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Jan. 1-15, 2011, News Archive
1/15/11 U.S. school chief chides Wake school policy
"The turmoil over Wake County schools reached the top of the federal Department of Education Friday, as Education Secretary Arne Duncan criticized Wake's decision to discard its school diversity policy in a letter published by the Washington Post."
1/15/11 In good standing?
"In trying to set the terms of an accreditation review that is key to upholding the reputation of its high schools, the Wake County school board runs the proverbial risk of cutting off its nose to spite its face."
1/15/11 Schools we deserve
"From a nationally recognized, award-winning school district to losing accreditation over a two-year time period is tragic. I concur with the current accreditation agency's concern over the way decisions are made."
1/15/11 Away from the brink
"The accreditation process for a school system is similar to the function served by outside auditors. Auditors do not simply make sure that the numbers add up in financial reports; they issue findings as to whether procedures are in place for good corporate and accounting practices."
1/15/11 Motivated seller
"For sale: Charming four-bedroom colonial directly behind Apex High School. Nice yard, quiet neighborhood, updated floors and amenities, home in pristine condition. Great community with ample opportunities for starting a business, raising children, making dozens of friends and volunteering at worthwhile local organizations. Family relocating to another county in order to ensure children have unimpeded path to higher education via accredited high school."
1/15/11 Mark Elgart explains reasons for AdvancED review?
"But Elgart said that the change in the student assignment policy is being reviewed because of allegations from the state NAACP and others in the community that the board didn't follow its own policies."
1/15/11 Take a look at your future: Bad move in Wake County, N.C.
"True. Any curious Tea Party Animal need only come to Calhoun County to see the results of a Balkanized set of school districts and schools that by doing nothing to tackle socioeconomic disparities are letting their ill effects drag down performance. That is your future, Wake County, N.C."
1/15/11 Apex greets new superintendent
"The Apex Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon Friday for new Wake County Public School System Superintendent Anthony Tata."
1/14/11 Accreditation agency not on board with Wake
"An international school accreditation firm is describing the Republican majority on the Wake County School Board as confrontational."
1/14/11 US Schools Chief Criticizes NC Board Over Busing
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 Republican School Board In NC Throws Out Integration Policy
"The Republican-dominated school board in Wake County, North Carolina has thrown out a policy meant to promote racial and socioeconomic diversity in Raleigh, prompting a complaint by the NAACP and an op-ed by Education Secretary Arne Duncan calling the decision "troubling."
1/14/11 Education chief chides NC school board in letter
"The U.S. Secretary of Education has criticized the Wake County school board over its decision to end a busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 US education chief chides county board over busing
"In a letter published Friday in The Washington Post, Secretary Arne Duncan wrote that other school districts around the country should think twice before following Wake County's lead."
1/14/11 Rev. William Barber urges school board to cooperate with AdvancED
"In a statement today, Barber compares the review, which originated from a complaint from the NAACP, with taking an open book examination. He mocks the board's desire to have legal representation during the interviews with AdvancED, saying "apparently a few Board members have gone out to hire their own lawyer to attend the examination with them."
1/14/11 AdvancED plans to come to Raleigh Feb. 17-18
"AdvancED plans to come to Raleigh on Feb. 17-18 to conduct the special review of Wake County schools "with or without the cooperation of individual board members and professional staff."
1/14/11 US schools chief criticizes NC board over busing
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 Group drops accreditation for Burke County schools
"The district, however, can still keep its accreditation if the school board can show by June 30 that it has made significant progress in meeting required actions outlined by the AdvanceEd review team - specifically that the board actions align with district policy and AdvanceEd standards, professional decorum at board meetings and that board members are educated on district policies."
1/14/11 US schools chief criticizes Wake school board
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 AdvanceEd CEO says Wake schools review is fair
"The national accreditation group at odds with the Wake County Board of Education over whether an upcoming review of the panel's effectiveness is unjust is standing by its insistence that the process will be fair."
