DPI News for 10/30/07

* 2007 N.C. SCHOOL REPORT CARDS ONLINE

The N.C. Department of Public Instruction launched the 2007 N.C. School
Report Cards this morning, providing parents, educators and others with
access to a variety of information about how the state’s schools and school
districts are performing on various measures. To read more about this
launch, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org
and click on the appropriate link under ‘News.’ To access the N.C. School
Report Cards, just go to http://www.ncreportcards.org.

* Public Hearings Scheduled to Receive Feedback on
State Plan for Career and Technical Education

The State Board of Education has scheduled three public hearings for
November to receive comment on the State Plan for Career and Technical
Education for 2008-2013. For additional information on these hearings,
including the dates, time and locations, please go to the NCDPI Web site at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under
‘News.’

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E.C. 🙂

Mission (im)Possible Teachers get the Payout (N&R)

The News & Record is reporting that those GCS Mission (im)Possible teachers will get their payouts this week…those incentives for them to teach at many high-impacted schools in the Peoples Republic of Guilford County.

See this short blurb:

Seventy-six teachers and administrators will receive performance bonuses from $2,500 to $5,000 this week under the Mission Possible teacher incentive plan started by Guilford County Schools last year.

The employees represent 24 percent of those eligible at 20 participating schools to receive the extra pay, according to district figures. The bonuses total about $270,000. They are being paid through local school dollars and a private grant by Action Greensboro.

Here’s an interesting spin on teacher incentives…take a look at this link to an education blog in New York City. Seems as though a recent NY Times article focused on this very subject. The blogger writes and comments relative to the article:

Is this implying that we as teachers are not doing enough already? Is a carrot going to make us run faster? I’m doing the best I can carrot or no carrot. The underlying assumption here seems to be that we as teachers can work harder if given more money. Show me the teacher that steps back and says, “Well if they paid me $3000 more I’d get them to pass.”

Interesting…any thoughts? I’d love to hear from you Mission Possible teachers to see how things are going so far this year.

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UPDATE: 10/30/07, 10:26AM:

Link to updated N&R story here.  See this short excerpt:

“I’ve seen what I want to see after year one,” said Garth Hebért , a member of the Board of Education. “We got qualified teachers where they were needed.”

Hebért said he has concerns about teachers being expected to turn around students with a long history of poor academic performance.

[Supt. Terry] Grier has said in the past he would relocate teachers who aren’t able to improve test scores in their classrooms.

“These are the hardest schools to teach in,” Hebért said. “These are the schools where kids give up.”

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So Garth doesn’t want the kids to give up, but what does it tell us when Grier wants to give up on the teachers in these schools who can’t get students to pass a test?

And to think this man just got a raise?

Link to N&R Chalkboard discussion here.

Link to GCS Memo about the bonuses here.

E.C. 🙂

Making Big Schools Smaller (web-chat)

Since many are sounding the alarm on big schools versus smaller ones, now’s your chance to chime in with your thoughts to the so-called experts.

There will be a web-chat tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 30, sponsored by Education Week magazine, in which the topic will be how large schools can be converted into smaller learning communities. Here’s the information to participate:

Live Chat

 

Making Big Schools Smaller

When: Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time
Submit questions here in advance.

Please join us for a live chat to talk about how large schools can be converted into smaller learning communities.

Much has been written about this topic for years and debates are ongoing about whether converting large schools into smaller learning communities results in improvements in student learning and teaching. But the guests for this chat argue that if such efforts are executed properly, they are likely to improve schools.

What models of success should schools follow? What misteps have been taken by schools that tried to transform bigger schools into smaller learning communities and failed? How can schools work to avoid such mistakes? And what are the financial costs of going from big to small?

For more information, read these related articles:
Commentary: The Not-So-Inevitable Failure of High School Conversions
High Schools Nationwide Paring Down

Guests:

• Lewis Cohen is the executive director of the Coalition of Essential Schools.

• Stacy Spector is the principal of the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment, one of three autonomous small schools converted from a large, comprehensive high school in SeaTac, Wash.

Submit questions here in advance.

No special equipment other than Internet access is needed to participate in this text-based chat. A transcript will be posted shortly after the completion of the chat.

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E.C. 🙂

More on the Dropout Issue

Now the Feds want to look at graduation rates and make the issue of high school dropouts more of a focus as part of a possible No Child Left Behind-Leaves Many Children Behind reauthorization.

Take a gander at this article from the Associated Press.  According to the AP, U.S. House and Senate proposals to renew NCLB-LMCB would give high schools more federal money and put more pressure on them to improve…the current law imposes serious consequences on schools that report low scores on math and reading tests, such as having to replace teachers or principals, but it lacks the same kind of teeth when it comes to graduation rates, the AP says.

More from the article:

Nationally, about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma. For Hispanic and black students, the proportion drops to about half.

The legislative proposals would:

• Make sure schools report their graduation rates by racial, ethnic and other subgroups and are judged on those. That’s to ensure schools aren’t just graduating white students in high numbers, but also are working to ensure minority students get diplomas.

• Get states to build data systems to keep track of students throughout their school years and more accurately measure graduation and dropout rates.

• Ensure states count graduation rates in a uniform way. States have used a variety of formulas, including counting the percentage of entering seniors who get a diploma. That measurement ignores the fact that kids who drop out typically do so before their senior year.

• Create strong progress goals for graduation rates and impose sanctions on schools that miss them. Most states currently lack meaningful goals, according to The Education Trust, a nonprofit that advocates for poor and minority children.

The current law requires testing in reading and math once in high school, and those tests take on added importance because of serious consequences for a school that fails. Critics say that creates a perverse incentive for schools to encourage kids to drop out before they bring down a school’s scores.

All of these posts are timely…this one, along with the “sudden” focus our school board wants to do as it relates to the dropout rates among students of color, and the report released last week in which dropouts in North Carolina cost the state nearly $170 million.

As a matter of fact, we just received a comment from our friend Stormy, who makes an excellent point:  students may leave school in May and just not return in August, and they aren’t included in the dropout rate.

Good point. Something to think about.

E.C. 🙂

The Jamestown Revolt (and Belton responds)

Jeff Belton’s comments at last week’s GCS Board meeting in which he mentioned the “R” word (redistricting) as it related to a WAYYY-overdue, newly-built Jamestown Middle School have certainly ruffled some feathers over the past few days.

I’m going to reference the ongoing hot-and-heavy discussion over on the News & Record’s Chalkboard blog as a starting point.

Let’s catch you up to date…the issue came as part of a discussion in which the final touches are being put on the nearly-half-a-billion-dollar bond referendum on next May’s ballot…which happens to be the same ballot my name will appear on (see previous coverage here). Belton asked Board member Anita Sharpe what she thought of a smaller Jamestown Middle School and what the community might think of it (BTW, a new Jamestown Middle was promised in the 2003 bond issue, it was never built). Sharpe said “outrage.”

