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January 1-15, 2012
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLESLETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES
1/15/12 Teachers insulted
"I'm a Wake County high school teacher and it has never, not once, occurred to me to join the N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE). It never occurred to me, that is, until I read about the legislature's shameful and petty decision to prohibit members from paying their dues via automatic withdrawal from their paychecks."
1/15/12 Spur to recruitment
"The goal of our legislators is to reduce the power and influence of an organization that protects the interests of public education, students and educators, and "teach us a lesson" while they are at it. But I expect the fallout from their ploy will actually lead to more teachers joining the association."
1/15/12 GOP's selective hearing
"By moving to punish teachers and the NCAE, the Republican Party is telling teachers and the citizens of North Carolina that they are deaf to the needs of people who work for a living and that they only want to hear from those who either agree with them or who will give them money."
1/15/12 No dark for devious
"The Republican speaker, Thom Tillis, has proclaimed, "We got it done!" Exactly what, has he accomplished?"
1/15/12 Harassment targets
"Wait a minute, aren't the Republicans always complaining about excessive government interference in the lives of citizens?"
1/15/12 Toward Tyranny
"Speaker Thom Tillis has been quoted as saying to the N.C. Association of Educators: The message from the legislature is clear. If you stand against cuts to public education, we will teach you a lesson. In other words: Oppose us, suckers, and you'll pay."
1/14/12 Changes reduce Wake's magnet school requests
"Wake County saw a sharp drop in the number of magnet school applications this year as a new assignment plan changes the way students attend the historically popular program."
1/14/12 Wild ride
"Neither judge nor rocket scientist is needed to ascertain what the Republican-controlled General Assembly was up to when it targeted the teachers lobby with a bill to zap the group's key financing tool."
1/14/12 A volunteer, banned
"But for two and a half years, I have not been allowed to volunteer since I was arrested in August 2010 for nonviolent protesting at a school board meeting."
1/14/12 Nonpartisan by law
"Why do your news articles continue to refer to the Democratic majority, or the Republican minority, on the Wake County Board of Education?"
1/13/12 Wake places 40.9% of applicant pool in magnet schools
"The majority of Wake County applicants were not able, at least for now, to get into magnet schools for this fall, according to results released today."
1/13/12 Wake County magnet school application totals appear to have declined from last year
"The initial indications are that there was a big drop in the number of Wake County magnet school applicants this year."
1/13/12 Tata touts schools plan before Chamber
"But several members of the business group had longer-range questions: How well will Wake schools prepare its students to enter a changing workforce? And will the system continue to draw new businesses and employees?"
1/13/12 Raising more questions about Michael Alves' unannounced meeting with new Wake County school board members
"The issue of Michael Alves' unannounced private meeting with the new Democratic members of the Wake County school board won't seem to go away."
1/13/12 Wake County school system may charge for cost of staff time when handling public records requests
"The new Democratic majority on the Wake County school board may adopt a tougher line on handling public records requests."
1/13/12 The Follies
"Add Senator Thom Goolsby to the list of Republican legislators who either don't understand the damage their state budget is doing to public schools or simply don't want to face it."
1/13/12 Nine NC charter school bids approved for next step
"Nine proposed charter schools have gotten the approval of a North Carolina state panel reviewing whether they would be ready to operate this fall."
1/12/12 Right choice
"In an action that was a notable contrast with the style and substance of its predecessor, the Wake County school board's new majority acted with calm wisdom Tuesday in deciding to move forward with a complex, choice-based school assignment plan."
1/12/12 Just getting oriented
"In printing the Jan. 10 letter captioned "Meeting on the sly" you should have included a note that writer Allison Backhouse was campaign manager/media contact for former Wake County school board chairman Ron Margiotta's campaign, so readers might have the context of her spin."
1/12/12 Wake County school board and staff on how much feeder pattern stability can be guaranteed
"Conflicting views on the feeder patterns could determine just how stable they'll be for families moving forward in Wake County's new student assignment plan."
1/12/12 Hattabaugh: No big changes planned for CMS school hours
"Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh said Wednesday that he won't recommend major changes in Charlotte-Mecklenburg school hours, though he said it's up to the school board to decide whether to budget for extra busing to end unpopular schedules."
1/11/12 Wake County parents can get head start on assignment choices
"Wake County parents don't have to wait to learn about and research options for next school year, they can log on to the student assignment website this week, plug in their address and get a list of elementary, middle and high school options."
1/11/12 Wake schools assignment plan to go forward
"The Democrat-led Wake County school board agreed Tuesday to allow the startup without changes of a student assignment plan developed when the board was under Republican leadership."