1/14/11 Tata meets with Raleigh business leaders
"The incoming superintendent of the state's largest school district met Friday afternoon with Raleigh business leaders, pledging to do the best he can for the students, teachers and parents of Wake County."
1/14/11 Accreditation agency will visit Wake schools next month
"The head of a national accrediting agency told Wake County school leaders today they're coming to review the school system next month with or without the district's cooperation."
1/14/11 Separate and unequal, 2.0
"A newly Republican school board in Wake County is working to undo that progress:"
1/14/11 Comparing accreditation issues in Wake County and Burke County
"Oliver said the difference is that AdvancED was able to do the review in Burke County and determine that violations in standards were happening. She said they haven't yet had the chance to come to Wake to verify the allegations made by the state NAACP and other groups."
1/14/11 US schools chief criticizes NC board over busing
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 US Schools Chief Criticizes Wake Co. School Board Over Busing
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/14/11 US Education Secretary to Wake County School Board - "no time to go backward"
"The board's action has led to a complaint that has prompted an investigation by our Office for Civil Rights, but it should also prompt a conversation among educators, parents and students across America about our core values."
1/14/11 Accrediting agency refuses Wake's request for changes in review process
"The ball is back in the Wake County School Board's court in the back-and-forth over accreditation for the school systems' high schools. The accrediting agency will not allow any changes in its review process."
1/14/11 U.S. Secretary of Education cautions Wake schools on move away from diversity
"The turmoil in Wake schools over its move away from promoting diversity has drawn the attention - and the criticism - of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan."
1/14/11 U.S. Secretary of Education, on eve of MLK holiday, calls on Wake school board to honor diversity
"The U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, thinks the Wake County school board majority's moves are "troubling" and "backward" in a society still striving for racial equality."
1/14/11 Wake school board's terms refused
"A national accrediting agency that is investigating Wake County's school system rejected a series of hardball demands made by school officials, who have been trying to limit the scope of the probe."
1/14/11 Defend our schools
"I recently read in The N&O that the school board is seriously considering forfeiting accreditation with AdvancED. This is a big deal. Are we all going to sit back and watch as our public school system is eviscerated?"
1/14/11 Fallout over Arne Duncan's criticsm of Wake County schools
"The National Review and The Independent are both commenting, with predictably different takes, on U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's criticism of Wake County schools."
1/14/11 Chamber of Commerce hosting reception today for Anthony Tata
"New Wake County Superintendent Anthony Tata is back in town today to officially meet with area business leaders."
1/14/11 Both sides accuse the other of not being cooperative in AdvancED review
"Is it the Wake County school system or AdvancED that is being unreasonable and uncooperative in the accreditation review?"
1/14/11 Arne Duncan Chides Wake County School Board For Reversing Diversity Policies
"The nation's top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina's largest school district to end its busing for diversity program."
1/13/11 Progress in the wrong direction
"But as Mr Bouie describes, this programme of bussing has come under attack from conservatives who deride the policy as social engineering."
1/13/11 Arne Duncan calls Wake's elimination of diversity policy "troubling"
"Add U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to the list of critics of the Wake County school board's elimination of the diversity policy."
1/13/11 Cash Michaels on "the two faces" of Anthony Tata
"For instance, Michaels says Tata talked about neighborhood schools at Friday's press conference but talked about how much he supports diversity in his Saturday meeting with African American leaders."
1/13/11 School board sets conditions for cooperating with AdvancED
"In this letter, school leaders are setting four conditions they say AdvancED must accept for them to cooperate with the probe. If AdvancED says no, accreditation could be dropped from the 24 high schools."
1/13/11 Accreditation group objects to Wake conditions
"It's disappointing in the fact they've failed to recongnize that we're trying to help them improve," Elgart said in an interview today. "We're not here to dictate policy to them."
1/13/11 Maintaining racial diversity in schools
"America's strength has always been a function of its diversity, so it is troubling to see North Carolina's Wake County School Board taking steps to reverse a long-standing policy to promote racial diversity in its schools ["In N.C., a new battle on school integration," front page, Jan. 12]."