And I’m okay with that response, seeing as though I didn’t really know where Sharpe’s head was at with respect to this and other issues.
But Belton also suggested part of the Jamestown Middle’s attendance zone could be redistricted to the old-Allen Jay Middle in south High Point while a new Jamestown Middle is under construction. And keep in mind that Allen Jay Middle is undergoing some renovations as well. That “R” word caused the crap-storm.

And since I’m a new Jamestowner, I’m right in the middle of the storm.

See some of the exchange on the Chalkboard:

Wally World said:

I think that Mr. Belton and the others should have a community meeting in Jamestown to solicit the community’s thoughts on this. Lets’ see, they diverted the bond funds away from Jamestown to other more important projects, even though Jamestown was listed on the bond when it was submitted to voters for approval. They then promised Jamestown that their school would be priority on the next bond referendum, and now they are talking about redistricting because the school would be to big. What game is being played here? Is this a ploy to garner bond support in Jamestown?

Yes, they should have a community meeting in Jamestown. I suspect the good citizens there have something to say to Mr. Belton and the school board.

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He’s right. It is past time to have a community meeting to talk about this.

Here’s more:

double doubtful said:

I’ve heard that Jamestown Elementary is out of control this year because of all the overflow while Union Hill is being built. Also heard a few weeks ago that the school didn’t have teachers for their specials.

A smaller Jamestown Middle is a better idea since that middle school is having behavior problems also.

I must agree with Doubtful. The school board should have learned their lesson about messing with North HP and Jamestown. One by one the old board is being replaced. Dot’s turn will come in 2008 then most of the mission will be complete.

The school board should realize by now that NHP and Jamestown will continue to fight for their children. Their lives have been turned topsy turvy, their home values decreased…..they have nothing else the school board can do to them…..patriots are united more than ever and on standby to fight again

the underground has spoken; silent now but a strong, UNITED force to be dealt with

Score:

marti gone
susie gone

johnny gone

slow, steady and united wins the race

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But Mr. Belton responded:

Jeff Belton said:

Perhaps what I did not make clear is what is my intention in asking this question about the size of Jamestown MIddle. The current Bond list was in large part, put together before Garth and I began service on the current BOE. I have, from my own experiences as a parent, concerns about the size of our school populations. I think that 1200 students in a middle school is too large. That is my personal opinion. Because it is my opinion, and not an issue that I had heard clear discussion about, I asked the question. Because I do respect the wishes of both parents and taxpayers, is precisely why I asked Jamestown Middle’s representative(Anita Sharpe) what she thought. That was not the first time I had mentioned this to Anita. If I were simply out to forward some agenda of my own, carelessly implementing what I think is best, I would not have asked for input from Anita. It is my intention to give this community one last chance to say what they want in a new school. Once we build the new school it will be too late to shrink its’ capacity.
I asked this question to give all parties involved an opportunity to be sure of what they want. I am uncomfortable in building such a large school, however, I have been an advocate of our school facilities for many years and understand the importance and validity of community input. I am seeking to foster that input. I have asked the staff to give the BOE and the community an idea of what a smaller Jamestown Middle might look like.
While a candidate for the BOE I stated repeatedly that the then BOE had erred in not prioritizing the 2003 Bond package. Leaving themselves open to justifiable criticism when those Bond projects were reduced, changed or altogether removed from the list.
I am aware that Northwest H.S. and Northwest Middle are by BOE standards and in my opinion too large. I am also aware that they have had significant academic success despite their size. If the Jamestown Middle community really wants a middle school with 1200 students to be their current and future size, then so be it. I will not oppose it.
Lastly, this discussion about Jamestown Middle does not change its’ position as the number one item on a prioritorized [sic] bond list. I, nor do I think any Board member has any intention to change that number position for Jamestown Middle.
Yours,
Jeff

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To which, I responded this morning:

E.C. Huey said:

Mr. Belton: Thank you for your response. As you can see, a Jamestown revolt has started. I can understand your concerns about such a large middle school, and because the Board in general fails to properly plan for growth, our schools are getting larger. Failure to properly plan for growth in High Point resulted in the many rounds of redistricting GCS saw…and you saw the result.

Granted, our Jamestown area schools have weathered some recent challenges, but many good hard-working folks in this community believe and take stock in these schools, and I can assure you that they will not have them wrestled away in the name of politics.

As Jamestown…and High Point…and many parts of Greensboro and other parts of Guilford County continue to grow, our schools are going to have to grow with them. But it will take smart growth as it relates to our schools. Right now, as is, this bond does not have a chance. It’s dead. So if I were you, I would be putting collective heads together to see how we can get these facilities built…smartly and cheaply. The way Jamestown continues to grow, I feel as though another middle/high school is probably not too far off the horizon.

To strategize now is smart growth…and growing smartly. I still am a fan of K-8 schools and I know this is the way the county is thinking of traveling…so this is something to think about down the line…but the clock is ticking.

Any talk of redistricting will make people upset, me included. You cannot have this kind of discussion off-the-cuff, without any type of community-meeting or a wide-ranging discussion of some sort. Anita Sharpe properly described it…”outrage.”

I would be willing to sit down with you to discuss this and other issues with you over coffee, if you’re interested.

E.C.

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This story continues to develop. And we’ll keep watching.

E.C. 🙂

“Our children are being tested WAY TOO MUCH”

…so says GCS Board member Darlene Garrett during the meeting the other evening, in which she publicly thanked the district’s guidance counselors for participating in a recent Shared Communication Committee meeting. Unfortunately, Garrett made the remark as a response to why our guidance counselors are doing everything else OTHER than counseling…they’re de-facto test coordinators at many schools, something that’s not really in their job descriptions.

This week’s Rhino Times inks a story on just this very issue…and it is now an issue. See this excerpt:

Counselors and social workers spoke of what they are dealing with, and warned that if something is not done soon regarding their heavy workload, the number of students dropping out of school is soon going to increase and test scores are going to plummet.

Southeast High School counselor Elgina Manuel begged the committee members in attendance, Garrett and Routh, as well as the school board members who sat in on the meeting, Kris Cooke, Dot Kearns, Amos Quick and Chairman Alan Duncan, to find a “feasible” solution that is “reasonable.”

“If you want to increase the dropout rate, this is the way you do it,” Manuel said.

Guilford County School’s dropout rate in 2006-2007 was 3 percent.

Manuel read off a list of tests students have to take at the high school level, barely taking a breath between words, and said it is too much. Students are tested annually in reading, math, science, US history, civics and economics and computer competency. But before the real tests, students take benchmark tests to make sure they are learning what the teacher is teaching, often every four weeks throughout the school year. Tests are administered by teachers, counselors, social workers and anyone else who can help. Students also take behavioral and emotional tests.

