For those who don't get the North Raleigh News or Midtown Raleigh News, there's a Q&A today with Dana Cope about the new Children's Political Action Committee.
Cope has got some big goals for the PAC. In particular, he thinks the PAC's ability to spend unlimited amounts of money to run third-party advocacy ads in this fall's school board elections could have a major impact.
While it might not be the best analogy, imagine a Swift Boat-like ad campaign being mounted against certain candidates this fall.
Cope is also trying to get people to not view the PAC as being a Lacy Elementary group. He insists that the group won't go away if the moves to Stough or any other school are dropped by the school board.
"This is not about any individual children," Cope said in the article. "This is about the school system."
Comments
Yes, this is honestly one of
Sun, 08/30/2009 - 15:21 — JoeAnne10Yes, this is honestly one of the best Q&A post I have ever read. Especially because I always have been internet in this topic, I as well as my friends from Dallas hvac company. If you keep posting like this I will start to read your forum every day cause it's something I want to do without having any bad feeling.
LOL
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:50 — RiversideRealistAs someone married to a Michigander and a die-hard Lions fan, and consequently someone who has sat and watched season after horrible season (0 and 16!!!), I think "the Detroit Lions bragging about how they beat the "East Lansing Middle School Fighting Elm Trees" is just a pipe dream for poor Lions fans...
But that's a subject for a WHOLE other blog. LOL
Swift Boating
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:41 — g88ky07I LOVE the idea and you can COUNT ON IT!
This fall swift boating Patti Head and Horace Tart will be the most fun Wake County parents, parents ignored by the boe for decades, can and WILL have!
It's simple, the truth will bring them down! Plain & simple!
Funny I just told my kid
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:17 — vsheehanFunny I just told my kid "Just because someone says something doesn't make it true. I say the world is purple. Well is the world purple? " Dana and friends can take from that statement what they may.
CaryCurmudgeon is correct in saying that grass roots is more important then money. Remember the grass roots volunteers in NC for Obama was huge while the amount he spent was little compared to other states. Obama won this states with people going door-to-door and having volunteers at every big event in NC. God, you couldn't go anywhere fun with out having a volunteer asking you if you were registered.
By the way look at Jehova Witnesses, they have never done a big campain. Instead their members have gone door to door to the point they are now a major fraction of the Christian community.
Advertisers pay people to go on Campuses, bars, sporting events to just start talking about how much they love X product.
Little Non Profits get changes made not with money but with commitment from people. No one put an advertisment out to get the old County comissioners to throw a monkey wrench into MYR. Instead people called, faxed, wrote letters, and some went in person to ask for the commissioners help. That was all done with out any money or an orginisation behind it. It was done with WORD OF MOUTH.
Word of mouth is always best especialy now that no one believes any news source is unbiased.
I find it very biased that Mr Hui compared the PAC to the swift boat voters but it shows how much people distrust PACs. Something tells me VOR will never trust an ad paid for by "Move On"
Sorry for the spelling can't get to MSWord.
.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:39 — Voice_of_Reason_.
vsheehan, a hint
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:38 — Voice_of_Reason_Re: Sorry for the spelling can't get to MSWord.
If you get Google toolbar, it has a built in spell checker that works on this blog. You have to click the spelling icon manually though.
My Google commercial for the day .... I guess I have to hedge my bets, I have stock in Microsoft and Google. :*)
Thanks I just used it on my
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:20 — vsheehanThanks I just used it on my last post.
But care is needed when listening
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:30 — Voice_of_Reason_From the Jehova Witness web site, how many people realize this before they are brainwashed (at least brainwashed IMHO)?
"Jehovah’s Witnesses can be
disfellowshipped for a number of rule violations: premarital or extramarital
sex, using alcohol excessively, using tobacco products, celebrating Christmas,
reciting the pledge of allegiance, lying, stealing, joining the military,
speaking to a disfellowshipped Witness, reading religious material not published
by the governing body, or running for political office just to name a few.
Fellow members are then required to shun him/her completely, having no contact
even if the disfellowshipped person is a family member."
I guess you can sell anything with the right people. Just my "idiot" two cents worth.