1/13/11 Wake schools review could happen without board's help
"We are prepared to come on site and meet with individuals that are willing to cooperate with us, and we will conduct our work with or without the cooperation of some or all of the members of the board of education," Mark Elgart, president and chief executive officer of AdvanceEd, said Thursday."
1/13/11 Wake schools will continue accreditation process
"Faced with pleas from emotional parents, Wake County school board members voted Wednesday night to avoid - for now - a decision to break ties with the national accreditation agency that was preparing a probe of the school system."
1/13/11 Deborah Prickett says Wake deserves better than AdvancED
"Wake County school board member Deborah Prickett has released a statement about last night's AdvancED vote in which she accuses the accreditation agency of engaging in "unacceptable" and "unscrupulous" behavior."
1/13/11 More talk about the Tea Party taking over Wake County schools
"Tea Partiers could maintain intellectual consistency by calling for, in addition to an end to bussing, an end to public schools, public funding of social services, and a public police force," R.A. writes. "This they generally opt not to do, presumably because such a platform would be wildly unpopular."
1/13/11 Cooperating or stalling with AdvancED?
"Is the Wake County school board only delaying the inevitable by not pulling out of AdvancED or accepting the scope of their investigation?"
1/13/11 Tea Party Backed School Board Kills School Integration in Raleigh, North Carolina
"The Washington Post reports that a tea party-backed, largely Republican school board in North Carolina has vowed to "say no to the social engineers" and voted to abolish its policy of socioeconomic integration. (Raleigh's inner-city schools, which are essentially magnet schools filled with economically and racially diverse student enrollments, often have waiting lists and are some of the best in the city.)"
1/12/11 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools might cut 1,500 jobs
"The school superintendent in North Carolina's largest city is recommending the elimination of more than 1,500 jobs to deal with a huge budget shortfall."
1/12/11 Carolyn Morrison calls school board withdrawing accreditation a "disturbing blow"
"Wake County school board member Carolyn Morrison has released a statement explaining why she will vote tonight against withdrawing from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the local arm of AdvancED."
1/12/11 Morrison opposes dropping Wake schools accreditation
"Wake County school board member Carolyn Morrison says she will vote against any measure for the school system to leave a national accreditation group, and at least one community group is also speaking out against the idea."
1/12/11 GSIW blasts school board for considering dropping accreditation
"The community is shocked by news that the Board majority would consider jeopardizing the educational future of our students," said GSIW Yevonne Brannon, in the press release. "This majority repeatedly claims to care about the wellbeing of students, yet, when the going gets tough, they put their own self-interests ahead of those of our children. Once again, they are rushing to judgment without regard for how their decisions will impact the reputation of our award winning school system."
1/12/11 Tea Party Plans Scrap Integration Policy at NC Schools
"But the Tea Party wants to change things in the place where I grew up."
1/12/11 When the Tea Party Actually Governs
"The tea party has been very effective in stirring up anger about government programs, but what happens when their adherents actually gain power and begin to govern?"
1/12/11 Wake business leaders object to school board's talk of dropping accreditation
"Harvey Schmitt, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, said colleges unfamiliar with Wake County "would view the absence of a degree from an accredited high school as a box unchecked among a stack of applicants, which could impact a student's ability to get into a school."
1/12/11 The Pope school plan: Re-segregate and throw money over the wall
"Got that? The Pope plan for addressing the needs of struggling kids: concentrate them all in a couple of big baskets and spend more money on those baskets."
1/12/11 End of diversity policy draws national attention for Wake County schools
"The Washington Post has an article out today titled, "Republican school board in N.C. backed by tea party abolishes integration policy." The article recaps the controversial decision to end busing to promote socio-economic diversity in Wake County schools."
