School Crime Reporting Leaves Out Dozens of Violent Crimes (CBS-2)

Here’s the text of the CBS-2 story that aired at 11pm Monday night. Personally, I’m puzzled…and troubled at some of the stats in the report (click here for companion coverage over on the N&R Chalkboard):

Greensboro, NC — The fire that ravaged Eastern Guilford High School did enough damage that day.

Yet according to school system crime reports, it never happened.

2 Wants to Know compared law enforcement records (Guilford County Sheriff’s Department, Greensboro Police Department and High Point Police Department) with the school system’s reports to the Department of Public Instruction.

And we uncovered 90 violent offenses the district left out.

Police reported 24 sexual assaults, including rapes.

The system only recorded three.

Where law enforcement reported 18 robberies.

The district had four.

And authorities recorded eight cases of school arson.

The school system recorded zero.

Sonya Conway with Guilford County Schools explained the omission of the Eastern Guilford arson.

“The current principal, it’s his understanding that if a student was not attributed to the incident that it wasn’t to be recorded in the report.”

But state law requires principals immediately report any criminal act that occurs on school property.

Failure to do so amounts to a misdemeanor offense.

Sheriff BJ Barnes said, “I’ve had principals tell me they don’t feel the need to report certain things that are going in there because it reflects poorly on the school and on the system.”

And that makes it impossible to gauge the security in our schools.

When crimes get ignored, Barnes says it can lead to other major crimes such as school shootings.

Part of the problem is the district can’t guarantee the accuracy of its crime reporting.

“Unfortunately I don’t think Guilford County Schools has a mechanism in place to verify that the information reported at the school level is factual,” Conway said.

The system depends on the state to catch inaccuracies.

But the state trusts district’s to tell the truth.

The Department of Public Instruction does not compare school records with those of law enforcement.

When judging the validity Guilford County Schools’ report all the sheriff needs to do is consider a glaring omission.

Barnes said, “It says Eastern Guilford didn’t happen. They need $60 million plus for something. I suspect that’s just plain wrong.”

The following data is based on a comparison of the report Guilford County Schools made to DPI and our local law enforcement.

• GCS reported 3 incidents of sexual assault, law enforcement reported 7.
• GCS reported 0 incidents of sexual offense, law enforcement reported 17.
• GCS reported 1 incident of a bomb threat, law enforcement reported 8.
• GCS reported 0 incidents of burning of a school building, law enforcement reported 8.
• GCS reported 0 incidents of assault involving a weapon, law enforcement reported 12.
• GCS reported 7 incidents of possession of a firearm, law enforcement reported 0.
• GCS reported 4 incidents of robbery without a dangerous weapon, law enforcement reported 18.
• GCS reported 243 incidents of possession of a weapon, law enforcement reported 140.
• GCS reported 116 incidents of possession of a controlled substance, law enforcement reported 145.
• GCS reported 27 incidents of possession of alcohol, law enforcement reported 11.
• GCS reported 58 incidents of assault on school personnel, law enforcement reported 11.
• GCS reported 23 incidents of assault resulting in injury, law enforcement reported 21.

In addition, law enforcment reported more than 1200 incidents at Guilford County Schools. DPI did not require these to be reported to the state including burglaries, various assaults and drug sales.Click here to see state law requiring principals to report campus crime:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_115C/GS_115C-288.html

Click here to view Guilford County Schools Annual Report on School Crime and Violence from the Department of Public Instruction.

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/discipline/reports/

Source: WFMY News2

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E.C.

GSO Mayor Johnson sounds off on youth, schools

 UPDATE BELOW…

I’ve met Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson only a couple of times, and this was going back a few years ago while she was still on the City Council. At the time, I really didn’t formulate an opinion other than she seemed to be a nice lady.

When she was voted in recently as the first black mayor of North Carolina’s third largest city, I was hoping it would signal an era of change and transition, not withstanding “Mitch-Gate” and the mountain of corruption currently plaguing City Hall.

So you can imagine my sense of confusion when I opened up the N&R Monday and saw this article. Now, everyone lately has something to say about the state of Guilford County’s youth, especially our youth of color…about how we need more programs, this program, that program, that other program.

The confusing part were these series of quotes:

“Many of our youth start out with dreams of the future… then life happens,” she said. One, positive adult in that child’s life can change that, she said.

Okay.

