Socialists, Communists and anarchists aren't the only ones who are closely following the Wake County school diversity fight.
The white nationalists have also been monitoring the student assignment fight. American Renaissance, called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, regularly carries excerpts of news stories about the ongoing situation in Wake.
In the latest example, American Renaissance carried the N&O story about AdvancED's accreditation review of the Wake school system. Most of the reader comments about the review and African Americans were harsh, to put it mildly.
The political extremes on both the left and right have gravitated toward the diversity issue. For instance, far-left groups such as Raleigh F.I.S.T. and The People's World have frequently covered and spoken out about the end of the diversity policy in Wake.
Things got nasty last fall when some people tried to impugn the candidates who opposed the diversity policy by noting how American Renaissance was covering the campaign. They were urging the newspaper to report on it but it didn't pass muster for coverage.
Comments
Membership
Mon, 08/23/2010 - 00:34 — jgegbgmgWhat other groups do Margiotta and Tedesco belong to ?????
Dan
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 19:31 — nancyncYou seem to think that because Tedesco and Margiotta just moved here and have no idea how the WCPSS functions. Your comments elude to them being stuck in the mindset of where they came from, not where they have lived for several years.
I don't think I need to remind you that Margiotta has been on the school board for a while, not recently elected as the others. Do you think he's not aware how large this system is?
Keung: You certainly took
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 18:18 — HJ2ss2Keung:
You certainly took the heat for this article. I see nothing wrong with what was written. What I find interesting is that so many are attacking you when the real issue is that this conflict is so out of control that it has reached the point of attracting the attention of this unsavory group. It doesn't say much for the school board, allowing their differences to drag the school system this low. Are there no educated, logical adults involved who can step back and see how uncivilized this has become?
It doesn't say much for the
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 18:28 — CaryCurmudgeonIt doesn't say much for the school board haters. They are the ones conjuring up racial conflicts from the 60's, they are the ones that cannot behave themselves at school board meetings, they are the ones committing vandalism, and they are the ones getting arrested. If you don't like the attention Wake County is getting, that is where you should look. Neither the board majority nor their supporters have done any of those things.
I don't disagree with
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 23:43 — HJ2ss2I don't disagree with that. I think it's irresponsible on the part of the board minority not to distance themselves from these acts and discourage this type of destructive behavior. I am definitely not a fan of the previous board or administration. Working with the F&R population, I saw, first hand, how counterproductive the diversity policy actually was. I would be embarrassed to be associated with any group who would behave in this manner.
The problem seems to be that the issue has become so emotionally charged that those involved have lost sight of the whole point. What can be done to provide the best possible education for the students of Wake County, without having them spend time riding all over the County on buses.
Aside from all the
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 18:48 — danofncAside from all the race-baiting and such, do you really think it's OK to have schools that are 80-90%+ F&R in a county that averages around 31%?
The districts that Margiotta and Tedesco come from are much smaller. Individual districts in their cities and towns (and neighborhoods) are isolated from one another financially (school boards can tax there, I believe).
Here, everything comes from one pot. That, in my mind, is a (the?) huge difference between where they come from and where they are now, but they don't acknowledge that difference at all.
I don't think we should be contortionists in an attempt to maintain absolute balance, but I do think that it will be ridiculous if we end up with schools that are at that level of poverty in a district with the demographics of WCPSS.
We don't have any 80-90%
Sun, 08/22/2010 - 11:12 — CaryCurmudgeonWe don't have any 80-90% schools now and I have not seen any plan to create them. But if we did end up with a school in that category and the students fared better than they do now, then I would call that a win. Whatever they are going to do with zones, I hope they do it soon. At this point I don't think there is a compromise position in the demographics debate, so let's get on with finishing up the assignment plan and get focused on educating kids.
Have you head John Tedesco
Sun, 08/22/2010 - 12:19 — danofncHave you head John Tedesco talk about them? I have.
The story is that there will be support in place for the high poverty schools that are coming. If there were some suggestion of what support that will include, or some example of a district that has made it work, or some idea of where the money was coming from to pay for it, I wouldn't be (as) concerned.
There's a reason that one of the early prototypes included a "Promise Zone".
Did I miss something? Where
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 20:02 — loriacDid I miss something? Where is the plan published that results in schools with F&R % of 80-90%?
It's just another made up
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 21:37 — jeffrey1It's just another made up threat, probably based on the fact that Charlotte has a number of high poverty schools. Never mind that Charlotte has a significantly higher ED population (50% vs 30%), and never mind that their ED kids perform better than Wake's.
"This would be the same as
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 15:20 — danofnc"This would be the same as you writing a front page article about the Communist Party connection here."
No it's not. It's the same as writing a blog post about the Communist Party "connection".
Oh, that's right...he did.