1/11/12 The other foot
"After a couple of years of complaints by incumbent Democrats on the officially nonpartisan board that the former Republican majority was both secretive and uninterested in cooperating with the then-minority, a lesson should have been learned."
1/11/12 Interim CMS chief asks county to back $25 million-$30 million for raises
"With the budget picture brightening, interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh on Tuesday urged the school board to ask Mecklenburg County commissioners for $25 million to $30 million to give all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees a raise next year."
1/11/12 CMS parents: Later school hours hurt kids
"Parents, students and employees of Charlotte-Mecklenburg middle schools packed a school board meeting Tuesday to ask the board to end the new late-starting school day, which extends from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m."
1/10/12 Wake School Board spars over 'secret' meeting
"A dispute over a so-called "secret meeting" continued during a Wake County School Board work session Tuesday."
1/10/12 Student assignment plan will move forward on schedule
"Despite lingering concerns, the Wake County student assignment plan will move forward on schedule without any changes."
1/10/12 Report: It's a slow 'Race to the Top'
"The state is laying the groundwork for education improvements using its federal Race to the Top grant, but slow hiring of the dozens of employees needed to do the work have hampered progress, according to a federal report."
1/10/12 Judge blocks law on NCAE dues
"Gessner ruled that the group "demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of immediate injunctive relief" and granted the reprieve until a court can hear arguments in the case, which is likely before the end of the month."
1/10/12 Wake schools assignment plan in turmoil
"The Wake County school board meets today amid conflicting calls from influential community groups about what to do with the choice-based student assignment plan that was adopted in October, when Republicans were in control."
1/10/12 On assignments
"We have two sets of parental feedback indicating at least 94 percent of parents are satisfied with their child's school under the previous assignment plan. Why are 6 percent unhappy?"
1/10/12 Bob Geary says Wake County school board shouldn't delay new student assignment plan
"Bob Geary is urging the Wake County school board to go against the Great Schools in Wake Coalition's call to delay the implementation of the new student assignment plan by a year."
1/10/12 Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce versus Great Schools in Wake Coalition on Wake County student assignment plan
"Who will the Democratic majority on the Wake County school board side with on the new student assignment plan?"
1/10/12 Wake school board: Go, or no-go on Tata assignment plan?
"Well, fellow Wake County citizens, we're down to it on Tony Tata's student assignment plan, a controlled-choice plan with no base assignments for students:"
1/10/12 Group asks Wake Co. schools to delay student assignment plan
"The Wake County school board meets Tuesday and could decide to make changes to the student assignment plan."
1/10/12 All eyes on new CMS board
"After last week's political strife, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board today begins hashing out what changes in its leadership and membership will mean to schools, neighborhoods and taxpayers."
1/9/12 Great Schools in Wake Coalition calling for delay in implementing new Wake County student assignment plan
"The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is calling for the Wake County school board to delay implementation of the new student assignment plan for a year to address what it calls unanswered questions about the plan."
1/9/12 Wake County school board weighing role of student achievement versus proximity in student assignment plan
"Is it a higher value for Wake County students to attend their neighborhood school or for students from low-performing nodes to be able to get into a high-performing school?"
1/9/12 Questions linger about Wake student assignment plan
"An outspoken critic of the old Wake County school board majority is calling on the new board to delay the district's new way of assigning students to schools."
1/9/12 NCAE sues over automatic dues bill
"North Carolina's leading teacher lobbying group has sued to block a new law from taking effect that would prevent its members from having their dues removed automatically from their paychecks."
1/7/12 Changes could delay student plan
"Wake County schools Superintendent Tony Tata warned Friday that last-minute changes to the student assignment plan could delay implementation and affect families who've already made their school plans for this fall."
1/7/12 Secret meeting riles Wake school Republicans
"Republican members of the Wake County school board are accusing the new Democratic majority of breaking their trust by holding an unannounced private meeting with education consultant Michael Alves."
1/7/12 Sale of Jim Black property to bring Wake schools far less than expected
"The Wake County school system stands to get less than half of the amount it expected from land that disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black gave to pay part of the fine for his state corruption conviction."
1/7/12 Checking privileges
"The change in method of collecting teachers association dues harms no one and insures that dues payers who will now write union dues checks know exactly what they are paying. I wish that the same method would be introduced to collect state and federal taxes so that people would be more aware of where their money is going."
1/7/12 Professional dues
"Would you go to a doctor who wasn't a member of the AMA, go to a lawyer not a member of the Bar Association or take your dog to a veterinarian not a member of the veterinarians association? Of course not! So why are legislators making it so difficult for those who are educating the children of this state to belong to their professional organization?"
1/7/12 Second-class citizens
"Other state workers will continue to have their dues checkoff privileges intact, while educators will lose those same privileges. The group of privileged citizens continues to shrink."
