Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata could face his roughest grilling yet when he meets Thursday night with the teenagers from NC HEAT.
Tata had agreed to meet with NC HEAT when several members protested outside his appearance at the Wake County Taxpayers Association meeting in January. NC HEAT has been hardcore in its protests against the end of the diversity policy, with some of its members being arrested at board meetings.
"It was disappointing to us that Mr. Tata decided his first visit with the community would be with the Wake County Taxpayers Association, we felt this sent a very unfortunate and partisan message," said Monserrat Alvarez, co-chair of NC HEAT, in a press release posted today by Bob Geary on his blog for the Independent. "We asked Tata to meet with us as well, and he agreed so we are looking forward to hearing his responses to our concerns, not just the concerns of the wealthy members of our community."
NC HEAT is co-sponsoring the "Education Justice" forum with the Parent Advocacy Work Group (PAWG), formed by the YWCA of the Greater Triangle. The public forum will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 E. Martin St. in Raleigh.
Click here for a flier on Thursday's event.
One of the claims that NC HEAT has frequently made is that conservative businessman Art Pope is directing the strings of the school board majority. Just two days after the meeting with Tata, NC HEAT will protest at noon Saturday outside Pope's Maxway store on 1905 Poole Street in Raleigh.
The flier for the protest calls Pope "evil" and a "villain." Pope has repeatedly denied he's directing the school board's actions.
UPDATE
Fliers promoting Saturday's NC HEAT protest are being handed out by audience members at Tuesday's school board meeting.
Comments
naivete
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 11:45 — DaRe2KarEGo head call me a Conspiracy Theorist. That's real original of you to call a dissenter that. I'd rather be called that than be naive enough to believe that the rich white people of this country would do the right thing on their own free will. "White Flight" ring bell? How about mortagage discrimination, hiring discrimination practices, and racism??? Long laundry-list of track record!! All in fairness, the Feds passed laws to FORCE and REVERSE these practices for decades now, hence, the busing polices. Am I to believe that states would do the right thing without Federal intervention? Oh no. That would be naive of me.
The Message is L0ST
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 23:26 — DaRe2KarEWhile respect is important in public relations, the main issue is lost when all these comments are "hung-up" on respect and social etiquette!
Words will never hurt as much as people with money and power getting their way every time at the expense of disadvanged people!
No matter how many rude remarks or name calling are thrown at TaTa and his group, they will pervail in advancing their agenda because money talks! This is the real issue here. Forget about public appearances and exterior personas, these people are passing policies at the expense of less fortunate people: that is more than disrespectful, it's disgusting!! TaTa and his buddies are probably laughing at all the outbrusts anyways, knowing full well that there's little or nothing their opponents can do about it.
What Money?
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 06:26 — Voice_of_Reason_Your financial conspiracy theory just doesn't cut it. Who is getting rich on this? Not the board members. BGen Tata just got the job, he's set pretty well for life already with his federal pension on top of the high superintendant's pay. He doesn't seem to have any financial interest at all. The only money I see is in information flow and media. Is that wrong, isn't that what free speach is all about? The current school board majority was elected on a shoestring budget and had to fight alot of adverse mainstream local media publicity and propaganda, so where was the money there?
Nobody is laughing at the childish public outbursts. They are undermining the democratic process and creating a mob rule mentality in our school board meetings. The bad publicity that the "pro-diversity" has conjured up is hurting our county, not the school board. It reminds me of a 5-yr old temper tantrum because they didn't get there way. As we were told from the last board, if you don't like it, use the ballot box...We did! This board was elected because the last board pissed too many parents off and were not showing results for it, pure and simple. That was before the economic troubles of today.
naivete
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 11:49 — DaRe2KarEGo head call me a Conspiracy Theorist. That's real original of you to call a dissenter that. I'd rather be called that than be naive enough to believe that the rich white people of this country would do the right thing on their own free will. "White Flight" ring bell? How about mortagage discrimination, hiring discrimination practices, and racism??? Long laundry-list of track record!! All in fairness, the Feds passed laws to FORCE and REVERSE these practices for decades now, hence, the busing polices. Am I to believe that states would do the right thing without Federal intervention? Oh no. That would be naive of me.