After the speech Johnson answered questions provided by the audience. Many of the queries focused on concerns about the school system, ranging from her opinion on what the new superintendent should do once hired to how the city can curb violence at Dudley and Smith high schools.

Um…okay.

Johnson noted the City Council has little direct impact on schools issues but did weigh in, saying the police department is making more of an effort to work with groups at Dudley and Smith.

O…kay.

Johnson said she would like to see the new superintendent implement sensitivity and racism awareness training and again urged parents, churches and other civic groups to help by getting involved.

“I think we all bear some responsibility,” she said.

Uh…oh.

Sensitivity and racism awareness training…I’m sorry, I thought we’ve all been healed already, this is 2008. What Mayor Johnson doesn’t know is that…sshhhhh…this training already exists, through the so-called GCS Diversity Office. I said so-called, because we did a pretty good report on the GCS Diversity Office back in the fall and uncovered some troubling information.

SSHHHHH…don’t tell Mayor Johnson this either, but the previous “anti-racism training” GCS had accused white teachers of being racist by nature, and that GCS Board member Deena Hayes was, in fact, a “trainer” with one of the agencies conducting these workshops.

Probably what Johnson should have said…was this:

“…the new Superintendent should have rather thick skin because he/she is coming into a county where the color of one’s skin continues to be a stronger focus than the content of one’s character.”

Programs are good…stronger parenting is better.

To close, Johnson cited a need for “economic opportunity” for today’s youth.

You know what, Madam Mayor, our citizens NEED jobs! From our high school-aged kids, to our college-age young people, and even young professionals in their 30s like me…we need jobs, good jobs; not $9 an hour part-time service jobs…we need companies to come in, set up shop and put our citizens to work. And it’s sad that our so-called “economic development professionals” continue to be blind-sided at the continuing brain-drain that’s literally sucking the intellectual wind out of Guilford County.

Getting off the soap box…

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UPDATE…

I thought about this a little more…and the more I think about it, the more I’m troubled at one other quote she used above.  Johnson said: “Many of our youth start out with dreams of the future… then life happens,” she said.

What does the mayor mean by that?

Yes, life happens…but that can be a good thing, it doesn’t have to be bad. Just because many of our youth are differently-advantaged, does that mean they don’t have a chance to succeed in life? No…absolutely not.

But I fear she may be using victimization here. I could be wrong, but the context is puzzling.

E.C.

GCS to educate church leaders on gifted programs (N&R)

From Monday’s N&R:

GREENSBORO – Members and leaders of churches and other faith-based organizations are invited to meet with the Guilford County Schools’ advanced learning department Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The meeting will take place at Providence Baptist Church, 1106 Tuscaloosa St. The purpose of the meeting is to reach out to churches as part of a district goal to increase the number of minority students identified as academically gifted, said Lisé Timmons, director of advanced learning for the school system. Timmons hopes members of the congregation will then spread awareness to other parents in the community.

Students in the advanced learners program are typically identified in elementary school and are enrolled in rigorous courses, with many taking college-level courses in high school.

Call Kimberly Butler 370-8361 for more information about the meeting and to RSVP.

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E.C.

Mike Stone files to challenge Darlene Garrett

From the up-to-date election filings over at the Guilford Co. Board of Elections…

Oak Ridge resident Mike Stone has filed today to challenge Dist. 3 GCS Board member Darlene Garrett. If no one else files for Dist. 3, the two will go head to head in November.

Stone is a periodic speaker at GCS Board meetings as well as Oak Ridge Town Council meetings.

E.C.

Darlene Garrett is in

From the up-to-date election filings over at the Guilford Co. Board of Elections…

GCS Board member Darlene Garrett filed today as a candidate to run for re-election in Dist. 3 (western/northwestern Greensboro-Guilford Co.).

Known for her no-nonsense style and her candid ear for listening to teachers and parents, Garrett will have no trouble winning another term.

You have my full support and official endorsement.

E.C.

Carlvena Foster files for Dist. 1

From the up-to-date election filings over at the Guilford Co. Board of Elections…

Carlvena Foster today filed for the GCS Board District 1 (Central High Point) seat currently held by incumbent Dr. Walter Childs. Ms. Foster is the current executive director of the Carl Chavis YMCA in High Point. It still remains uncertain if Childs will file to run for a second term.

E.C.

Headhunters?

In the “unusual-request” category, I’m on the hunt for any headhunters that may be in the audience…if you are one, please e-mail me offline: erik@hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org.

E.C.