1/7/12 Teachers vs. cuts
"I'm not a public school teacher, and I'm in awe of the job they do with my kids every day. Teaching should be an honored profession. Instead, House Speaker Thom Tillis and his Republican colleagues are targeting these hard-working public servants."
1/6/12 The follies
"They think it is ok for them to run the General Assembly any way they want, break any rule, hold any secret meeting, prohibit any debate, because they think the people simply don't care. Lovely."
1/6/12 Tata: Despite concerns, assignment plan is on track
"Wake County Public School System Superintendent Tony Tata said Friday that, as far as he's concerned, the district's new choice-model student assignment plan is on track, despite some school board members wanting to put it on hold temporarily."
1/6/12 Wake parents hear about single-sex schools
"With the Jan. 13 application deadline about a week away, a few hundred parents and students crowded a large conference room in Cary to hear about new single-sex Wake Leadership academies."
1/6/12 N.C. teachers group says it was in GOP's sights
"Leaders of the state's largest teachers group said they will claim retaliation when they go to court to kill a law that could hurt membership in the influential organization."
1/6/12 Fright night
"The objective was transparent: Teachers have criticized Republican-led cuts in education and supported many Democratic candidates, so the GOP leadership wanted to slap them around a little."
1/6/12 Official silence on hitting students
"It did not even ask local districts for reports on the use of corporal punishment until the General Assembly required such reports just a year ago."
1/6/12 Wake County school board members on the level of scrutiny of the student assignment plan's implementation
"Are the new Democratic members of the Wake County school board doing their job to make sure the student assignment plan is ready or are they micromanaging the process?"
1/6/12 Party line vote brings Stinson-Wesley to CMS board; 'It's a new game'
"The Rev. Amelia Stinson-Wesley, a little-known PTA parent and anti-violence activist, was appointed Thursday to the District 6 seat on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board on a vote that split on party lines."
1/5/12 Teachers group to file suit over overnight override
"The North Carolina Association of Educators said Thursday that it plans to file a lawsuit against the state after Republican lawmakers engineered a late-night vote targeting the teachers organization."
1/5/12 Wake schools pitching leadership academies to students
"Wake County Public School System administrators are focusing their efforts on eighth-graders to promote the district's two leadership academies opening in the fall."
1/5/12 Wake County GOP accuses Democratic school board majority of "reckless behavior"
"Wake County Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Bryant is accusing the new Democratic majority on the school board of engaging in "reckless behavior" with the potential changes to the student assignment plan."
1/5/12 Wake County GOP school board members complain about not being told of meeting with Michael Alves
"The Republican members of the Wake County school board are not happy that they weren't notified that education consultant Michael Alves was holding a private meeting with the new Democratic board members."
1/5/12 Perdue calls Republican move 'revenge'; GOP defends move
"Early Thursday, the General Assembly overrode Perdue's veto of a bill that eliminates the ability of North Carolina's largest teachers' group to have dues deducted directly from teacher paychecks."
1/5/12 The newly revealed arrogance
"That's an odd point to make since House Speaker Thom Tillis was overhead earlier in the session on a microphone he didn't realize was on saying that the bill was all about punishing the NCAE for the groups political activity."
1/5/12 Teachers' organization fires back over veto override
"A group of North Carolina teachers is firing back at Republican lawmakers and promising legal action. They're accusing Republicans in the State House of pulling a fast one."
1/5/12 Changes to Wake school assignments debated
"Parents of Wake County's more than 20,000 rising sixth- and ninth-graders may face unexpected, last-minute changes in where their children go to school this fall."
1/5/12 GOP overrides veto of bill to weaken teachers group
"Just after 1 a.m. today, in a secreted session critics called unconstitutional, Republican legislative leaders passed a bill aimed at weakening the state's largest teachers association."
1/5/12 Wake County school board member Jim Martin warning of unintended consequences of new feeder patterns
"The potential impact of the feeder patterns on school demographics is one reason members of the Democratic majority on the Wake County school board are raising concerns about the new student assignment plan."
1/5/12 NC lawmakers override another Perdue veto
"The Legislature early Thursday overrode Gov. Beverly Perdue's veto of a bill that eliminates the ability of North Carolina's largest teachers' group to have dues deducted directly from teacher paychecks, giving Republicans a victory over an organization historically aligned with Democrats."
1/5/12 Just when you thought the GOP legislature couldn't get any slimier...
"After failing to muster the votes to override the Governor's veto of the Racial Justice Act repeal, they "adjourned" the special session and then called another one at 1:00 a.m. to override another veto - this one of a bill that would prevent the North Carolina Association of Educators from collecting dues from members via payroll deduction."