Paranoid DaRe2Kare - Using your Logic
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 09:14 — Voice_of_Reason_First off Raleigh is not a "White Flight" community. The burbs here are mostly populated by newcomers. Second the courts have ruled that you can't bus just to get racial balancing. But those aside, if you use your logic of distrust, why do you vote Democrat? Didn't that party hold back the progress of civil right laws in the Eisenhower administration? Wasn't that party the one that enacted Jim Crow laws in the southern states ? Given that, how can you trust that they have the best interests of blacks at heart?
But you also criticize whites in general (And for illustration, you are criticizing Northern whites in the school board); didn't they fight and over 330,000 die in the Union Army during the civil war to end slavery? Are all whites bad?
But anyway, what do your concerns have to the school board? Did the last school board make blacks do better in school through SED busing? Look outside Wake county where they didn't have such policies, see their results. Is anyone saying schools must be segregated? Does anyone say blacks can live only in certain areas of the county? How many years ago did we end manditory segregation? How come we allow state supported segregated black universities if large percent of black populations in school are inherently bad? Just wondering where the logic is. Blacks are just as capable as whites of doing well in school, the solution is not "proximity osmosis" learning. If high minority schools are getting less funding or doing badly, protest at those schools. I think you will get a lot more attention and concern than protesting a school board trying to improve education. I think the attention needs to be on better education, fair school funding, getting good teachers in poor schools, not busing. SED busing allows the true racists to hide the true issues and claim they are doing something about the achievement gap problem. Just ask yourself,"Where are the results?".
That's my opinion.
Presumptuous
Tue, 03/08/2011 - 12:42 — DaRe2KarEIt is presumptous of you to think I voted Democrat just from the statement I've made. Never once did I mention anything about political parties. Shame on you. You should use more independent thinking on your own accord.
Your logic is that Raleigh is not a "White Flight" community because they are populated by newcomers? What makes you think these newcomers weren't from a White Flight community themselves and brought their thinking here???? lol wow.
LOL are you kidding?
Tue, 03/08/2011 - 19:36 — Voice_of_Reason_I have never heard a Republican talk about all those things like you just did. Maybe your socialist, I might of been wrong. I live in the burbs, I can tell you I have never met a person here that left for "white flight reasons". Maybe there might be a handful. You read too much into white and burb people. Most people here could care less what color skin you have.
The Message is L0ST
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 23:25 — DaRe2KarEWhile respect is important in public relations, the main issue is lost when all these comments are "hung-up" on respect and social etiquette!
Words will never hurt as much as people with money and power getting their way every time at the expense of disadvanged people!
No matter how many rude remarks or name calling are thrown at TaTa and his group, they will pervail in advancing their agenda because money talks! This is the real issue here. Forget about public appearances and exterior personas, these people are passing policies at the expense of less fortunate people: that is more than disrespectful, it's disgusting!! TaTa and his buddies are probably laughing at all the outbrusts anyways, knowing full well that there's little or nothing their opponents can do about it.
Monserrat Alvarez
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 22:35 — KarinaMaciasMonserrat 'Monse' Alvarez is one of North Carolina's most famous young leaders. She's an amazing young woman.
Not only is she beautiful but she is passionate, persuasive, and popular with young and old. I know because I have seen her lead a crowd of thousands to thunderous applause. Even some of our state and local leaders have taken notice of her as she is a true leader.
Monse lends her voice to those who have none, her hands to those who are helpless, and her passion to the hopeless. The greatest accomplishments in life are not achieved by individuals alone like Miss Alvarez, but by proactive people pulling together for a common good.
She knows that if you look behind every winner and you will find a great coach. Look out in front of every superstar and you will see a positive role model. Look alongside every great achiever and you will find caring people offering encouragement, support and able assistance.
