There is a reason why Wake County school board member Debra Goldman has brought rubber ducks with her to the last two board meetings.
At the Dec. 3 public hearing, Paula King, a Cary parent, brought a duck with her to the podium as she urged the board to change the student assignment plan. She talked to the board about lining up their ducks in a row.
"All we're asking is that you give a duck or two," King said to laughs from the audience.
The board didn't agree to King's request to make Davis Drive Elementary the base school for MacArthur Park. But the board did drop changing the neighborhood's year-round calendar option from Salem Middle to East Cary Middle.
King's example inspired Goldman to bring nine ducks with her to the Dec. 4 board meeting. Board member John Tedesco was the only one who accepted Goldman's offer to take a duck.
"There are nine ducks here and I would like to offer them to any board members that would like them and so in the spirit of her words, and John has already asked me for one, because I know that John does give a duck," Goldman said.
The now eight ducks were back in front of Goldman at her board seat on Tuesday before the vote on the assignment plan.
“As one of the people said that attended our public hearing last week, we’ve got to make decisions as if they’re affecting each of our families directly," Goldman said. "And I intend to continue to do that. And her other comment was about keeping our ducks in a row so I brought the ducks again tonight as a reminder as we go forward to keep those ducks in a row."
Goldman then brought up the speech that school board chairman Keith Sutton made earlier in the meeting about the need for board members to get their act together.
"And Keith you said something when you were speaking as we started and I wrote it down," Goldman said. "And Keith Sutton said, 'As leadership team, the buck stops at this table.'
So Mr. Sutton I agree with you with one small tweak — emphasis on the word tweak — and that is that the duck stops here."
Comments
And she's right....
Fri, 12/14/2012 - 09:48 — Bob_SconceThe board needs to work to regain the public's confidence. That means that the egos on the board need to put their petty squabbles aside and act like mature, responsible adults. It'll take some time to regain the public trust, but they have to do so -- there's a bond referendum coming up in a year.
Some on the board -- Martin,
Sat, 12/15/2012 - 10:53 — woodstockSome on the board -- Martin, Evans, and Sutton in particular -- are apparently incapable of behaving like "mature, responsibile adults." I think they've made that clear over and over and over again.
The arrogant, offensive, and special-interest-group-serving majority that now controls the Wake BoE will be unable to regain public trust. So, any mention of entrusting them with hundreds of millions of dollars of bond money is ridiculous.
County Commissioner Joe Bryan mentioned working with the GSIW-led Democrat BoE majority to get a school bond on a ballot next year. He is fooling himself if he thinks they are suddenly going to change. I hope he is smart enough to know that the planned massive assignment changes are being delayed only because the bond issue is at stake. Once a bond is passed, all hell will break loose.
then Goldman should put her money where her mouth is
Fri, 12/14/2012 - 10:18 — EBDarcyGoldman needs to stop the grandstanding, the long rambling speeches where she "feels the need to explain blah, blah", for 10 minutes.
In line with the Susan Evans
Sat, 12/15/2012 - 10:55 — woodstockIn line with the Susan Evans mode of public discourse, the politics of shut up continues...
Is Malone...
Fri, 12/14/2012 - 08:13 — bpuli9999still attending board meetings? Was he there? Did he get a duck too?
Shut The Duck Up!
Fri, 12/14/2012 - 02:16 — jeffrey1Fists clenched. Check.
In your face. Check.
Shut The Duck Up, Sutton!
Ducked up person.
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 20:57 — GunshyDucked up person.
.
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 20:57 — welldunn.
What the Duck!
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 20:40 — gvanc41This is "just" boring "old news"..Same old crap, "tear her down", "let's trash, the bitch" bullship, that this clown "T. Keung Hui" has been putting out ever since Mrs. Goldman announced that she was running for State Auditor! Here's a thought, "why don't you ask Mr. Hui for his "Birth Certificate, maybe, his Citizenship's Papers? Whoa! I'm not being "Politcally correct". Ohhh..Dear! Somebody "get a rope"! This character trives on "Conservative Assassination"??? WOW..Is that the way, they do things "where" he came from? Yeah! Go protest, loser!
Calm down Mrs. Goldman.
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 20:57 — welldunnCalm down Mrs. Goldman.
It's not Goldman. She
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 22:40 — KeungHui (author)It's not Goldman. She thanked me for the blog post today because it explains to people why she had the ducks with her.
What The Duck?
Thu, 12/13/2012 - 17:18 — FSandYOU3 assignment plans in 3 years, make that 4 when you add the following year, school cap limits that will rile up many and shut out newcomers in the coming months, more dysfunctionality than has ever been present on a boe, along with board members who apparently feel that threatening and aggressive behavior is acceptable now, a superintendent's position that's the new revolving door in the wcpss and much more absurdity to come no doubt.
You gotta be ducking kidding me.