1/12/11 Questioning the impact on students of not having accreditation
"The loss of accreditation may hurt more with universities that don't know the system as well as we do," Farmer said. "And in the longer term, the loss of accreditation could be much more problematic even with us, if the result is that families lose faith in the system and remove their sons and daughters, or that the schools themselves begin to deteriorate."
1/11/11 Proposed Charlotte-Mecklenburg school cuts would mean 1,045 teachers and assistants laid off
"The $100 million in funding cuts would mean 1,516 job losses; some of those positions may be vacant already. Cuts in building services, transportation, career-technical education and Bright Beginnings - an early childhood education program - would all be in the millions of dollars, but the largest cuts - $61 million out of the $100 million - would be directly from schools; 1,045 teachers and assistants would be cut."
1/11/11 First impression
"Is Tata their leader or their facilitator? Does he hold strongly with their views that racial and economic diversity are not that important? Will he seek and act on serious advice from those community leaders who may have views distinctly opposite those of some in the school board majority?"
1/11/11 Wake schools told to consider dropping accreditation
"An administrator with a national accreditation group has suggested the Wake County Public School System consider withdrawing its accreditation in light of a pending review unless school officials "can move forward in a more collegial and collaborative manner," according to e-mails made public Tuesday by the school district."
1/11/11 Tata wants more "resources" - that's "money" to us civilians
"And it's a strategic vision thing, because you can't continue to put a band-aid on it," Tata continued. "You gotta make sure you get those dollars from somewhere."
1/11/11 Wake may drop high schools' accreditation
"The school board has scheduled a public vote on the AdvancED issue for after Wednesday's public hearing on the student reassignment plan, which will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Millbrook High School in Raleigh."
1/11/11 Republican school board in N.C. backed by tea party abolishes integration policy
"But over the past year, a new majority-Republican school board backed by national tea party conservatives has set the district on a strikingly different course. Pledging to "say no to the social engineers!" it has abolished the policy behind one of the nation's most celebrated integration efforts."
1/10/11 Wake schools face accreditation, reassignment this week
"The Wake County school board is bracing for an earful this week - first from parents concerned about where their children will be educated, and then from a special review team that could recommend stripping accreditation from the district's high schools."
1/9/11 Tata tells blacks he endorses diversity, to a point
"Anthony J. Tata declined, though, to say that he would ensure that Wake's schools have diverse student bodies, nor did he dispel suspicions among some that he been handpicked by the school board's five-member Republican majority to help resegregate the school system."
1/9/11 Wake to buy 108 acres in Apex for two future schools
"The Wake County school board has approved a contract to buy a large swath of land in Apex for $4.67 million - about half the price the county almost paid for the property in 2007, at the top of the real estate bubble."
1/9/11 Lessons from Tata?
"He will be able to educate school board members as to the direct cost of their pet projects and the impact on the children of Wake County. Now the question to ask is, will he?"
1/9/11 Judgment askew
"However, considering newly appointed Anthony Tata's statements against President Obama and that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president, I have great concerns about the judgment of this man. Something is very wrong here."
1/9/11 Together, forward
"It saddens me that our Wake County school board continues to operate for the good of political agendas rather than the good of the whole. Are we not all lifted up by an educated society? It is abominable to leverage education as a pawn in what has degenerated to political warfare."
1/9/11 Fair Game
"His every word and action of the past, present and future, professional or otherwise, are colored by that proclamation and are rightfully subject to challenge from the moment he was hired."
1/8/11 Tata backs neighborhood schools
"Anthony Tata, the new Wake schools superintendent, made it clear Friday that he would make his own decisions but that he also supports the GOP school board majority's direction toward neighborhood schools."
1/8/11 Character Ed for the board
"More than 20 years ago, officials of the Wake school district got together with citizens groups to forge a program of character education that proved so successful it was adopted throughout the state. Let's see where some current school board members need some help with their character values:"
1/8/11 The push goes on
"Last year it was encouraging to see increased interest in reforming school discipline from the community, media and various school board members. However, Jan. 4 was a reality check. The board voted to delay broad reforms for at least another six months, which was a clear reminder that mostly we've gotten empty rhetoric, a lack of data and information, bureaucratic teams and task forces, and temporary, inadequate diversions."