This is nuts, folks. All of this, in the name of accountability…there’s got to be a better way.

Another excerpt:

Manuel continued, “We have interns handling case loads” because counselors and social workers don’t have time to get to them. Since the start of the school year, Manuel said she has worked with over 300 seniors who need services.

“Something’s wrong,” Manuel said. “You’ve got to advocate for these students. Mandates are driving the students’ needs. Students’ needs need to drive the mandates.”

Triangle Lake Montessori counselor Bruce Pugh said he didn’t think any of them were doing the jobs they were trained to do.

“I have eight hours of tutoring that I have to do, and I’m not trained to do that,” Pugh said.

Pugh suggested school board members should investigate having a testing coordinator for each school. Pugh read a list of items that he said he does in a school day, most of them something he was not hired to do.

“If we are counselors, let us be counselors,” Pugh said.

This blog writes itself, folks.

E.C. 🙂

Rhino Reports Real Story on S.E. H.S. principal

This week’s Rhino Times (on racks now) reports that former Southeast Guilford H.S. principal Keith Kremer submitted his resignation effective at the conclusion of this academic year. Kremer was recently reassigned from the school following reports that he sent out a “Connect-Ed” automated phone message to parents to support the recent Jena Six rally.

An excerpt from the article:

Kremer sent out a Connect-Ed that stated that Thursday, Sept. 20 had been designated Black Thursday, and “people are asked to wear black to demonstrate their support for three [sic] students in Jena, Louisiana.” The message told parents the decision came from the central office and that students would be allowed to wear black that day even if they attended schools that required uniforms, currently known as a standard mode of dress (SMOD).

Parents were outraged that the school would make such a one-sided political statement about the event.

In addition, academics at Southeast have taken a steep dive from last year, with approximately 60 percent of students passing state tests, compared to more than 70 percent in 2005-2006. Students at Southeast have scored in the mid-70s during most of the time Kremer has been principal at the school.

Wow. Let’s hope things can begin to turnaround down there at Southeast.

E.C. 🙂

The rest of the 10/25/07 Meeting

Another late evening GCS Board meeting last night. Here’s a short roundup:

1. Board members, in an attempt to finalize the nearly half-a-billion dollar bond referendum, will look again at the capacity of a new Jamestown Middle School before the bond referendum final list is sent to the County Board, according to the News & Record.

But the discussion was not without squabble (or it wouldn’t be a school board meeting, right…)

Board members Jeff Belton and Anita Sharpe got into it a little bit last night over capacity, enrollment figures and even the dreaded “R” word (redistricting) was brought up briefly.

Here we go again, folks.

Here’s an excerpt, via the News & Record, from some of that exchange:

Board member Anita Sharpe expressed concern about altering the new Jamestown, originally promised to parents on a 2003 bond.

“What would you anticipate from the community?” Belton asked.

“Outrage,” Sharpe said.

Belton: “Do you think they would prefer a population of 1,200 students?”

Sharpe: “I don’t know.”

The exchange started when Belton told Sharpe:

“I think Jamestown Middle School is too big,” member Jeff Belton said in a meeting Thursday night. “A middle school with 1,200 kids is staggering.”

Of course, if the Board remained committed to the Jamestown Middle project when the original 2003 bond passed, this discussion wouldn’t have to ensue.

Welcome to the Peoples Republic of Guilford County.

Here’s more from that article:

Some students in the Jamestown area could then be redistricted to Allen Jay Middle, which is being used by Union Hill elementary students until their new school is completed in early 2009, Belton said.

Whoa…stop the tape…that’s where that “R” word came in.

Mr. Belton, with all due respect, that’s where you and I must part ways, and I’m sure my very politically-active neighbors here in the Brook Run subdivision of the north Jamestown/Adams Farm area will disagree with you as well. This redistricting gib-gab must stop, and as you know, my platform is for neighborhood schools with ample resources, supplies and manpower at each GCS school to ensure the success of those schools and the academic achievement of every child.

Why isn’t this a no-brainer to some on our board, still?

By the way, this is being debated on the N&R’s Chalkboard.

2. The Board approved a budget of over a quarter of a million dollars to pay for a new twilight high school scheduled to open right after the Holidays, with the money coming from leftover Mission (im)Possible funds, the N&R says.

3. The N&R reports the Board will receive a $37,500 settlement from Winston-Salem’s Lyon Construction after they were sued last year for structural flaws found at Eastern Middle School. Roughly $9 million was spent last year to repair flaws found in the gymnasiums, cafeterias and classrooms at Eastern, Hairston and Kernodle middle schools. By the way, those three schools have roughly the same design.

It’s only money.

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UPDATE: 10/26/07, 4PM: Back to number 1 for a minute…and the more I look at these comments from Board member Belton, the angrier I get. And I thought Belton was one of the more level-headed guys on the Board. I guess I was wrong.

You see, folks, it’s easy for some on the Board to throw out the “R” word…because it’s not their kid. Those of you on the Board reading this posting (and I know many of you on the Board are readers of this blog), it’s not your children who will possibly be affected by a redistricting…it’s my kid. It’s my child. It’s my neighbor’s child. It is other people’s children. And we’d better make sure that every single alternative has been examined before ANY talk of redistricting should take place.

Once again, the taxpayers of the Peoples Republic of Guilford County have been taken to the cleaners because of the inept ability of our elected school board to properly fund, build and manage a construction project…and this is yet another reason why all construction and real estate matters should be outsourced from the school system instantaneously.

I’m furious. I’m sick of this. And this makes me want to win next year’s election even more. I hope I have your support.

E.C. 🙂

Concerned Black Men Appropriately Address their Concerns

There is a flip-side to scenes like this (again, this is the scene captured by the News & Record’s H. Scott Hoffmann outside Page High School yesterday where a huge cafeteria fight resulted in the use of pepper spray and about six arrests)…there is a flip-side.

Prevention. A sense of being proactive instead of being reactive.

And that’s what about two dozen concerned members of at least three prominent black churches in Greensboro wanted to bring to the attention of Board members during the public comment period at last night’s GCS School Board meeting. These church members spoke on behalf of their individual mentoring programs that they have in place to many of our GCS students.

One commenter described those in attendance as “concerned black men.” Many in attendance demanded that the School Board “discuss strategies they will use to combat rising suspension and dropout rates and to increase academic achievement for male black students.”

George Harris, an executive for United HealthCare (a major Greensboro employer, by the way), told board members last night that the business community of Greensboro and Guilford County demands good schools and that the business community and the community at large is growing. He said that the school system must address this issue now.

Apparently, their concerns were important enough to warrant a pause in the meeting following public comments to place this issue as an agenda item for the next meeting; chairman Alan Duncan asked that staff begin gathering data in an effort to address this at the Nov. 8 meeting.