1/5/12 Choice of new CMS board member prompts questions
"The contest to represent the southern suburbs on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board could come down to a high-profile Democrat and a little-known accountant."
1/5/12 House overrides NCAE bill veto in unprecedented midnight session
"In an unprecedented move early Thursday, the North Carolina General Assembly voted to hold a special legislative session after midnight for veto overrides, prompting a sharp rebuke from Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue."
1/4/12 Parents question Wake assignment plan's feeder patterns
"Wake County schools leaders say they have received mostly positive feedback on the new student assignment plan, which is set to take effect in two weeks, but a group of parents is asking the board to take another look at the feeder patterns before moving forward with the new plan."
1/4/12 Terry Stoops says "it's foolish" for Wake County school board to make substantive changes to student assignment plan now
"Terry Stoops is offering "unsolicited advice" to the new Democratic majority on the Wake County school board that's contemplating substantive changes to the student assignment plan."
1/4/12 Change likely in Wake school assignment plan
"The Wake County school board's new Democratic majority pushed for substantive changes in the system's new assignment plan in a tense work session Tuesday, while Superintendent Tony Tata, the man behind the plan, and his Republican supporters argued for leaving it alone."
1/4/12 Reality show
"If nothing else, just go by the numbers: There are 7,000 more students in the Wake County schools than there were about three years ago, although the funding allotment by county commissioners has stayed pretty much the same at $314 million. The schools have done their best, but the time may well come when commissioners will have to consider giving the budget a boost."
1/4/12 Underpaid in Wake
"Much has been written about the Wake County school board elections, school reassignment, magnet schools and extension of the school year. Yet teacher compensation, a critical factor in teacher retention and maintaining our excellent public education system, goes unmentioned."
1/4/12 Wake County school board weighing pros and cons of delaying feeder patterns
"Are the complaints that have come in about the new feeder patterns worth the consequences of delaying their implementation in Wake County's new student assignment plan?"
1/4/12 CMS board to select District 6 rep. Thursday
"After spending 2 1/2 hours Tuesday listening to 12 people who want to represent District 6, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board will reconvene Thursday to choose one."
1/3/12 Last-minute changes proposed for Wake student assignment plan
"Just two weeks before Wake County's new student assignment plan is set to take effect, some school board members said they're not comfortable supporting it and proposed last-minute changes."
1/3/12 Hearing today to review Wake school plan
"Wake County parents wondering where their children will go to school this fall should get some clarity today after school board members review the new student assignment plan."
1/3/12 Wake County school system extending office hours to provide information on student assignment plan
"Wake County school administrators are pushing full steam ahead on the student assignment plan, announcing today that office hours will be extended to provide parental information."
1/3/12 Wake County school board to wrestle with changes to student assignment plan
"Should the Wake County school board make changes to the student assignment plan for the 2012-13 school year or wait until 2013-14 to implement them?"
1/3/12 Signs point to a school funding budget battle in Wake County
"Get ready for what looks to be a rocky budget season between the Wake County Board of Commissioners and the Wake County school board."
1/3/12 Chartering a dangerous path
"But if you are looking for the sleeper issue of 2012, it might be charter schools."
1/2/12 Filling new schools under Wake County's controlled-choice student assignment plan
"How hard will it be for Wake County's new choice-based student assignment plan to fill new schools, especially ones opening in modular campuses?"
1/2/12 Wake County school board election results make lists for top 2011 news stories
"It's not much of a surprise that the Wake County school board elections have made some lists of top news stories in 2011."
1/2/12 Application time again for schools
"Students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will bring home letters this week notifying families of their presumed 2012-13 assignment, which could be a neighborhood school or a continuation of a magnet they're already in. Those who want to apply for something else can enter the 2012 magnet lottery starting Friday."
12/31/11 Triangle Politics: Wake school board makes 'gesture of good listening'
"Speakers once again will have three minutes each during the public comment section at Wake County school board meetings."
12/31/11 Teachers' pay that reflects respect
"I also realize that this idea is also pie in the sky. But as long as we continue to pay teachers low wages across the board, and only pretend to respect the profession, we will continue to hear the phrase, "Oh, he/she is just a teacher."
12/31/11 Teaching success requires interaction with students
"Teachers must motivate and counsel. Increasing the number of students a teacher daily works with is unlikely to have a positive impact on that critical part of the job."
12/30/11 Accusing Tony Tata of militarizing the Wake County school system
"Is the Wake County school system undergoing "militarization" under the tenure of Superintendent Tony Tata?"
12/29/11 Restoring public comment to three minutes per speaker
"School board chairman Kevin Hill said he'd institute the change starting in January. It came after new school board member Jim Martin said giving three minutes would be a "gesture of good listening" as he also noted that speakers at Wake County commissioner meetings get three minutes."