1/8/11 Payin' and sayin'
"Perhaps it is time for this group to form the "We pay, so we have a say!" coalition in an effort to introduce sanity into the operations and policies of Wake County schools as well as remind the superintendant and the entire school board that they are accountable to taxpayers."
1/8/11 Experience counts
"Sorry to disagree. I want my physician, my lawyer, my educator, my senator, my president, my house painter to have had the experience and knowledge to advise me and to act on experience."
1/8/11 Malodorous hire
"Politics have no place in our education system, and I only hope that Tata can put his conservative biases aside to truly serve the diverse population of Wake County."
1/8/11 Suspension questions
"What I heard at the Jan. 4 school board meeting:"
1/7/11 'Growth' may not always mean 'prosperity'
"Writer Eben Fodor challenges the bedrock assumption found in most U.S. cities, including this one, that "growth" automatically brings jobs and more wealth."
1/7/11 CMS spending: Bigger bucks go to poorer schools
"Newly released per-pupil spending figures show Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spends in some cases more than twice as much on its poorest students as its richest ones, a fact that could impact upcoming debates over how to close a multi-million budget gap."
1/7/11 Tata helped lead Pentagon anti-IED effort often cited for lack of oversight and results
"Republicans on the Wake County School Board hired retired Army Brigadier Gen. Anthony Tata to be the district's superintendent, in part for his military experience and running large organizations. But in his last military post, he was second in command of an organization that has drawn criticism for lacking oversight and spending billions of tax dollars with lackluster results."
1/7/11 Brandon: Education funding must be protected in budget proposals
"Marcus Brandon, one of the small number of freshmen Democrats who will join the General Assembly this month, said Republicans need to present a budget plan that spares education funding."
1/7/11 Tata: Wake parents will be 'toughest commanders yet'
"Meeting with several mayors from across Wake County Friday morning, retired Army general and incoming school superintendent Tony Tata said the district's parents "will be my toughest commanders yet."
1/7/11 Tata: Student achievement, not diversity, will be focus
"When it comes to students, Wake County's new superintendent insists his focus will be on improving their academic performance and preparing them to be competitive on the world stage - not diversity."
1/7/11 Tata meets with Wake mayors, business leaders
"Anthony J. Tata, who will become Wake County's next schools superintendent at the end of the month, continued his whirlwind tour of the area Friday as he met mayors, visited more schools and spoke with local business leaders and the news media."
1/7/11 A congenial Tata meets diverse, divided Wake
"He placated placard-toting protesters. He charmed barbecue-munching, back-slapping supporters. And he smiled for a scrum of cameras wherever he went."
1/6/11 Tata Resumes Listening Tour Today
"New Wake County Schools Superintendent Tony Tata will continue to tour area schools Friday as part of his listening tour to meet with students, teachers and administrators."
1/6/11 Gorman to outline CMS budget cuts
"In a move bound to send shock waves through Mecklenburg County, CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman says he'll outline his plan for cutting $100 million from the 2011 budget on Tuesday."
1/6/11 Wake schools to get $3m windfall from cigarette tax case settlement
"Everybody benefits from this decision," Stephens said from the bench. "Hopefully the board of education finds some rational way to spend the $3 million."
1/6/11 New Wake superintendent making the rounds
"The soon-to-be superintendent of the Wake County Public School System was making the rounds Thursday, meeting students, teachers, parents and taxpayers."
1/6/11 Civitas Institute-sponsored budget seminar for school system generates controversy
"Given the highly politicized activity of Civitas Action - a spinoff of the Civitas Institute - Jeffers, the president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators, asked why the school board would choose to co-sponsor an education budget seminar with the nonprofit."