Here’s the irony in all of this…

My wife and I were watching the meeting on TV last night and made a good point: she asked that if those gentlemen were not in attendance last night, would those concerns still be addressed as aggressively? Probably not. If anything, and since we know this Board is a reactive one instead of being proactive, this issue should be addressed on an ongoing basis.

Is Deena Hayes right? Has she been right all along? We can debate that side-issue forever-and-a-day, but it wouldn’t solve the problem.

And while part of the problem is addressing this issue among ALL of our GCS students, it has become an urgency among dealing with this issue head-on involving our students of color.

So, you ask, how would I answer the question posed last night: “What are the strategies this Board will use to combat rising suspension and dropout rates and to increase academic achievement for male black students?”

My answer: to expand the partnerships with GCS and several churches, and other non-profit groups that provide mentoring to our children. Expand partnerships with our business community to help give our young people good part-time jobs after school and on weekends. Examine our curricula and make sure there are plenty of opportunities for our children to diversify their education. If any of our children need an alternative setting, make sure they are in place and work to alternatively educate that child, not babysit them.

Many of these children want to learn, they want to be in school, they just want the chance to be successful. It is our duty to ensure that this occurs. Scenes like the one above only seem to perpetuate the problem. But scenes like the one above cries out for conflict resolution and character education, and I will ensure programs are in place to do just that at every GCS facility and ensure they are working to their maximum.

I eagerly await this discussion on Nov. 8 and I applaud the gentlemen who spoke eloquently last night. They are exemplary examples of men stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing for our children.

E.C. 🙂

Huge Melee at Page

It’s going to be a busy day here in blog-land. Let’s get started.

A huge fight and melee yesterday at Page High School tops our long list of stories this wet and rainy Friday. As we understand it, the fight began in the cafeteria with two girls, and then spiraled out of control to something involving nearly 30 students, and it took nearly 30 of Greensboro’s finest to break up the fight.

Unfortunately, we’re hearing that pepper spray was used and there were about six arrests.

This photo, taken by the News & Record’s H. Scott Hoffmann, captures the over two dozen squad cars that responded to the scene. Here’s an excerpt from the N&R story:

Two female students with a long-standing dispute began fighting in the school’s cafeteria about 1:15 p.m., police Lt. Brian Cheek said. An estimated 25 other students got involved and the struggle spilled into the halls and spun off into three separate fights.

Cheek said the school’s student resource officer and faculty members attempted to break up the fights as additional police units were called in.

An estimated 30 officers responded and Mace was used to bring the brawl under control, though police couldn’t confirm if anyone was sprayed with the substance.

No injuries were reported.

Rumors spread that guns and knives were involved in the fight and some students relayed that information to family members by phone.

Cheek said those rumors were untrue.

Ridiculous. But here’s more insanity:

Chad Campbell, director of media relations for Guilford County Schools, said the school was not placed on lockdown and classes were dismissed on schedule at 3:45 p.m.

Campbell said students involved would be disciplined according to district policy, which carries a minimum five-day suspension.

Five days.

And then they’ll probably be right back in school, in class, in that same cafeteria disrupting school again.

This is exactly what we’ve been talking about here, folks. And this is exactly the kind of thing that the GCS school climate task force, hopefully, should be addressing. Learning cannot occur when crap like this disrupts the educational process in our schools.

Yes, I said crap.

Just keeping it real.

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UPDATE: 10/26/07, 1:28PM: Not only that, I cringe when I think about the day when one of these out-of-control fights or one of these out-of-control state-mandated fire drills will end up on YouTube. Yes, I said YouTube, for the whole world to see all of our dirty laundry being aired. Just go into YouTube.com on your own and type “school fight” or “school cafeteria fight” or “school fire drill” in the search bar. You’ll cringe too at some of the stuff you’ll see captured on student cell phone video cameras or digital camcorders.

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UPDATE: 10/26/07, 3:20PM: Looks like some of Forsyth County School’s “dirty laundry” has hit YouTube. Take a look at this brawl that was posted on YouTube last Spring at East Forsyth H.S. It is almost horrifying what is taking place in our schools.

More coverage of the Page H.S. fight here from CBS-2 (WFMY).

See FOX-8 story here.

E.C. 🙂

The real skinny on dropping out of high school

Dropping out of high school in North Carolina is becoming costly to taxpayers. This, from a Raleigh-based think tank that supports pure choice in education.

According to a report released yesterday by the Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, high school dropouts cost the state nearly $170 million annually, which includes decreased tax revenues, increased unemployment and higher rates of incarceration.

The report was published by the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation, which also advocates nationally for parental choice in education.

“The dropout rate in North Carolina is at epidemic proportions,” said Robert Enlow, executive director for the Friedman Foundation.
See this excerpt from today’s Carolina Journal:

According to Darrell Allison, president of PEFNC, it was important to quantify the dropout rates for the state because until recently the state Department of Public Instruction had failed to do so accurately. At a press conference yesterday at the General Assembly building, Allison said PEFNC commissioned the study to show the “cost for taxpayers is real” due to high dropout rates, and that a solution to the problem is to increase options for parents to educate their children.

In addition to the public costs, the report noted that on average North Carolina dropouts earn $10,400 less per year and have lower rates of employment. The study also found that the state has more dropouts than residents with either two-year or advanced college degrees.

“We know the private costs,” Enlow said, “and now we know the public costs.”

More coverage here from News 14 Carolina.

E.C. 🙂

More on tonight’s board meeting: 10/25/07

Water conservation efforts within GCS will be examined at tonight’s Board meeting (click here for the revised agenda), specifically letting some of our school buses go a little dirtier a little longer (see today’s News & Record for more).

The suspension of washing district-owned vehicles and dumpsters and irrigating athletic fields are also measures GCS has taken in light of our drought.

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Next year’s 2008-09 academic calendar is also up for discussion. According to today’s High Point Enterprise, there are two proposals on the table. One of which is very similar to this year’s calendar, where school would start Aug. 26 of next year and end June 9, 2009, which includes a two week Christmas vacation. The other proposal would have students start school after Labor Day and end on June 10, 2009.

The GCS “calendar committee” is recommending option 1 to the board this evening.

E.C. 🙂

Firestarter Caught

Isn’t October still known as National Fire Prevention Month?

Anyway, good news coming from Eastern Guilford H.S….the News & Record is reporting that a 15-year-old student was arrested and charged in the setting of two bathroom fires earlier this week in a classroom pod.

Unfortunately, county authorities are also investigating an unrelated incident involving a bathroom fire that appears to have been intentionally set sometime today in a classroom trailer at Southeast Guilford H.S. There were no injuries and students were safely evacuated.

It’s looking like it’s going to be another tough year. GCS, I hope your insurance policy is up to date.

E.C. 🙂

School Bus Safety in our Neighborhoods

My friend and Greensboro write-in candidate for mayor Billy “the blogging poet” Jones is advocating for safer bus stops within the city limits of Greensboro.