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/liberals-and-communists-on-the-wake-school-diversity-fight
I DID AND I STAND BY IT ! DAN
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 17:32 — Voice_of_Reason_There is one, it is a fact. They are using this to further their agenda. The difference is we have arrest records to prove ties. Where are the fringe groups Hui mentioned other than on blogs, they are just as dangerous as the Communist Party and I don't see any connection to any school policy we have now or in the future. Nobody is forcing segregation on anyone.
The Communist Party are very active right now in our political system at all levels, only they don't always call themselves Communist or Socialist. They like to run with the progressives. If you don't see that or you are one of them, you are a fool. Unless of course, you want to be a slave to government. I use the term slave literally. Or maybe you like keeping your head in the sand.
Mr Hui are you under pressure?
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 15:08 — Voice_of_Reason_This is a new low for you. I really don't see the point of this article unless you are trying to stoke the fire of racism. These groups aren't out there actively protesting or disrupting. They mearly are intested because of all the hoopla involved in the presses reaction to the loss of the left wing majority and the race baiting by the media and the NAACP. They really have no "skin in the game" because nobody supports there agenda either on the school board or their supporters. The new school board majority supporters are parents of children in Wake county and you know it.
IMHO this article is out of character for you. I read your response in this thread, but I still don't see the merit. This would be the same as you writing a front page article about the Communist Party connection here. Except in that case their is a case to be made because of the backgrounds of some of the protesters.
You are dancing on the head of a pin
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 09:01 — nancyncHui posted: <i>Did you complain when I mentioned in prior posts how socialists, Communists and anarchists were covering the fight? It made sense to note how the extreme on the other side was following it as well. If you want to believe I have a particular opinion about the board, that's your issue. There's no one compelling you to read the blog if you don't want to do so.</i>
I guess that dredging up old comments from other blogs and posting them in yours somehow would qualify as show a fair and/or balanced approach to the mud slinging and stirring that has gone on since the campaign for school board members began this cycle.
Taken as a cumulative work, it's very clear to see where the strong lean is and it's not in reporting facts. The collective is there, the trend is clear.
I realize a blog is not a news article, but quite honestly, some of the phrases found in "news articles" penned by you and in your blogs are very much the same.
The line gets fuzzier and fuzzier.
As to <i>"no one compelling you to read the blog if you don't want to do so"</i> is a dismissal of the comments I've made and that's fine too.
What's wrong with
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 08:40 — bpuli9999with the N&O or any other news organization taking sides? I am not saying Keung is biased one way or the other. That's his right. He does a very good job of presenting both sides most of the time and that is so much better than the rest of the paper. Or most other news source in this area.
Funny how the right wing nuts seem to forget constitutional rights when it suits them, while claiming the exact opposite most of the time. hypocrites. What a bunch of whiners these right-wing nuts are. I don't see them complaining about WPTF nutcases spouting their bs all the time. That is unbiased, right?
Last I read
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 02:03 — SDR256So? Last I read the NAACP and the Independent were following this issue to. This is headline is beneath you Keung.
Mr. Hui is getting desperate
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 19:54 — PACK_MIKE77How many of the White Nationalist have been arrested here in Wake County in the last 30 years? This is a sorry attempt by Mr. Hui to gin the race card again. Sorry Mr. Hui, Wake County is about to start another great school year. In spite of your sorry spin!
If this was part of some
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 19:55 — danofncIf this was part of some agenda, don't you think the N&O would have run something during the election cycle?
Or...
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 20:05 — Bob_SconceIn the paper itself?
Exactly. I don't understand
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 20:09 — danofncExactly.
I don't understand why people spend so much time trying to put an agenda on TKH's work. He seems fairly balanced to me.
There's something we can
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 22:51 — CaryCurmudgeonThere's something we can agree on, he gets pounded by either side depending on the day.
Pack_mike77
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 07:20 — PACK_MIKE77Your head has been in the sand. Don't you remember Ruth Sheehan's column blasting the NAACP for standing on the sidelines during the election? Anne Blythe, N&O reporter, reporting "thousands" showed up at the "rally" in downtown Raleigh, and then later reduced it to "several hundred" after WRAL sky five showed a sorry turnout. I attended one of the most vile "meetings" at Pullen Memorial prior to the rally following the first arrests of the fabulous four. Mr. Hui was there, but only reported on the religious aspect of the meeting. After pointing out to him on his blog that he failed to report the vile speeches by Tyson, and others he responded that he was tired and wanted to go home. Then came out the next day with a closer review of the meeting and the more controversial aspects. One claiming Mayor Enloe was an obstructionist to move towards integeration. If Mr. Hui REALLY reported what was said at these meetings held by Barber, instead of scrubbing the hate speech, then you might have an argument of fairness. But after attending some of the BOE meetings at the school sites, and a couple of "rallies", what the N&O reports and what really happens showed me first hand where the N&O stands. If the Duke lacrosse case did not teach the readers anything about the N&O and its tactics, then one needs to get out more and actually see what the N&O is writing about. Excuse me, NOT writing about.