OT: Here's another example of brilliance
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:05 — Voice_of_Reason_The sky is falling [link]. I didn't know we are that big and times are so bad -- thanks Californian idiots.
Hey I think Pelosi is
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:18 — vsheehanHey I think Pelosi is awesome. She made one slip up. I never made fun of Bush's speech apraxia or McCain's top aid saying McCain was the reason Blackberry existed
Right, she instills confidence in us all, she's a leader!
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 15:51 — Voice_of_Reason_I knew she meant only 500,000 jobs a month would be lost if her plan was not enacted as soon as possible. Yes she and the president makes me want to go out and invest instead of keeping my cash in the bank. I'm sure the rest of the world wants to invest in America right now too because of this awesome leadership. Me thinketh that the people are wising up, have you looked at the latest poll numbers on this package, never mind the Wall Street vote of confidence they have had. BTW- One slip up, give me a break.
Ref another post you made: One thing I can agree with you on is, I too would love to join a class action lawsuit against WCPSS for their misrepresentation of our school system, I too am a victim. I know a lot more that would join the suit, maybe a good lawyer can add the Board of Realtors and Chamber of Commerce as an accomplice. I know at least now to check blogs before I move, who would have thunk.
Gee a no vote from Wall
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 17:28 — vsheehanGee a no vote from Wall Street could this be the place that is a little made that Obama has capped the salary of the CEOs whose banks took money from the bail out
Or could this be the genuis that sunk Wall Street to the point retires are having to go back to work?
Wall Street is us too
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 18:09 — Voice_of_Reason_Don't always demonize the hand that feeds you. Most people that work have money there too. Whether you like it or not Wall Street in the engine of this economy. There won't be new jobs until people start fueling the engine. The CEO thing happened today, the Dow has been falling at a rapid rate ever since President Obama won the election, the bottom is still not in sight. Confidence is needed to change that, the initial decline before the election was based on real data, now we are acting on a lack of confidence. OK enough of my OT rant. I am lucky I didn't have that much in it (a relative term) - when it plummeted. I've lost more in the value of my home (but that's a relative loss, since I can sell low and buy low and as long as I buy bigger and can afford it, its a wash....or I just stay put.)
you don't think Ceos
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 18:25 — vsheehanyou don't think Ceos earnings going from 70% above the average factory worker to Over 200% more then the Average work didn't fuel the engine. How about major tax cuts for the top 1% didn't that fuel the engine. After all that fuel and these guys leave the car on the side of a road in Death valley after all this fuel is a sign that all that fuel didn't fuel the machine but the CEOs "needs".
your house lost value? Our neighborhood is going strong could be we are one of the few nodes with a straight traditional calender. Plus the price of the mortgage meets FED insurance
OK , I give some
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 18:48 — Voice_of_Reason_CEO's are greedy, I agree, but that's not Wall Street. The reason I say that is these are public companies and IMHO they thrive on salary one up man ship not beholden to the stockholders (AKA Owners). Wall street fund managers help to perpetuate this by voting their contracts. Private company CEOs on the other hand should make as much as they can make. If you look closely, the bigger the company, he more they like the Dems (wonder why?, maybe they help strangle the less capitalized).
Sales of homes in my neighborhood were killed when Wakefield ES went MYR and the F&R % was raised dramatically. And that was before the big downturn. There are many that have been on the market almost two years and some are empty (Corporate buyouts for the lucky). A lot have just pulled them off the market. The ones that sell are about 12% below their value before MYR and they are below the appraised value. In Wakefield, there are relatively new expensive homes at up to $400 below there value two years ago (1.2M for 800K), that doesn't help either.
Yes, but McCain couldn't
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 15:02 — CaryCurmudgeonYes, but McCain couldn't have invented the Blackberry if Al Gore hadn't first invented the internet.
: ) LOL
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 17:28 — vsheehan: ) LOL
Two Visions, which one do you chose?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:31 — Voice_of_Reason_Vision 1
That all students graduate and the economic performance gap is decreased.
(achieving it will probably mean dumbing down the whole system)(Is this goal realistic?)
Vision 2
That the overall achievement level in WCPSS is improved.
- Pay special attention to Low Income, high need children in Title I schools through innovative teaching practices, strict discipline enforcement, parental involvement, and reduction of classroom sizes.