Specifically, Jones wants to work with Guilford County Schools and city officials to have all school bus stops marked with signage, similar to city transit buses. Jones says it is a safety issue that must be addressed. See what he’s saying on his blog today:

I don’t know why the Guilford County School System does such a poor job of training and supervising school bus drivers and as the future Mayor of Greensboro I won’t be able to exercise control over the county run school system but the City of Greensboro does have the power to tell the county where our bus stops are to be located and tell them we will.

That’s why I plan to erect school bus stop signs at every location deemed safe and necessary for the loading and unloading of Greensboro’s students so that bus drivers will know where they can safely stop. Every stop by Greensboro City Buses has a sign, school bus stops should have signs as well. As for the supervision of school bus drivers: I plan a little meeting with the Greensboro Police Department.

You know folks, part of the problem is that a majority of this area was built without sidewalks, which makes little sense in an area that’s transportation-challenged.

At the same time, we never give enough credit to all of our school bus drivers who endure intense pressure and stress to get our children to and from school in a safe manner. Like teaching, it is a thankless job, but without those drivers, we would have problems.

However, Jones makes a wider point and that’s to address school bus safety on a larger scale, and ensure the ongoing safety of our children. That’s something that can never be taken for granted. And if any of our school bus stops are a safety hazard, those concerns should be properly addressed.

E.C. 🙂

Time to get serious about education in Guilford County

I read with interest only minutes ago the fact that FedEx is only months away from opening its hub.

I also read with interest that discount airline SkyBus will open a “hub” at Piedmont Triad Intl. also within months.

Coupled with the HondaJet facility already under construction, it seems as though many aviation-related jobs are on the way and while we can debate the issue of what kinds of jobs, my interest here is imply the fact that we’re going to have many newcomers to our area in the coming months. Likely executives with children. Some of these children may enroll in a GCS facility. Now is the time to certainly attempt to raise the bar, quit the squabbling, stop the politicking and so what’s necessary to educate our children.

E.C. 🙂

The MRSA scare within GCS

The following is from GCS’ head of District Relations, Sonya Conway:

MRSA Staph Infection

As you may have seen in the national press over the past several days, schools across the country are dealing with an outbreak of staph infections. As a preventative measure, public health departments remind us to:

1. Keep hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
2. Wash any cut or break in the skin with soap and water and apply a clean bandage daily
3. Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages
4. Avoid sharing personal items

Additionally, I have asked our schools to take extra care in ensuring that physical education/athletic equipment, locker rooms and exercise rooms be cleaned and sanitized regularly.

At present, the district is aware of two confirmed cases of the staph infection — at Northeast and Smith High Schools. Those infected are not currently posing a threat to others and are receiving and responding to treatment. For more information, please view the attached fact sheets from NC Public Health Management. If you suspect a case of the staph infection, please immediately contact your physician or health care provider.

Sonya Conway, Executive Director
Guilford County Schools – Department of District Relations
712 N. Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
336-370-8386 phone
336-574-3863 fax
conways@gcsnc.com
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Now, let’s hope that our schools have soap!

If you’ve been following this blog since last year, we’ve reported that many schools did not have soap in their bathrooms last year. We had several e-mails of teachers buying soap for the bathrooms.

E.C. 🙂

Dudley firsts recollect early days (Carolina Peacemaker)

The Carolina Peacemaker this week inks a fairly good piece on the historical aspect of Dudley High School.

Of interest is the historical value of the school and its very early days as it opened its doors in 1929 as Greensboro’s first public black high school.

See this excerpt:

Dudley’s first principal, Dr. John Tarpley, is also credited for recruiting high-valued teachers. A native of Texas, Tarpley initially came to Greensboro in 1926 as a teacher at Bennett College. Shortly thereafter, he became principal of Dudley.
Carrington taught at Dudley for one year—later working for the N.C. Department of Agriculture for 30 years and as a social worker for the city of Greensboro.
She married in 1941 and has one son and a grandson.
The sisters have since moved in together following the passing away of both of their husbands.
Looking back on how times have changed since teaching high school, Carrington said, “The students then were more into it. You know, they didn’t mind working. They respected the teachers more than they do now. They didn’t expect everything to be given to them and handed to them.”
Rivers agreed, “I don’t think many of them have realized how we (blacks) are far beyond what we were. They take too much for granted. They want too much to be given.
“There are others who are conscientious and go for the whole thing, and that’s good, but by and large that isn’t the majority. I don’t think.”

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E.C. 🙂

Two different articles paint different pictures on technology

Ask anyone as to what they think of technology in the classroom and you will probably get different views. Ask me what I think of technology in our schools, and you will probably get a unique view from me. In my opinion, the inequities we have in our schools when it comes to technology…or supplies…or manpower…or resources…is shameful (and that’s putting it lightly).

Yesterday’s High Point Enterprise paints a rather positive picture on technology in our classrooms.  See this excerpt:

Advances in technology have nearly wiped out things such as the primitive chalkboards, bulky projectors and simple calcula­tors of the past. Teachers now use equipment such as Smart­boards or Whiteboards for in­struction. Students can take courses online and in some classrooms, video streaming is being used instead of text­books for daily lessons.
But the use of computers, by far, has transformed the class­room alone. Within the dis­trict, there are 24,000 comput­ers, and more than 99 percent of all classrooms have access to the Internet, e-mail and oth­er software applications.

But what about those online courses? Yesterday’s News & Record seems to take a less-than-positive eye on these “Learn-and-Earn” courses, in which the article says that fewer students than expected are signing up for these courses, despite the much publicized hype by Gov. Easley. See this excerpt:

“We couldn’t go full steam because the budget wasn’t approved,” said Michelle Solér , communications director for UNCG, the only four-year university participating. “Schools had their scheduling in place by then. I think this next year is going to be a lot better.”

In late July, legislators approved spending $11.5 million on the initiative, which aims to help more students earn college credit at no cost. UNCG and the state community college system reported 2,030 registrations statewide for the fall semester; administrators originally predicted about 10,000 for the academic year.

College officials said they plan to increase marketing efforts and work out technical problems to attract more students during the spring semester.

“The community college system sees it as being a successful venture so far because it happened so quickly and in a short period of time,” said Antonio Jordan , director of joint high school partnership programs.

Eleven students at two Guilford County high schools — Smith and Southern — are taking courses through the UNCG iSchool this semester. No students signed up for courses at GTCC, said Jane Pendry , the community college’s liaison for the early/middle college high school program.

By comparison, 25 Guilford County students are enrolled in the two-year-old N.C. Virtual Public School, a similar program that offers 78 courses to 5,800 students throughout the state.

Your tax dollars at work.

E.C. 🙂

Minor problem at Eastern Guilford yesterday

As we approach the one year anniversary of the fire, we get word that there may have been two small fires in the EGHS pod village yesterday. Authorities responded quickly and there were no injuries, thankfully. But we’re left to ponder and wonder about how it happened and why it happened.