I didn't say the N&O was
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 09:50 — CaryCurmudgeonI didn't say the N&O was unbiased, I said Keung was. Whenever Tommy Goldsmith gets a chance to report on education, his story is warped. I found much of Ruth's "journalism" to be detestable. And Steve Ford has been regurgitating the same pathetic editorial for over a year.
I also recognize that Keung brought many facts to light that were less than favorable to the old school board, and that we may not have known about if he hadn't reported them. The LA Times study is a good, recent example. I'm sure Keung is not on Patti Head or Lori Millbus's Christmas card list.
Ironically, I think the Steve Ford crowd did us a huge favor last year with all of their editorializing. In past years, we'd see huge redistrictings at the beginning of the year which infuriated thousands of parents. But by the time elections rolled around in October the furor would die down and nothing changed. Once forces started to organize for the campaign, Ford's crew kept the story in the news and kept helping to keep the debate alive.
Sheehan is a columnist, so
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 10:42 — danofncSheehan is a columnist, so she is (was) paid to give her opinions.
Understand. Note that in
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 11:34 — CaryCurmudgeonUnderstand. Note that in her farewell address she referred to herself as a columnist and a reporter. Point is that her columns were all biased in favor of the old diversity plan.
She started as a reporter,
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 11:50 — danofncShe started as a reporter, and then became a columnist. I think that's how it generally works.
Her columns would tend to represent her stance on whatever issue she was talking about in the column.
Barry Saunders took 2 guys yelling at Chris Paul and turned it into a "chant from the crowd" to try to paint NCSU fans with a broad brush, so I tend to take any column as a work of fiction.
If you don't like the paper
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 08:02 — zandeIf you don't like the paper then just do not subscribe to it anymore......Geesh!
NAACP
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 17:09 — HereWeGoThe comments on the American Renaissance’s site do add validity to the NAACP’s assertion that the term “neighborhood school”, “forced bussing” and “no racial quotes” are terms used by folks who want segregation of black and white people.
Hmmmm.....
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 14:06 — Apexter"The comments on the American Renaissance’s site do add validity to the NAACP’s assertion that the term “neighborhood school”, “forced bussing” and “no racial quotes” are terms used by folks who want segregation of black and white people."
So, by this logic, does this mean that Ron Margiotta is the darling of PETA because he referred to letting animals out of cages?
It's amazing what some
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 19:54 — danofncIt's amazing what some people will say when they are anonymous.
Well then,
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 15:24 — nancyncHui, what is the point of dredging this up if not to taint once again? I see no value here, just gutteral repeat of nonsense.
I understand your preferences with regard to the board, but maybe I expect too much, your articles as well as your blog are a constant source of mud stirring rhetoric, if not yours then you find others to stir it and repeat what they say.
What is the point here?
Did you complain when I
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 15:37 — KeungHui (author)Did you complain when I mentioned in prior posts how socialists, Communists and anarchists were covering the fight? It made sense to note how the extreme on the other side was following it as well. If you want to believe I have a particular opinion about the board, that's your issue. There's no one compelling you to read the blog if you don't want to do so.
It just goes to show how one
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 21:23 — wireless200It just goes to show how one newspaper's definition of "nationally recognized" is part of the same mosaic as gaggles of whack jobs pulled from the woodwork!
From a 2004 post on American Renaissance
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 14:19 — shank56The Restless Search for America Produces Three
"In the last half of the ’90s, New Jersey gained 320,000 new immigrants, 75 percent not white, while losing nearly 200,000 people, net, to other states, 85 percent of them white. People like Ron Margiotta, who grew up along the Hudson River in Weehawken, N.J., and spent a lifetime in northern New Jersey, 40 years in the window treatment business and service on the school board in Bergen County’s Ridgefield Park, a village now about a quarter foreign-born.
In 2000 Margiotta retired and moved to a home on Secluded Acres Road in Apex, N.C., a town bordering Holly Springs. Apex grew from 5,000 to 20,000 in the ’90s thanks to the arrival of what Jim Turner, a Wake County real estate agent, affectionately calls “New Jersey-Americans.”
This past fall, they helped elect Margiotta to the Wake County school board. “Can you believe that a 65-year-old Yankee with a vowel at the end of his name gets elected in North Carolina?” Margiotta asks.
In fact, in his campaign Margiotta supported abstinence education and opposed busing to achieve diversity. He handily defeated Jeff York, a more liberal, native-born incumbent. In its candidate survey, the local News & Observer asked the candidates to name their favorite movie. In this race, it was “Patton” vs. “Bull Durham,” and “Patton” won.