Monse is currently attending a very prestigious university here in North Carolina. She has her own voice, her own direction, and her own style. She knows that crows can't soar with eagles.
Leaders are like magnets. Their magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls and attracts or repels. She's attracting young & old, rich & poor, and our diverse population here in Wake County. I believe Monse is going places.
LOL @ Karina. Please, no one
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 23:30 — woodstockLOL @ Karina. Please, no one is buying it. Too many know they truth about "Monse." Your flowery word do not alter the fact that she is a loud-mouthed, insulting, and snotty child that lacks maturity and perspective.
Wow, thanks for the list of
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 22:47 — CaryCurmudgeonWow, thanks for the list of cliches and platitudes. The thing is, I can't point to specific school board action that was a result of her efforts. She may have a good message, but it is lost in the snotty attitude she shows when speaking to the school board.
This is the very same text
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 22:56 — luv2teachThis is the very same text that this person wrote about her a few weeks/months ago. I have seen this before. It's well written, and that's about it. You are correct about her snotty attitude, I have seen her on the video clips on WRAL...SHE'S NOT a leader in my book. She has a lot of maturing to do and life to live to become a leader.
Very kind of Mr. Tata to
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 19:29 — CaryCurmudgeonVery kind of Mr. Tata to agree to meet with these kids. I hope they show him more respect than they show our elected school board. Montserat will learn eventually that threats don't get you very far in this world.
Both ways
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 20:01 — magnetParentI'm sure they will show him more respect because they are likely to get more respect from him than from some of the board members.
No...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 00:31 — Bob_SconceChildren need to act respectfully towards adults, whether or not the adults act respectively to them. It's not two equals coming together.
So you are a "Do as I say,
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 06:50 — magnetParentSo you are a "Do as I say, not as I do" parent? That might work when they are in elementary school, but when the kids become teenagers it loses its effects. You need to give respect to get respect.
Example?
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:49 — SDR256Can you give me an example of when the School Board was disrespectful to these students? I understand that overall you may think the board's general direction in some way disregards the students or their opinions, but that's very different than being vocally, personally, and pointedly rude and disruptive during an official meeting. Maybe it happened and I missed it. But in all the situations I've seen - (granted I haven't watched every moment of video!) the BoE has tried their best to continue to move forward without being disrespectful. And its clearly been a herculean effort. They've had to call the police, sure, due to the action of the protestors, but I don't remember them calling the protestors names or anything similarly disrespectful.
Well...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 11:22 — Bob_SconceTo some extent, every parent is a "do as I say, not as I do" parent. I don't want my kids making the same mistakes I made.
But, no. I'm just saying that children need to act respectful to adults whether or not there's actual respect behind it. A kid may, in his heart, think "this guy is a royal pinhead," but that does not entitle the kid to say "you're a royal pinhead" to an adult.
"Give respect to get respect" is a great approach for equals. But, children and adults are *not* equals.
We'll have to agree to
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 12:34 — magnetParentWe'll have to agree to disagree here, Bob. When your kids turn about 16 or 17, get back to me and let me know how its working out for you.
Mine are 15 and 18, and I
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 12:51 — CaryCurmudgeonMine are 15 and 18, and I can assure you that they would never speak rudely to the board or act to disrupt school board meetings the way those micreants from nheat do. My 18-year old has spoken before the Town Council regarding schools. He did not believe our Town Council was doing enough to represent Cary citizens, and made is feelings known -- in a polite and respectful manner. There is a right way and a wrong way.
And the Town Council
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:02 — magnetParentAnd the Town Council likely was respectful to him. I said, I do not condone the disrespectful behavior of the teens in ncheat. But it goes both ways. Unlike Bob's suggestion that these kids are not equal and should just take the disrespect from the board. Again, all should be respectful.
So...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:43 — Bob_SconceI agree that all should be respectful. But, especially in a public meeting, minors need to respect their elders. If a US congressman called somebody a moron on national TV, and then that person were called to testify in front of a congressional committee, would it be OK for that person to then call the congressman a moron in the meeting room? I don't think so. And, if he did, he would be escorted out or (possibly) held in contempt. Personally, I think this board has been far too willing to accept bad behavior from the crowd; they have accepted behavior that their predecessors never did.
