him bc his remarks were made "in the heat of the moment" - how is this different than the behavior you attribute to those in attendance?
It's sarcasm, Violet.
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 20:30 — ApexterIt's sarcasm, Violet.
Wow! How did it go from
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:40 — red_balloonWow! How did it go from Margiotta's comment on general crowd behavior to a comment directed at blacks? Barber, Jealous, and others stand to gain from misrepresentation and sensationalism and furthering the divisions along racial lines. Going forward, I doubt I will attach any credibility to the actions of the NAACP.
I Agree
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:29 — JanisTangoI agree and it's a shame. I know people that are apart of the NAACP in other parts of the country. I know they would be ashamed by the actions of this group!
Well...
Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:27 — Bob_SconceThere goes any respect I had for the national NAACP. It seems clear that they just took Barber's version of events, hook, line and sinker and are just trying to score some political points.
Hang in there, Ron.