- Reduce the number of temporary classrooms with a goal to eliminate them entirely.
- Eliminate MANDITORY year round schools.
- Provide a stable assignment policy, with areas that are subject to change due to growth notified well in advance.
- Provide merit opportunities to children that display an academically gifted performance.
- Provide a two prong approach to high school education, one for college bound and a vocational alternative for those that are not. Work with local industries for the later.
- Provide educational opportunities that allow children to reach their full potential especially in the areas of math and science.
(my random thoughts, feel free to improve), yes I know vision 2 costs more, but isn't the money spent better?
These are good ...
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:54 — user1234These are good ....
You know, I would want to add - minimize / reduce the wide disparity between schools (teachers, AP classes, foreign languages, renovation).
TThanks for acknowledging some of my "idiot" ideas are good
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:00 — Voice_of_Reason_Let look at yours: (You know,
I would want to add - minimize / reduce the wide disparity between
schools (teachers, AP classes, foreign languages, renovation).)
The first part is OK with me, sounds good, but let's break it down.
Teachers - How to you achieve that? I would support a method that teacher can be hired for a district and that district can assign them where they want to fill needs when voluntary assignment did not work. [Caveat: if it were tied to incentives when needed to get teachers at certain schools.]
AP Classes - If there is a desire and it can be filled, by all means. However if you can't fill the class, maybe a satellite program is a better alternative and more cost effective.
Foreign Languages - OK, I support in Elementary School at the lowest grade levels a foreign language program, Let the parents vote which language. After that IMHO it is an expensive luxury and should be taught at best as an elective. This is one area I think public education does not provide "value-added" to society. My experience is English is a Universal Language, we are blessed speaking it. I know the global society argument, how do you determine what language?
Renovation - OK, all schools should provide a safe, comfortable environment. After that, you will always have better schools elsewhere. Fix what needs to be fixed, tear down what needs to be torn down and rebuild when economically viable.
You can narrow wide-disparity of offerings and facilities and not achieve the goal of education. Like I said once before, I was educated in a school in south Louisiana with no a/c and nowhere near the facilities and programs WCPSS provides in almost of the public schools here....I still went on to college and didn't do so bad. A lot of doctors and lawyers came out of my class too. BL- You can have luxury facilities and great offerings with a minimal increase in results at some schools. Parents and sociatal motivation is far more important, not to mention aptitude.
Mr. Hui, I think you are
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 08:59 — user1234Mr. Hui, I think you are looking for a fight to help sell newspapers …. I think that the “Swift Boat” episode is a sad analogy and a sadder time in history to see veterans arguing over who should get medals. Pitting veterans against veterans was sad. Those decisions should be made by military officials not the public. As a result, I lost a lot of respect for veterans and any medals they “won” after that episode not knowing if the recognition was legitimate or not now. I liked it before when veterans were heroes and their medals were beyond reproach. We did not need to tear veterans and their accomplishments down for an election.
Ehh...
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:52 — Bob_SconceI think he was referring to the way those commercials were believed to have a significant impact on the election. Not the best analogy, considering the controversy around those ads.
Harold Weinbrecht - isn't he
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 08:51 — gwaihirHarold Weinbrecht - isn't he the guy that wants to be friends with the BOE? Didn't he vote against some Town of Cary resolution or other that was critical of the BOE?
Sounds to me like Cary never learns. They chose an ex-employee of WCPSS (Goettee) over Curt Stangler, I remember. And now Weinbrecht.
(This is in reply to CaryCurmudgeon's post about electing Weinbrecht.)
Get educated
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:32 — supportwcpssStop spewing crap without doing your research. THe Mayor worked for a year to try to work with the BOE before beginning to speak out. I disagree with his approach now but he is not 'friends' with the BOE.
support, I don't agree
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:16 — CaryCurmudgeonsupport,
I don't agree with you often, but do agree on this one. The Mayor withstood much criticism in trying to develop a partnership with the school board -- it would have been much easier on him to just start holding up a protest sign from day one.
So he did try to be friends
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:26 — gwaihirSo he did try to be friends with the BOE, but then changed his stance? Interesting, thanks. I assume he changed his stance because he found the BOE was not responsive to friendly overtures?