As to the 'wait until your kids are 17' comment, I agree that some teenagers act rudely, but that's, by no means, neither the expected standard of behavior nor the most common standard. And, while my kids aren't that age (yet), I've been around teenagers most of my life, most of whom know how to behave.
Respectful
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 20:41 — HereWeGoHow are school board members not calling each other names?
Example?
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 22:36 — Bob_SconceThe worst I've heard was the exchange between Tedesco and Goldman when he called her "Pinky." In any case, the discussion is regarding board members vis-a-vis the members of NC Heat (or, more generally, any students addressing the board), not vis-a-vis each other.
Ah
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 22:44 — Solon77The pinky and prom queen bursts were promptly followed by facebook and radio interviews.
So...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 23:25 — Bob_SconceIf I recall, he apologized in one of those radio interviews. I don't recall him saying anything particularly mean-spirited following that initial outburst.
So, there's no doubt that things have gotten heated -- they always do when there's a change in direction. But, by-and-large, the board members have been cordial to each other, even while disagreeing.
Heck the worst case, I think, was Carolyn Morrison's letter in opposition to Tata -- that was snide and elitist.
My original reponse was to
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:51 — magnetParentMy original reponse was to the "Children need to act respectfully towards adults, whether or not the adults act respectively to them." comment. Do you expect to be able to be disrespectful to your teenage children and expect them to just take it? I guarantee it will backfire on you. It may not show up as them acting rudely, but they will hold that against you in some form.
Huh?
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 15:26 — Bob_SconceThis is all becoming too theoretical. A parent's relationship to his child is different, in kind, from an elected official's relationship with a child in the community. Kids earn their parent's respect and trust as they mature. But, all kids need to be treated with love.
In any case, I'll go back to SDR's question -- where is the act of disrespect on the part of the board which, under your notions, justifies students acting inappropriately at board meetings? (I'll note that the 'animals/cages' remark was only caught on the streaming video, so people in the room at the time cannot say 'well you disrepected me, so I disrespect you' -- they weren't aware of it.)
Which came first?
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 15:32 — magnetParentActually, the animals/cages comment was made last March, and NCHeat did not form until June. So the disrespect from the board came first.
The folks called "animals"
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 08:50 — woodstockThe folks called "animals" were jeering and making insulting comments to a black man -- a congressional candidate -- as he tried to speak and voice his support for the new board members. So, the comment by Margiotta was actually quite a measured and tolerant commnet considering the offensiveness of what was occuring. The only disrespect was coming form the likes of mean-spirited morons like Brannon, Bader, Sherron et al.
Margiotta's comment was
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 10:15 — CaryCurmudgeonMargiotta's comment was unacceptable, and he apologized for it. The truth is, those people were acting like animals who could not control their emotions or behavior.
I didn't find it
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 13:16 — woodstockI didn't find it unacceptable at all and certainly not something to keep harping about.
I agree about the harping
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 13:31 — CaryCurmudgeonI agree about the harping part, I'm tired of it being brought up.
You are the one that asked
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 15:47 — magnetParentYou are the one that asked for and example.
Just think of the time
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 16:19 — DrActualFactualJust think of the time Margiotta would have saved if he had just had the PTA mom BOE bashers arrested and banned from the building. Blocks of time could have been spared.
Which of the nheat kids were
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 16:03 — CaryCurmudgeonWhich of the nheat kids were in the room when Margiotta made that remark, and how do they know that the remark was directed at them? As Bob points out, I think you have a losing argument on this one.
It doesn't matter
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 16:57 — magnetParentI am speaking of general disrespect. There were many that were offended by that comment. Whether they heard it immediately or after the fact does not make a difference. The boards actions have been generally disrespectful to many people. For that matter, there has been a lot of disrespect on both sides. As I said before, I prefer each side show respect to all.
