So what does the business community think of the proposal to turn over ownership of schools from the Wake County Board of Education to the Wake County Board of Commissioners?
During last week's joint meeting, Joe Bryan, commissioners chairman, brought up the 2008 proposal from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce for the school board to give up school ownership to the county. Bryan then brought up the results of a more recent survey conducted by the Chamber.
“Surveys done recently through the Chamber suggest a large group of the population sees that is the best model for the county to own, build and maintain schools and it also improves potential passage of the school bond issue," Bryan said.
Bryan said the business community feel county ownership of schools is a“reasonable structural model.”
But school board chairman Keith Sutton said he had heard “quite a number of statements that are misleading." As an example, Sutton cited how Bryan didn't mention that the 2008 Chamber proposal also included the proviso that the county agree to increase funding for the school district's operating budget.
“As far as recent surveys, the Triangle Business Journal just did a survey of its own and found over 60 percent of its survey respondents felt that the school board should maintain ownership," Sutton said. "So the Chamber’s poll, I think, had about 700 or 800 respondents and they were all Chamber members. It seems the business community, quite honestly, appears to be split on this issue.”
How valid those surveys are is uncertain.
“We’re arguing about unscientific surveys to support our position," said school board member Tom Benton. "And those are unscientific surveys. None of us at the table, I think, can say with confidence what the public is really feeling because we all have our sources that tell us what they want to tell us.”
Commissioner Paul Coble said that "the only real scientific poll that’s going to be taken is on Election Day."
As for the Chamber survey, Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce President Harvey Schmitt declined to release the results to the media. He said the results were only shared with the leadership of both boards.
After the meeting, Bryan said he was told that more than 60 percent of the Chamber members who responded said they support giving school ownership to the county.
Bryan said that the reaction on the survey was negative on the county giving funding to help charter schools bull facilities.
Business community support will matter because that's where most of the funding comes from for the Friends of Wake County advocacy efforts to promote passage of a school bond.
Comments
Political arrogance and how it backfires...
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 12:14 — paulastamHello it's about us - parents and our kids NOT what a few businessmen think. That said, the local business chambers often do great things for our community, but I hope they support our schools and parents on this issue not partake in nasty partisan politics...
I fear we may be have a one term governor along with an overhaul of local county commissioners if things get too crazy - just as we saw with the Board of Education - where parents/voters had to intervene recently. Obama suffered his own backlash when he made radical change too - think Obamacare and the subsequent congressional elections where the GOP swept all before them. Lesson to be learned: radical change often meets a quick and powerful response by voters :) Measured or incremental change trumps political arrogance on a grand scale....
Paula
"Independent, Fair & Speaking Up for MY Kids."
One Guarantee...
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 17:32 — Bob_SconceNobody is going to try to sell this bond referendum by promising that all future WCPSS schools will open on a year-round calendar.
Just to remind everybody,
Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:03 — jenmanJust to remind everybody, Friends of Wake County was the organization that assured parents, "Pass the bond and then we will work on the year round issue". Not one single word from them about YR since the bond passed.
I don't trust anything they say.
Last time the "business community" got a say
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 17:08 — FSandYOUand manipulated the outcome, we ended up with a new assignment plan that wasn't exactly what was being called for by those it would affect. Then their "friends" got elected, lied to the public and did everything they said they WERE NOT going to do. Then the business community was nowhere to be heard from. They tucked tail and hid.
Now they want to be included again?
UP YOURS business community! Go meddle somewhere else!
You make a good point. Where
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 09:15 — woodstockYou make a good point. Where were all the business community stakeholders when the new BoE majority dismantled the choice plan--that they played a big role in developing--got rid of the most effective and visionary leader WCPSS has seen in decades (or ever), and took a giant step backward in terms of public confidence? They should have been calling for the heads of Hill, Sutton and Martin, as well as a psychiatric evaluation of Susan Evans.