In that case, he sounds more like he is someone who tries different approaches to find one that might work.
That's my take, too.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:53 — Dadof3Despite not being popular, the mayor tried to work with the BoE and look where it got him. So, to his credit, he followed the "formal" channels, got rebuffed, and now is in "whatever it takes" mode. I don't know the guy, he didn't seem like my preference (I'm a neighbor of Cary) but I'm happy to give credit where due.
Sometimes the converts are the most effective at spreading the message. That he wasn't from day one shouldn't be held against him.
I don't know the mayor, and
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:08 — gwaihirI don't know the mayor, and I don't live in Cary. I do remember reading newspaper reports about his disagreements with his own council over the BOE - I guess that was news. I don't remember seeing anything in news reports since, that indicates he may have changed his stance. Hence my questions. It is useful to know about people's positions after all.
I couldn't care less if he is a convert or not. The Lacy parents are converts, but if they are willing to work with the whole county then I think that's great.
Apex meeting
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 13:25 — SDR256Mayor Weinbrecht revealed his change of approach at the Apex Public Speak out. Up to that point he had supported the BoE unflinchingly, in spite of his citizens' pleas. He thought it would be the right thing to try to work with the BoE and provide funds. Apparently there was some throw down about modular units at Panther Creek HS and it was a turning point for him.
At the Apex meeting, although he softpeddled it more than would be my preference, he said something like "I've always been a supporter of this board, but I'm revisiting this policy just as I request that you revisit some of your policies". I think that Keung included the mention of the mayor's presentation in one of the articles of that time period. If you want his exact words, you can see it on the WCPSS website where they've posted all the videos. He's the first speaker in the second video.
In his presentation at that meeting Apex's Mayor Weatherly, as always, was consistently clear and strong in his message that the BoE must be more family friendly. He stated that the BoE must recognize that the citizens are at the top of the organizational chart. He's been a stalwart, outspoken challenger of the board from day one.
Now these two mayors join Mayor Sears (Holly Springs), Mayor Williams (Garner) and possibly one or two other mayors on Thursday for the Wake School Community Alliance meeting of parents. Stand strong mayors!
The Mayor is a good guy but
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:45 — user1234The Mayor is a good guy but he only has a small part of the county to manage. He is interested in managing growth, attracting business and building roads. WCPSS has to take a wide population or ever changing kids, find a facility for them, a teacher and show some progress against state and national standards while trying to attract start up money for new schools. The Mayor is right to work with the WCPSS just as he does with the State and Federal bodies on water and air quality. The difference is that the Mayor can hand out permits and walk away from adequate schools but would get crushed by the State and Federal governments if he allows the same development to dump sewage into a creek because of an inadequate sewer system.
Correction - the WCPSS does
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:13 — gwaihirCorrection - the WCPSS does not *have* to find a facility for the kids, or find start-up money for new schools.
They had the opportunity to turn all of that over to the County Commissioners.
I am sure that they would turn it over to the CCs if it was truly as burdensome to them as you say. Face it, they *want* to do all of this. I think that they must enjoy whining about all the hardships they face in finding facilities and finding start-up money for new schools.
Again, you would be talking
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:02 — CaryCurmudgeonAgain, you would be talking about the previous Cary Mayor, not the current one.
Cary, I think the Town of
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:42 — user1234OK, what exactly is it that
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:57 — CaryCurmudgeonOK, what exactly is it that you suggest the current administration do? Start evicting people and bulldozing their houses? Build municipal schools so that wcpss doesn't have to educate our students (hmm... I knda like that one).
Do what Harold has been
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:59 — user1234Do what Harold has been trying to do … internally accept responsibility for the mess and quietly try to work with the WCPSS to find “work arounds” like helping with utilites and road work at new schools, allowance on trailers, etc. Harold can not reverse the problems by evicting people like you suggested but he can make amends where possible and it seems like the TOC is doing that from what I can see.
You sound panicked to
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:51 — gwaihirYou sound panicked to me.
Maybe the new anti-wcpss groups are making headway after all - good.
Nope
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:01 — supportwcpssJust calling an ignorant rumor mongler an ignorant rumor mongler
Yes, your posts
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:22 — gwaihirYes, your posts definitely sound panicked to me.
