Two early starters have indicated they plan to run for school board this year.
Both men filed paperwork with the Wake County Board of Elections to form candidate committees. They'll have to submit paperwork when the official candidate filing period begins July 3.
Otis Tyrone Lindsey has indicated he'll run for the District 1 seat being vacated by Lori Millberg. Ray E. Martin has filed paperwork for the District 9 seat being vacated by Eleanor Goettee.
Millberg and Goettee have said they won't seek another term.
I haven't heard from Lindsey yet. But in what could be a problem for his campaign, he indicated in his fling that he planned to spend less than $3,000.
At least in recent memory, no candidate who has spent less than $3,000 has defeated one who spent more than that amount. Then again, PAC support this year might equalize things.
District 1 covers Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.
This is the second go-around for Martin, a Chapel Hill-Carrboro middle school teacher. Martin was handily defeated by Bill Fletcher for the District 9 seat in 2001. The district is made up of a good chunk of Cary.
One of Martin's problems was lack of money as he spent less than $3,000. This time he intends to exceed that amount.
Martin said the school system has forgotten that it serves the people. He said his priorities are students first, parents second and teachers third.
Martin also said he wants to make changes in student assignment but he didn't provide details.
Click here for Martin's web site, which is still in its infancy.
Comments
At the helm
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 12:10 — AngelaWhttp://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/v-print/story/1451731.html
When it comes time to chart the course for the Wake County public schools, there are nine captains on the bridge. They take a vote. If enough of them have carefully studied the maps and are amply supplied with wisdom, courage and common sense, the school system sails along to the betterment of all on board and their kinfolk ashore.
Occasional slip-ups aside, the collected captains of the school board have done well in recent years to guide their their craft through tricky waters. Extraordinary growth has created constant budget pressures and unavoidable disruptions in student assignment. And a commitment to not letting schools become de facto zones for students from poor backgrounds -- zones where academic performance could be expected to suffer -- has been upheld despite some short-sighted resistance.
This fall, some new captains will be chosen. Four of the nine board seats will be up for election, and three board members -- former chair Patti Head of Raleigh, Eleanor Goettee of Cary and Lori Millberg of Wendell -- already have said they're stepping down.
The three departing members have served faithfully in a job that is one of the community's most demanding. All have records of leadership as the board has faced many difficult issues. Yet critics of the board's assignment policies see this election cycle as a chance to engineer sweeping changes.
If challengers materialize and succeed, the path toward a school system more along the lines of the one in Charlotte, where racial resegregation has occurred under the guise of "neighborhood schools," would be clear. Going down that path would represent a sad retreat from policies that have been of great benefit to Wake County -- its students, families, property owners. It's not too soon for people who understand the importance of holding steady-as-she-goes to be asking themselves: How would I look in a captain's uniform?
Remember, the Titanic had a
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 15:56 — CaryCurmudgeonRemember, the Titanic had a captain too.
Scary school picture
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 10:50 — AngelaWPublished: Mar 21, 2009 02:00 AM Modified: Mar 20, 2009 06:13 PM
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters/story/1451715.html
Scary school picture
Parents, it's true. Our children are being used as political pawns. See the boogeymen now?
Steve Ford's March 8 column said the boogeyman is uncontrolled growth. Growth is not the reason for empty classrooms, tracks collapsing, underenrolled schools, shipment of low-income children to one school and then another, repeatedly, or buses passing each other, swapping children between schools.
Stan Norwalk lectures that the boogeyman is resegregation. Yet Norwalk patronizingly agreed with a Wake Education Partnership board member that naive parents had been deluded to believe it's not about growth. If reassignments are about growth, why fan the diversity debate? This shell game hides academic excellence from children.
Dudley Flood said that what is seen depends on expectations. Expect that people are out to get you, and then they are. Suspect that questioning the current solution is diabolical, and then it is. Instead, let's expect the brightest future for all children. Not Charlotte-Mecklenburg v. Wake crumbs from the reassignment table or paternalistic ultimatums. Hopeful models exist, putting no one in a bleak little corner.
