The school district needs to make a quick decision about whether to appeal the Raleigh Planning Commission's rejection of the new parking lot at Broughton High School.
At this point, the Planning Commission's decision is scheduled to be heard at Tuesday's Raleigh City Council meeting. Mayor Charles Meeker said they'd want to know by the end of the week if the school district will appeal the vote or withdraw the application for the parking lot.
No decision has apparently been made yet about whether to appeal.
If it makes Tuesday's agenda, Meeker said it's likely that the issue will be referred to committee before a final decision is made.
Meeker said he's waiting to hear from City Attorney Thomas McCormick if he needs to recuse himself from the discussion. As most of you probably remember, Meeker is married to Wake school board member Anne McLaurin.
Considering some of the influential people who are alumni of Broughton, it might be a good thing not to be involved in whether to turn the front lawn into a parking lot.
The Raleigh City Council will meet at 1 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 222 W. Hargett Street.
Comments
Where Are Priorities?
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 08:20 — Lisa_BI'm all for alumni supporting their high school. I'm all for fighting for what you believe is right. (but didn't Rosa Gill say that we shouldn't take "ownership" in our schools, and there are no neighborhood schools?)
I just can't understand why this is being given so much attention right now. How can 12 parents get a decision changed, and THOUSANDS of parents could not stop the train wreck known as MYR???
Yes, I'm hoping for the EXIT STRATEGY that includes reversing conversions.....whether or not they pave a grassy area to make a parking lot seems extremely petty when thousands of families are split onto different calendars unnecessarily.
Where are the priorities?
what slays me
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 09:35 — Forget_not_the_...Lisa B--what floors me is that these parents don't even have children STILL in the school system....and they are getting all this extra consideration and the parents WITH children in the school system get none????
Goes to show it is all about who you are and who you know ITB...
"Parents" didn't change the decision
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 08:57 — shank56I watched some of the streaming video (which is posted online). Members of the class of 59 and earlier seem to be behind this. The PTSA and school administration want the parking as planned- reps from each spoke at the meeting .
That's Just Not Right
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 09:34 — Lisa_BWOW...so a group of 12 people who are not even currently involved in the school but have a lot of money and influence can stop a decision made by current parents and PTSA??
Hmmm....Is there a "special" connection between Broughton alumni and city council members????
I believe in using all of your connections when you need help, but this seems to be a bit over the top doesn't it?
well, sure when it's about
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 09:39 — bigwinniewell, sure when it's about GRASS for crap's sake! there's an editorial
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/columns/story/1214390.html
that nails it pretty good.
OT alert
Thu, 09/11/2008 - 08:10 — bigwinniehttp://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6382724
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Wake County school system is growing at a much slower pace than predicted.
Leaders once projected 6,400 new students this year. Tenth day figures show the number is close to 4,000. They point to one main reason. "The economy, and we sort of expected the numbers would be lower this year," school board chairperson Rosa Gill said. About one-third of the school system's 156 schools are on the year-round calendar, but some are not filling up, and many have empty seats. School board members say they will discuss year-round schools at their meeting next week. Right now, new Wake County schools open on that calendar, and that will be up for debate. "We're gonna discuss the assumption of opening all new schools as year-round," Gill said. And for the first time, it sounds like there may be public discussion as to whether some schools on the year-round calendar shouldn't be. "We could go back and re-examine some of the schools that aren't experiencing the growth that we thought they would," board member Patti Head said. "Maybe there is an exit strategy." But board members say there are still overcrowded schools and that more schools need to be built. They say this time slower growth could lead to knee-jerk reactions. Board critics are taking a wait and see approach. "Given past history, I don't have a lot of confidence," Dawn Graff of Wake Cares said. "However, being someone who's optimistic, taking a hard look at the numbers, I don't see how they couldn't roll back some schools to a traditional calendar." Don't expect any decisions next week
Narcississm.................
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 19:10 — Anonymous (not verified)"Hey "influential types" turn off your narcissism, grow up, and face our educational problems squarely."
Where do you live? I'd like to pave your front lawn for free!
TAKE THE BUS!
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 18:22 — Broughton Parent (not verified)I am a parent of a Broughton student as well as a neighbor. I do not understand why the kids can't do what we did... TAKE THE BUS TO SCHOOL! It saves money, the environment, and offers a chance to socialize with friends. Parents, how about it? Stop coddling the kiddies... It would be a shame to ruin the grounds of the school and clog up traffic on Peace St. just because these kids feel the need to show off their expensive, gas-guzzling SUVs.
I have had 3 of my children
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 21:30 — Broughton Parent (not verified)I have had 3 of my children graduate from BHS and the 4th is a senior this year. Do you know how impractical a bus is when you are involved in after school clubs, swim team, show choir, Band, sports? All of my children have been very active in various activities and the need to drive themselves to and from school has always been a must. Having a safe place to park (rather than some side street) is much more important to me than a nice lawn. Life is different than when we were kids... in elementary we walked to school and were not bussed anywhere. You need to realize we are in 2008.
Hey
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 18:14 — bigwinniewhere'd that Day 10 excel stuff go?
Check in the morning
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 19:22 — KeungHui (author)The time stamp for the post was wrong. It's supposed to run in the morning.
I posted this elsewhere but
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 18:04 — bigwinnieI posted this elsewhere but moved it here because really?
a little birdie told me that ALL transfers out of LES are being denied. any way to hear that from WCPSS or is that just one more "dirty little secret" and the majority of those transfers fulfil certain percentages at LES, which as you know is MYR, made into application also because they couldn't get the numbers up. Now we are at 988, projected for 1089, then whatever they lowered it to again, and we STILL can't get there, so now they won't let anybody out....
and grass is getting all the coverage???? How many alumni voted for Meeker, for cryin' out loud, if it wasn't destroying my family, I would seriously be laughing at the focus on THIS ISSUE vs. what's been going on for over a year....
Cry me a river
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 17:33 — Dadof3We've got REAL problems -- and we're worried about a stupid lawn. The tail wags the dog over, and over, and over...
Hey "influential types" turn off your narcissism, grow up, and face our educational problems squarely. Your memories will be just fine.