See this staff report in yesterday’s News & Record:

Eastern students back in class after bathroom fire

From Staff Reports

Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 11:08 am

Guilford County fire investigators are looking into what caused a small fire in a bathroom at Eastern Guilford High School this morning.

Guilford County Schools spokeswoman Cecilia Adams said students in the immediate vicinity of the affected pod building evacuated, but have already returned to class.

Alan Perdue, the county’s director of emergency services, said firefighters responded to the school at 10:40 a.m. Monday and found the building full of smoke. Perdue couldn’t say whether firefighters put out the fire, or if it had already been extinguished when they arrived.

Details are developing.

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E.C. 🙂

GCS Board Meeting agenda for 10/25/07

Click here for this week’s GCS Board meeting agenda, set for this Thursday, 10/25/07. Pretty routine stuff on the agenda.

E.C. 🙂

School Climate Task Force wants to hear from you

Click here for this week’s Friday Spin from GCS. One item of interest this week is the GCS school climate task force, and they’re ready to meet with you…are you ready to give them an earful?

School Climate Task Force

As part of the Board’s School Climate Task Force, members would like to meet with the community to receive their thoughts and feedback on what measures can be implemented to improve overall climate in our schools.

The School Climate Task Force includes: teachers, school administrators, community representatives, students for the class of 2008 or 2008, parents, members of the law enforcement community, a member of the Guilford County Parent Techer Association and Guilford County Board of Education members.

This task force is charged with reviewing the district’s handling of student misbehavior, reviewing the Guilford County Disproportionate Minority Contact Report, meeting with teachers, parents, students and community stakeholders and making a report by consensus back to the Board of Education no later than the second regularly scheduled meeting in January, 2008.

Please join us at the upcoming meetings:

• October 25, Williams Memorial CME Church, 3400 Triangle Lake Road, High Point, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• October 30, Eastern Middle, Gibsonville, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• November 13, Grimsley High Cafeteria, Greensboro, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
  

• November 29, Final meeting  Southern Middle Cafeteria  6:30-8:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact Dr. Eric Becoats, Chief of Staff, at 378-8838.

E.C. 🙂

When the fire alarm is on fire

The stupid story of the week goes to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools…here’s why:

Have we not learned anything from last year’s tragic fire at Eastern Guilford? I guess not because stupidity and politics are more important than the safety of our children.

Consider this madness…some Char-Meck schools have fire alarms that are inoperable. Yes…they don’t work. Or they don’t work right. News 14 Carolina is reporting that more than a dozen Char-Meck schools are equipped with outdated fire systems, according to some administrators. The alarms are said to still work, but need to be upgraded, News 14 reports.

This is tragic.

See this excerpt from the story (and watch the video too):

At Coulwood Middle School, administrators said the fire alarm system is well past its prime. “We’re always asking crews to come out …,” said Toni Yates, assistant principal. “We think it’s about to have a problem.”

Unbelievable. The thing I can’t understand is why the affected buildings aren’t shut down by authorities ? I mean, isn’t this beyond breaking state fire codes? Am I missing something?

There’s your stupid story of the week.

E.C. 🙂

Tidbits from ConvergeSouth

I went to my first ConvergeSouth today at North Carolina A&T State University, spoke at my first ConvergeSouth…this will not be my last.

The subject of my talk was how to blog when you’re new to blogging, new to politics, and how to have fun doing it.

I had two participants in my session, both were students from A&T State University, one of which was Michael McCray (pictured), editor-in-chief of the A&T Newspaper, The A&T Register.

Photos are courtesy of ConvergeSouth’s Sue Polinsky.

I videotaped my remarks, and I will get those up on the website shortly. In the meantime, News 14 Carolina did a one-on-one interview after my remarks were complete, check back here later today when the story is up online.

Here’s a Web story with a quote from me from News 14.

Ran into Greensboro’s Ed Cone (of EdCone.com), good to see you and meet for the first time. Saw Greensboro City Councilwoman Sandy Carmany.

Ran into and had a good conversation with Billy Jones, who recently launched an ambitious effort to seek the office of Mayor of Greensboro as a write-in candidate. He’s to be admired. He made some good points as he and I were talking. He seeks change in Greensboro from a citizen’s perspective, not a developer’s perspective. He puts the roots in grass roots, he’s pledged not to take campaign donations, and he says he’s getting a lot of support.

I’m on the outside looking in as far as the race for Greensboro mayor, as I’m no longer officially a GSO resident. But it’s ironic that I passed Yvonne Johnson as she was driving along Wendover Ave. around 12:30 today.

Met Joe Ovittore, who’s planning a run next year against Congressman Howard Coble. He wants to get together for coffee soon to talk education policy as it relates to Washington. I accepted his invite.

I wish all of our candidates the very best.

This post is developing…more shortly

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E.C. 🙂

21st Century…blah…blah…blah

The John Locke Foundation’s education policy analyst Terry Stoops inks a column blasting DPI’s so-called 21st Century initiatives. He says it has simply become a buzzword for DPI’s poor attempt at envisioning students matriculating through a 21st century educational system, when in reality, it is something out of the 16th century.

Here’s his column…read it and think!

Over the last three years, Governor Easley and North Carolina’s education establishment have employed the term “21st century” ad nauseam to promote their quixotic education agenda, one in which they promise to keep our kids “competitive” in the so-called 21st century economy. Yet catch phrases and buzzwords cannot hide the fact that a “21st century education” is simply a more expensive and more bureaucratic version of North Carolina’s current system of public schools.

The new and improved 21st century classroom would include a host of pricey electronic devices, gadgets, and toys that, according to advocates, would put an end to silly, old-fashioned book learning. North Carolina Newspapers in Education recently published a short introduction to 21st century education titled Making the Grade: Education for the 21st Century. The tract explains:

In the ideal 21st century school, each school will have facilities and personnel that are necessary for a 21st century education. This includes individual classroom spaces – many with movable walls and flexible desk/table/cubicle configurations – and technology that is similar to what adults already use in the workplace. That means classrooms outfitted with an interactive digital whiteboard and data projector; a classroom set of individual student response devices; digital and video cameras; a telephone; one or more multimedia work stations that include printers, science probeware for experiments, digital microscopes and graphing scientific calculators for the upper grades.

Advocates for “21st century schools” fail to explain how, for example, individual student response devices are preferable to students simply raising their hand, but that is not the point. The point is to convince parents that their child will be doomed to a life of destitution if he or she does not have access to individual response devices, science probeware, digital microscopes, and graphing scientific calculators – technology that most adults do not use (or need) in the workplace. Regrettably, anxious parents become a natural ally to education officials who champion new and costly programs that students supposedly need to have in order to be successful in the elusive 21st century economy.