Back in Jersey, Republicans missed the likes of Margiotta last fall. Democrats swept to control of both houses of the Legislature, icing their hold on a state once considered swing."
I always wondered about this
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 17:16 — user12345I always wondered about this article ...
It seems to imply that vast changes had occurred (race, immigration) in Ron's home town which caused a lot of upheaval (exit / bad thing) and Ron was able to relocate to a stable white area in Apex and beat the local homeboy for the school board. I figured that the upheaval Ron (and probably John) experience in NY/NJ colored their world view on race and was why they wanted to end the diversity policy here which they saw as causing disintegration of neighborhoods they knew growing up. I never saw a comment from Ron so I assumed he did not see anything misleading or wrong with what was stated.
This was the rerunning a
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 14:27 — KeungHui (author)This was the rerunning a Newshouse News Service article. As I explained to several people last year, being mentioned in an excerpted article doesn't mean you're a member of that group.
This is the ultimate example
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 12:17 — HJ2ss2This is the ultimate example of Wake County's double standard. The System has a Character Education program where students are recognized for exhibiting the traits of courage, good judgement, integrity, kindness, perseverence, respect, responsibility and self discipline. Along with that they are big on "peer mediation" to resolve conflicts. The school board and county has allowed this conflict to get so out of hand that we now attracting the attention of all kinds of dysfunctional and dangerous groups. Great example, huh?
How about getting some of those "peer mediators" to work with the school board? (sarcasm font)
So
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 11:29 — nancyncWhy now then? This is getting beyond the circus tent isn't it? The reporting of other's comments from blogs outside Wake County is what ... worthy?
I fail to see the value of much of the 'coverage' of this whole nonsense, just keep fanning the flames of the few malcontents and now today, this?
Good grief.
What Should This Subject Matter Be Called?
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 12:36 — RMC10I think the National NAACP should censure the NC local branch for their actions which are personal against 5 Board Members, and have nothing to do with errors or omissions in the way the Board is conducting a change of policy. I'm currently very close in my research in associating the NAACP with similar school boards' loss of accreditation with similar "trumped up claims." Warren County Georgia's loss of accreditation seems to have similar overtones of overreaching. I feel this group continues to fuel the fire of unfounded racism to keep their name in the news, and to continue to bring monies into that organization, whose primary goal is to keep 1960's style racial unrest alive.
If the media will stop giving credence to this story locally maybe it can stop. It's really making Wake County look bad, and local politicians on both party sides should reach across the political fence and present a united front against this kind of grandstanding. I can not believe even Rev. Barber can believe this is good for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), or this state, or it's districts' education system. Where is the State Department of Education and why are they not quashing this bad publicity right at the AdvancED organization?
!
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 09:07 — Bob_SconceRight call on not reporting it. Giving voice to these bastards only legitimizes them.
what do you mean "pass
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 09:06 — carson79what do you mean "pass muster for coverage?"
Does it now "pass muster?"
It was an issue of diversity
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 10:12 — KeungHui (author)It was an issue of diversity policy supporters trying to use guilt by association. There was no evidence that the school board candidates were working with American Renaissance. They were simply mentioned in articles excerpted from the N&O about the campaign. It's not like about 10 years ago when a candidate was an officer in the League of the South. Still, on more than one instance people were saying we should publicize the alleged connections between the candidates and American Renaissance. Several months later it's worth mentioning as an example of what happened during the campaign.
Several months later it's
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 23:15 — eddie2Several months later, the N&O's campaign against the new board members continues. The N&O apparently calculated that going this dirty during the election campaign might cause a backlash, assuring the election of the four new members who promised to change the diversity policy. Sorta like if Rev. Barber and Tim Tyson had gotten into the campaign in a big way. Now that the election is over and the N&O's side lost, the N&O is going this dirty out of desperation.
Dredged-up garbage from The Independent, the Wilmington Journal, and now American Renaissance. What's next?
While the BOE majority may
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 12:13 — JoeTarheelWhile the BOE majority may not 'actually' be affiliated with this white supremecy group, it does highlight the fact that their proposed policies are supported by groups such as the Klan and other white supremecy groups.
Kind of makes you feel good all over doesn't it Margiotta that groups like this think you are "right-on", huh?
Yeah...
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 12:47 — Bob_SconceAnd GSIW is supported by socialists and communists. What's your point? There are nuts on the extremes of both sides. Thankfully, these bozos haven't been showing up to school board meetings the way the socialists have.
As Ron would say, "he did
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 12:23 — user12345As Ron would say, "he did not intend to build a White Supremacy school system"
User that one nearly made me
Fri, 08/20/2010 - 17:11 — doctorjUser that one nearly made me spit coke all over my monitor.