The boogeyman is a shadow in the closet. Parents are no longer naive. Enough status quo politics, opinions and egos.
Sarah Redpath, Cary
Are either of these
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 11:31 — Big_PictureAre either of these candidates endorsed by the new cross-county alliance?
None of the groups has
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 12:02 — KeungHui (author)None of the groups has endorsed candidates yet. It's still very early in the process.
Thank you Mr. Hui. I would
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 16:44 — Big_PictureThank you Mr. Hui. I would expect an obvious endorsement when the WSCA candidates file. The public deserves to know exactly who has promised to work for the people. It appears that WSCA will interview those they plan to endorse to ensure promises are kept.
Hearing tonight on Raleigh's growth plan
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:38 — AngelaWhttp://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1449707.html
....
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 14:22 — SideburnsWow. 70% without kids don't care and the majority of those with kids don't care either. I think that leaves the 7 of us morons who want change and supportwcpss and ncdad/user1234 who don't. This is going to be easier than I thought. :>)
How many morons does it take to change WCPSS?
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 16:50 — fiestamomAnswer: according to Sideburns.... 7
:)
Let's make it easier
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 17:24 — g88ky07I say 4! Add 4 more like Ron and we can "force" change with a majority!
Something the wcpss knows very well! Taking notes new comers!?
;c )
slam dunk! let's
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:14 — AngelaWslam dunk! let's roll.....
www.wakesca.org
Raleigh Tops Nation
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 14:20 — user1234People may want to book mark these two articles on the booming population in the Triangle and the coming boomlet in seven years. There has been a lot of confusion on school growth with people thinking only about the last three months and not the previous seven years or the future seven years. Given that it takes years! to get aquire the property, get the permits and build a new school these trends need to be considered by school planner.
====================================
Raleigh-Cary area tops nation in growth The metropolitan area is home to more than 1 million people after growing by more than 4 percent from 2007 to 2008. But that is slower than in previous years. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/growth/census/story/1449012.html
Fertility hit new high in 2007 More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any year in the nation's history, topping the peak during the baby boom 50 years earlier, federal researchers reported Wednesday. http://www.newsobserver.com/nation_world/story/1448998.html
OT-alert
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:28 — AngelaWhttp://wake.mync.com/site/wake/news/story/30004/
gives us time to get a
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:16 — AngelaWgives us time to get a brand spankin' new BoE in place and up to snuff, I'd say...
IF anyone even comes;
Triangle unemployment jumps in January
http://www.wral.com/business/story/4771779/
Define attention
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 13:32 — supportwcpss70% of parents who don't have kids don't care. A majority of parents really don't care.
So who are we down to?
That's not true. 90% of
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:41 — CaryCurmudgeonThat's not true. 90% of voters don't care, at least they have not cared enough in the past to go vote. And every one of them represents an opportunity to win this election by getting them to just show up and vote. Very happy thoughts.
Spoken like a guy who can
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 17:44 — DrActualFactualSpoken like a guy who can read a pie chart! I must say I plan to drive a good percentage of folks to the polls myself. The message will get out, the vote will get out, and with any luck.....four on the board will get out. I bet G88..... knows how to drive too.
Stick or Automatic?
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 00:58 — g88ky07I've been driving since the age of 6!
What percentage of parents
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 13:50 — shearertwWhat percentage of parents don't have kids? Is there some new liberal definition of parents I'm not aware of?
Well done shearetw. So
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 19:45 — concernedteacherWell done shearetw. So much for the emphasis on data analysis by the county office. Clearly some need a refresher in sixth grade math and logic. Now why not ask that someone in Wake County show the leadership of the governor and take a critical look at the explosion of county office positions under the present administration.
Let The Games Begin
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 10:31 — Lisa_BIt's an understatement to say that there will be a LOT MORE ATTENTION focused on the School Board elections that there have EVER been.
Can't wait to learn more about the candidates, and see who is running!