Needless to say, educational technology has not lived up to the hype. Stanford University professor emeritus Larry Cuban’s excellent study of educational technology, Oversold and Underused: Computers in the Classroom, agrees. Cuban concludes, “The introduction of information technologies into schools over the past two decades has achieved neither the transformation of teaching and learning nor the productivity gains that a reform coalition of corporate executives, public officials, parents, academics, and educators have sought.” Elected officials and education leaders in our state have ignored the fact that educational technology has failed to improve student achievement in North Carolina in any significant way. Yet under the guise of the “21st century economy” they will continue to urge taxpayers to foot the bill for the latest ed-tech craze.

Of course, even the most enthusiastic proponent of “21st century schools” will argue that technology is only one piece of a much larger effort to 21st century-ize public schools. Indeed, what would a 21st century school be without 21st century professionals (also known as teachers and administrators) teaching a 21st century curriculum? In its list of goals, the State Board of Education calls on teachers and administrators to “have the skills to deliver 21st Century content in a 21st Century context with 21st Century tools and technology that guarantees student learning.” Furthermore, they are expected to “use a 21st Century assessment system to inform instruction and measure 21st Century knowledge, skills, performance, and dispositions.” Apparently, 21st century literacy coaches, a Center for 21st Century Skills, and 21st century community learning centers are necessary to achieve these goals.

In order to explain what the State Board of Education means by “21st Century knowledge, skills, performance, and dispositions,” we obviously need a cartoon character. Enter Nicky Future Ready (pdf illustration).

Nicky Future Ready is the creation of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Elementary Education Division. According to the Department of Public Instruction publication sales Web site:

  Nicky Future Ready was “born” this summer. He represents the elementary children we teach in our classrooms. Nicky is “labeled,” but not with negative labels and stereotypes. He is labeled with the attributes of a future ready student! Do the students in your school “wear” these labels, too? These are attributes every student will need to be globally competitive in the 21st century.

Nicky “wears” seventeen attributes: (1) self-directed responsible worker, (2) multi-lingual, (3) critical thinker, (4) effective communicator, (5) relationship builder, (6) health-focused life-long learner, (7) financially literate citizen, (8) creative/innovative thinker, (9) knowledgeable global citizen, (10) strong team contributor, (11) proficient reader, (12) science savvy, (13) literate consumer of media, (14) capable technology user, (15) effective problem solver, (16) curious researcher, and (17) skilled mathematician.

Interestingly, the so-called 21st century economy demands that elementary students master the same communication, computational, and critical thinking skills required for success in the 20th century economy. As such, North Carolina’s children still need competent teachers and capable administrators, not classrooms full of technology or posters of cartoon characters, to be successful in school and beyond.

E.C. 🙂

Eastern Funding Avenue Secured…for now

There is a funding avenue in place to rebuild Eastern Guilford High School.

County Commissioners signed off last night on a deal to spend about $30 million, part of which will come from insurance settlement money and the remainder from unspent school construction bond money from 2000 and 2003. Commissioner Bruce Davis was the lone dissenter.

See today’s News & Record. An excerpt from the article:

Thursday’s vote ended a months-long debate over how to replace the high school, which burned down Nov. 1. The school board had wanted commissioners to approve a special type of loan, but commissioners rejected that idea earlier this year in favor of a plan that takes money from the other projects, but will pay it back later.

Schools and county officials have been trying to agree on a plan ever since, prompting talk of distrust between the boards.

“Is this going to conclude it?” Republican Billy Yow asked a schools official. “Or should we see you at the next meeting with another resolution?”

That’s it, schools Chief Financial Officer Sharon Ozment told the board. And with that, commissioners voted 9-1 to transfer the money.

But another decision looms. The transfer left a hole in other school project budgets, including Union Hill Elementary and the Gateway Education West Center.

That money must be paid back, according to an agreement between the commissioners and the school board.

“They’ve committed to doing that, which we’re very appreciative of,” school board Chairman Alan Duncan said in an interview.

Officials hope voters agree to cover the costs by approving the school-construction bond planned for May. The bond could also cover the rest of the cost of the $61 million high school, which is scheduled to open in January 2009.

But if the bond fails, and all points are in the direction of it failing, then what? Certificates of Participation is one possibility, and then everyone is back to square one, with the school board begging for more money from the county board.

It just screams out for a discussion on a new funding mechanism and this discussion must take place soon….something that does not involve direct taxing authority.

Take a moment and think about exactly why there’s so much distrust, people.

E.C. 🙂

State of Education in High Point

Someone tell me how I missed this one…apparently, there was a “State of Education” luncheon and symposium at High Point University yesterday. I would have loved to go.

I would have been on my best behavior.

Apparently, I missed a lot of spin by Terry Grier.

The High Point Enterprise wrote about it (click here.)

An excerpt from the article:

Guilford County Schools’ chief touted the district’s academic successes – im­proving test scores, expand­ing school choice options and increasing the number of students who go on to college – as well as its chal­lenges – the disparity in mi­nority suspensions, increas­ing the graduation rate and decreasing the dropout rate – since he took leadership in 2000.
“We are making a lot of progress in our school sys­tem, but we are not where we need to be,” Superinten­dent Terry Grier said dur­ing the luncheon at High Point University.

Doug Clark at the News & Record is blogging about it (click here). 

Here’s a tidbit of what he’s saying:

Grier did address another problem, discipline, but in a bothersome way. He first noted the much higher rate of suspensions for black, male students, then said:

“We have to be careful in our schools that we treat all students the same when it comes to similar infractions. Principals tell us that’s happening, but when we talk to students we hear a different story so we know we have a problem.”

I’d say he does have a problem if he doesn’t believe what his principals are telling him but finds the students more credible. Do the students know the circumstances of every disciplinary action well enough to assess who’s been treated fairly and who hasn’t? It seems to me the reaction of most students is to believe they haven’t gotten a square deal.

So are we supposed to think that principals are treating black, male students unfairly and they’re also trying to mislead the superintendent about it? That seems like a stretch to me.

The school board has a group looking into this, but I hope it didn’t begin its work with the premise that principals are the bad guys.

That’s a very good point, Doug. Which begs the question…I’m wondering what the latest is with that School Climate task force and if they are planning to report to the entire Board as a whole in the near future?

E.C. 🙂

Campaign Update 10/18/07

I have a campaign strategy session scheduled next week. I can’t report a lot of specifics right now, but as soon as I can, I’ll let you know what the latest is.

In addition, and with luck, I will name a campaign manager in the coming weeks. I’m preparing to talk with some interested folks and I would love to talk with more. If you’re interested, drop me a line. And as always, I’m on the hunt for volunteers to help out, host coffees, etc. Drop me a line if you’re interested.