1/6/11 Of Generals and School Superintendents
"Does the span of control of our superintendent and the budget and number of employees for which he is responsible qualify him to lead an Army Brigade, even though it contains far fewer employees currently under his leadership? Of course not -- he lacks the requisite experience for the core purpose of that Brigade, and no one in a right mind would think otherwise."
1/6/11 Tata begins rounds at Wake Co. schools
"Leaving the school minutes ago, he said he would accessible to the public as superintendent and had had no part in the decision to close to the public his first appearance before the county school board Friday."
1/6/11 Meeting with Tata closed to public
"Schools officials on Wednesday declined to release his full schedule, which media requested repeatedly under public records law. But administrators shared some details: He'll start by meeting with schools officials and staff members today, and he'll visit several schools and community groups."
1/5/11 Feds open Title IX investigation into WCPSS
"Wake County Public Schools received notification that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has filed a Title IX."
1/5/11 Equality, Equity, and Effectiveness
"This post does not concern student assignment. It concerns instead recent efforts by the Board's Economically Disadvantaged Student Performance Task Force to assess "equality" (i.e. sameness) and "equity" (i.e. fairness) in the allocation of school resources. Those efforts are set to resume at the Task Force's next meeting Thursday at 4:30p.m. at Timber Drive Elementary School in Garner."
1/5/11 Eastern Wake residents critique Tata
"Former Wake County school board member Lori Millberg said she's concerned about the manner in which the current board hired new superintendent Anthony Tata and his legacy."
1/5/11 Wake board announces last-minute closed session concerning Tata
"In another last-minute announcement apparently concerning newly hired schools superintendent Anthony Tata, the Wake County School Board has just said it will hold a closed session at 5 p.m. Friday."
1/5/11 Eyes on Tata; he may get earful
"Wake County is preparing to greet future schools superintendent Anthony J. Tata with controversy and congratulations during his initial public appearances here this week."
1/4/11 If We Want to Fix Education, Start at the Beginning
"I have observed what works and what does harm to young students and in my experience there are five necessary steps to success."
1/4/11 Wake County schools employee group will take a wait-and-see approach toward Tata
"Bouncer, whose chapter represents more than 4,500 Wake County teachers and other school system employees, said, "I want to give him an opportunity to see how he's going to interact with the educators here and put some of his ideas and thoughts in place."
1/4/11 Margiotta-affiliated Christian group sought ban on books with explicit content similar to Tata's novels
"Wake County School Board Chair Ron Margiotta may not find new superintendent Anthony Tata's novels appropriate reading material for the students he is about to oversee, according to past actions take by a local Christian group he is affiliated with."
1/3/11 The Questions Education Reformers Aren't Asking
"As well, no one in power is asking the more fundamental questions like: What is the purpose of education in a democracy, and are our reforms enhancing-or possibly restricting-that purpose?"
1/3/11
Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2008-09
1/2/11 When to salute the superintendent
"In one of his now-notorious blog postings, Tata dissed Obama as an "aloof Ivy League intellectual with tremendous contempt for the people he allegedly serves." Aside from the curiously overwrought hostility, how is it acceptable for the person about to become head of North Carolina's largest public school system to have used "intellectual" as a term meant to tear someone down?"
1/2/11 Wake's new school superintendent
"The education of our students is the responsibility of every resident of Wake County."
1/2/11 Poor plot line
"Tata's right-wing ideological rants reveal him to be anything but a consensus builder, so the board majority, evidently intent on tearing down the system from within, must have had a Merry Christmas indeed."
1/2/11 Insight impaired
"With such pedestrian insight, how can our new superintendent set a proper course for academic achievement in Wake County?"
1/2/11 Crossed the line
"Instead, I fear that those in the majority have chosen a military leader to be an enforcer of their will, to effectively bully those who would raise questions and possibly opposition to their ideas."
1/1/11 Mounting concern
"I am sure that the writer, as a 20-year veteran reserve officer, would have been fit to be tied if, after a few hours of instruction, a teacher was hired to be his commanding officer."