Hm... very interesting.
ignorant rumor mongler
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:01 — Dadof3I think you meant "monger."
Remember, dictionaries are cool and can be your best friend when writing. I hope that when you support the WCPSS, you remember to include education in your list of things to support.
So that's your demonstration of civility? You remind me of the cranky old couple on the Muppets show a few years back.
more like a 12 year old with
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 16:09 — AngelaWmore like a 12 year old with a 'tude, toddler with a trantrum or a ....nevermind!
My personal spellchecker
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 16:02 — supportwcpssThankx Daad for being my persanal spell cheker. I respond to civilty with civility and rudeness with rudeness.
realy when was I rude to
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 18:00 — vsheehanrealy when was I rude to you? Explain this post that you still have not responded to.
The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree Judging by your attitude on this blog, no telling what your daughter hears and feels at home regarding WCPSS.
huh?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 18:17 — supportwcpssFirst, I really can't ready your cut and paste from three blogs run on sentence. Second, I'm not sure what you want me to respond to - I don't see a question?
Is that your ethic?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 16:54 — Dadof3Well, spelling only matters if you wish to be taken seriously.
As for ethics, Is that what you teach your kids?
Nope
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 17:55 — supportwcpssSo focusing on my grammer and spelling on a blog will lead to you taking me more seriously. I doubt that.
No, I teach my kids to walk away. Sometimes taking the high road is as easy as it appears though.
Don't sell yourself short
Thu, 02/05/2009 - 06:11 — Dadof3Do you mean not as easy? At least for me it is very difficult or it wouldn't be an ethic.
Anyhow, sure, in a general and cultural sense, I am pedantic. I don't consider it an insult to call me on it -- it's like calling me out on my distaste for popular contemporary music. In the case of my original post, "mongler" might be a dialectal colloquialism that isn't in a dictionary and thus I missed your point. I don't think you could afford my services for spell checking. ;) (nor could I)
OT to Keung's original post, but on-topic in general, is to see to what level the posters here have assimilated a solid English grammar and spelling ethic. In discussing "crosstown traffic" blog, it is most definitely pedantic to tweak on these matters. But at an education blog, I would like to think that those who are passionate on the value of education are also passionate on the fruits of education and the expression of that, i.e., writing.
Great, but
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 07:18 — Voice_of_Reason_Without alternative candidates with real solutions, this is all for naught. I am hoping some will step up to the plate in the districts up for re-election. Hopefully some will see this PAC as an opportunity to run.
We can hope, but we need real change.
“Without alternative
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 08:37 — user1234“Without alternative candidates with real solutions, this is all for naught.”
Thanks Voice
If there were brighter ideas, they would have surfaced over the last 30 years. The hope that there is a cabal of thinkers hidden away waiting to be anointed is silly.
Many people here just want their kid to go to some “A” list school that might be close but has some perceived prestige. Given there should not be that much disparity between Public schools is another issue. These folks value “calendar and peer continuity” and the “right to a summer vacation” as priorities. These folks will settle to have their kids live out their life in a trailer or media center so they can be part of the right school. That won’t fix dealing with uneven hyper growth, acquiring new land for new schools, raising the scores of all segments including the maligned High Needs kids (LI, LE, and Special Ed), unpredictable and lackluster public funding with elevated expectations, teacher retention at more than the “A” list schools, renovating older schools with air quality problems, etc. The best anyone new can hope for is that they can get enough trailers in the parking lots of the “A” list schools to dampen the moaning. I don’t see that as much of an accomplishment.
RE: Without Alternative
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:31 — wakecountymomUser1234 said "That won't fix dealing with uneven hyper growth." I don't agree with that - who is going to move here and put their children in this messed up school system? I don't think we'll have a growth problem in Wake County unless we replace the 4 BOE seats with family friendly BOE members.
"who is going to move here
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:49 — user1234"who is going to move here and put their children in this messed up school system?"
If you look at the latest state report card, Wake has the highest pass rate for rich kids and the cost per student is lower than many surrounding counties. So, rich people would want to move here and taxpayer without kids who want low taxes with high scores. Johnston pays less per student and get a good return. If you are poor, Johnston Co. will do more with your kids.