Offended? Why? The comment
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 08:55 — woodstockOffended? Why? The comment was directed specifically at people harrassing a man carrying out his right to free speech. Personally, they should have been escorted out of the room for their offensive outbursts.
Agree.... but
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 02:32 — SDR256I prefer that each side show respect to all as well. However, there are many more examples of the protesters being pointedly, personally and disruptively disrespectful than the other way around. One comment - describing a completely different contingent - off camera, doesn't measure up to protesters getting on top of John Tedesco's car and marring it (which he refused to prosecute), to the firehose of insults through the microphone, to the protestors taking the seats of the board.
I understand your frustration with the different direction that the board is taking. I felt that way 3 years ago, and I was plenty frustrated and I spouted passionately at board meetings. But I didn't get on top of Chuck's car or try to break down Del's door.
Its really been over the top on one side of the equation. There is a line where passion becomes disrespect and civil disobedience. And if you really expect there to be respect for all I reckon you'll agree to that. We can all disagree politically, but to have respect for each other and civil discourse means there has to be a baseline, right? I would contend that the board has maintained a baseline of respect in these meetings and NC Heat has not.
Please elaborate...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 17:15 — Bob_SconceI don't see the disrespect. The closest you can come, I think, is general discontent that they're not "listening" to the people who are complaining the loudest. (Where you only know if they're "listening" by whether they act on what they hear.)
So...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 15:58 — Bob_SconceThat's the one remark that justifies their actions?
I don't think this is really a winning argument for you -- you'd be much more credible if you just said "I think the NC Heat people should be acting better at board meetings, even though I generally agree with their positions."
That's, approximately, how I felt about the board majority after the initial meeting when they wanted to vote a new assignment policy in. No issue with the policy, but the process was too rushed.
I don't view the behavior of
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:01 — DrActualFactualI don't view the behavior of an agitator influence group to be the same as individual behavior. I separate the behavior of the group as a "tactic" employed to achieve their desired result. I would think these types of groups tend to get rebellious minded participants that feed into each other but the methods they use vary from circumstance to circumstance (from cake and balloons to jumping on peoples cars). Like any group, you have some that are much more extreme than others. I do not agree with the methods used by several of these groups, but they have actually gotten some of what they wanted and being nice, polite, etc. doesn't always pay off.
but they have actually
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 13:26 — CaryCurmudgeonbut they have actually gotten some of what they wanted
Some things that they wanted may have happened, but I would have a difficult time connecting them to the actions of this small group. Likely, most of those things have happened because Goldman went off the deep end.
I'd agree that NC Heat
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 14:41 — DrActualFactualI'd agree that NC Heat didn't itself bring about big change. It just seemed to do the bidding of larger groups that worked in tandem to further their own agendas.
Seriously...
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 08:30 — JanisTangoyou are teaching your kids that if someone disrespects or behave badly towards them they should do the same. WOW! I teach my kids if some one is being nasty or being disrespectful, that does not mean they you should behave the same way. The kids I have seen at NC Heat are disrepectful, condescending and very rude!
I said no such thing. But it
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 09:11 — magnetParentI said no such thing. But it goes both ways. If you want to get respect you need to be respectful. That does not say that it is ok to be disrespectful. In fact, it says that everyone should show respect. Why do you have a problem with that?
You Are Making Excuses For Their Behavior....
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 14:13 — JanisTangoYou are making excuses for their behavior. To me there is no excuse for the disrespectful behavior of this group.
Try not to label the whole
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 18:10 — Andrew95Try not to label the whole group as entirely disrespectful. I think the loudest ones are the only once that anyone listens to, and they have a tendency to talk faster than they think.
Unfortunately,
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 18:41 — Bob_SconceUnfortunately, that's a fairly common malady.
It's why I don't
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 22:12 — Andrew95It's why I don't particularly want to join the group. I would, if they were a little bit more methodical and investagative, but some of them aren't particularly interested in hearing the other side's point of view.