I see the pressure has been stepped up on Dot Kearns to see if she will defend this at-large seat next year. She is still mum and has not made any public statements. She is more than welcome to, and we will fight with everything we got. But her response (and behavior) yesterday to her support of GCS possibly having taxing authority to fund education may have been political suicide if she does run. I know there is not much support from the public for GCS having taxing authority, much of that disinterest comes from you, my supporters, and from myself. Until this system can prove it is responsible with the taxpayer’s checkbook, they better not dare ask for this responsibility.

Keep you posted…

E.C. 🙂

Live from One Guilford

UPDATED…

9:23am…I’m here live at the One Guilford event at Guilford College. Not a large crowd, lots of other local Pols are here from GSO Mayor Keith Holliday, city council candidates Robbie Perkins and Mary Rakestraw, County Commissioners Kirk Perkins and Kay Cashion are here. Lots of News & Record staff are here. GCS Board vice-chair Amos Quick is seated on stage, along with Piedmont Triad Partnership’s Don Kirkman, UNCG prof. Andrew Brod, A&T’s Dr. Stanley Battle…

9:27am…County Commission Chair Paul Gibson just opened the program. Just saw GCS Board chair Alan Duncan.

If any of you have questions for me to fire at Amos Quick or even Alan Duncan, fire away…

More in a bit…

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9:46am…Dot Kearns is here. Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior 🙂

Saw Greensboro’s Roch Smith walking in the door, good to see you.

PTP’s Don Kirkman just made a good point in his opening remarks…local county governments must work together as one, instead of pitting one against each other.

More in a bit…

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10am…Amos Quick takes the stage for his opening remarks…how can GCS better prepare our children.

71.6% of our schools made ABC growth, Quick said. He also quoted the Newsweek “fake” AP rankings (did Sonya Conway write your remarks, Amos?)

He says early childhood education needs to improve in Guilford County.

Quick says a school climate task force is looking at climate and discipline within schools, he is also advocating for next year’s school bond. He also asked to stop the infighting among public officials. We have to reach every child, Quick says.

More in a bit.

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10:23am…a facilitator from Guilford College is soliciting responses on what is opportunity preparedness and what can be done.

People are responding by saying a more global approach to education is needed.

I responded by saying that GCS needs to make sure we are educating the whole child and take a second look at our curricula, not stressing our kids can pass a two hour test. Ensure an appropriate funding avenue is in place and stop the infighting between the school board and the county board.

Someone said a strategic plan is needed to address public education in Guilford County. Amos Quick said such a strategic plan exists to address these and other important issues. We’ll try to get the link and post it here.

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10:55am…Action GSO reps are here tooting their own horn in terms of the business community stepping up to help support GCS. You’ve seen the commercials on TV and their billboards around town. Amos Quick has stood up and have given them a pat on the back.

One respondent called for the Board of Education to have taxing authority as a means to fund education. To which Dot Kearns said almost immediately: “Let the court say ‘amen.'” She almost jumped up out of her seat. I immediately clutched my wallet.

As usual, Dot is ready and willing to spend your money.

I responded by saying this is a subject that needs research on the state level but I oppose the GCS board having a taxing authority.

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11:34am…Breakout sessions are reporting back in.

I just had a good conversation with GSO City Council candidate Mary Rakestraw. She seems to also advocate for educating the whole child versus teaching to a standardized test. She also said she and her husband regularly adopt local area classrooms and are lunch buddies to several of our GCS children.

I distributed several of my campaign fliers.

By the way, Amos and I shook hands and mentioned getting together for coffee in the near future. I said let’s set it up.

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12:26pm (back at the home office)…Dr. Julianne Malveaux closed the program by asking for more diversity on panels like these, more participation from young people and young professionals and how everything we do affects the economic livelihood of Guilford County. She appropriately characterized Guilford County as having a “brain drain.”

I shared a cordial hello with Dot Kearns.

I also shook hands with Dr. Malveaux and said that young professionals welcome the opportunity to sit on these local boards and are ready to step up the the plate and join the party, we just need the “invite.”

Had a good brief conversation with my friend and former colleague Doug Clark from the News & Record on my way out the door. In so many words, he said this campaign has come out the door swinging. I appreciated his kind words and told him we will get together soon to talk more.

One thing I did not hear much of this morning is how can we begin to stem the bad behavior on those who sit on these boards. Those that exhibit juvenile behavior seem to get away with it, and that has a disastrous effect on how we as a county can come together. We continue to talk the same things over and over again and the same things continue to come up. Until we as a county begin to come together and demand that the bad behavior stop, the infighting cease among the county board, the school board, and city councils, and demand that harmony begin, Guilford County will continue to miss out on many opportunities. We cannot afford that.

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E.C. 🙂

This book may help race relations in Guilford County

You need to buy this book. Everyone in Guilford County needs to buy this book. My wife ordered our copy yesterday.

I said a while back here on this blog that I admire and respect Dr. William Cosby. He, too, has been ostracized for speaking the truth about race relations in our country, about how education needs to be taken more seriously and about how it starts in the home. Well Cosby has a new book out, along with friend and fellow co-author Dr. Alvin Poussaint. “Come on People” describes their vision of how Americans (particularly black Americans) can move forward on a much better path in this country.

The two were on NBC’s Meet the Press this past weekend. Click here for the transcript. Click here for a short excerpt from the book.

Race relations can and must advance to the next level in Guilford County. It can happen. It must happen. It starts with you, and me…us…all of us.

E.C. 🙂

Is Anita Sharpe vulnerable?

I thought that title would get your attention. But the question does beg to be asked. Is Anita Sharpe’s school board seat vulnerable next year?

In my continuing effort to analyze the 2004 races, I see how a little known candidate by the name of A. Richardson went up against Sharpe and even after attempting to bow out of the race because he moved out of the county, he still garnered 40% of the vote in the Nov. 2004 general election (in part because the county’s democratic machine listed him as an endorsed candidate, despite school board races being nonpartisan in Guilford County).

I now reside and am fully-registered with the Board of Elections in Sharpe’s district.

So that strong of a showing either says people are happy (?) with Ms. Sharpe or there is some potential dissatisfaction with Ms. Sharpe (?) and the vote was an anti-Sharpe vote.

Speculation abounds.

I’m also looking at who ran in the at-large primary four years ago, there were seven candidates who ran in the primary, including the incumbent Dot Kearns. One of the candidates, Garth Hebert, was successful last year in the district race in beating another 2004 at-large primary candidate Debbie Maines.

I say all this because simply put, we need a victory, whether it will be in a district race or in the at-large race.

If Dot Kearns runs again, she is definitely vulnerable (without question), she will have trouble in the primary, she does carry a lot of baggage and we will need to put every mountain and muscle into this race. If she retires off the board, then we can change our strategy slightly.

I thank you and encourage your continuing comments (especially yours, “Stormy”)…where do we have a bigger shot or a bigger chance at making the most impact for our children?

The filing period is just around the corner.

E.C. 🙂