Speculating whether the Goldman-Malone controversy will affect Wake County's high school accreditation

While I agree that some negatives came from the 2009 board, there were positives as well and I wouldn't trade those positives for anything.

We no longer automatically lower expectations for our students if they are low income and/or attend a high poverty school. Teachers are now able to get a more accurate look at whether or not they are effective with their students. Before, a student could actually do worse than they did the year before but the teacher could be rated as "effective". Hardly fair to teachers.

We now have an objective measure by which to place students into advanced math classes. We increased the number of student taking Alg in 8th grade and the scores went up.

Something has actually been done to address the issues faced by all of our schools. For too long many of our schools were ignored because they weren't the 'right' ones. I haven't agreed with all of the decisions that have been made regarding new programs, but I am thrilled that we are looking at new solutions. If I recall correctly, your own school benefitted from the small schools supplement, something that has been desperately needed for years.

With Nixon, Rakestraw, Tart & Simon on the board, nothing would have changed. We'd still be catering to the Raleigh power elite, ignoring struggling suburban schools, lowering expectations for low income and minority kids, and I highly doubt that any steps would have been taken to make WCPSS more parent and student friendly. The grandfathering and stay where you start proposal that Evans, Kushner and Martin support would have never happened without the 2009 elections. If Hill had been in charge this whole time, parents would still have little voice in the school system.

So yes, I will say thanks to WSCA for bringing change in 2009. It hasn't been perfect by any stretch but we are still on our way to something better. Hill and those like him can no longer stick their heads in the sand and pretend that these issues don't exist. We all deserve great schools, not just those who it is politically expedient to suck up to.

For all your griping about the GOP and their lackeys, you're just as bad. Another blind follower of a political party who can't look at the issues objectively. Shutting out Lindy for her vote on Rolesville High is a perfect example.