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May 1-15, 2011, News Archive
5/8/11 Magnet claims
"In fact, although this year there were 270 more acceptances than last year, approximately 300 were due to the N.C. State STEM magnet program opening and space created by node changes at two schools. Without these extra seats, magnet acceptances would have been lower than last year. And overall applications were down."
5/8/11 Who's the power behind CMS?
"Superintendent Peter Gorman may be the face of public education in Charlotte, but is a Los Angeles billionaire the power behind the scenes?"
5/7/11 Groups rail against planned classroom cuts
"About 40 state and local groups have joined forces to push back against education cuts in the state budget."
5/7/11 A fresh look at school segregation
"Today, we must recognize that public schools across the country have become increasingly segregated in terms of race and class - forfeiting the promise of equal access to quality education for all children. North Carolina is no exception."
5/6/11 Tata: House budget could affect 1,000 Wake school employees
"If the House of Representatives' version of the state budget is approved, Wake County schools Superintendent Tony Tata said Friday that the educational cuts could impact about 1,000 school employees."
5/6/11 Wake schools decline offer to hold 2nd public hearing
"The Wake County schools system today said no thanks to an offer by the federal Department of Education to hold a second community meeting on a complaint filed against the system by the NAACP."
5/6/11 State would set school layoff policy under House budget
"The budget just approved by the House includes a provision that makes the State Board of Education, not local boards, responsible for setting policy on how impending school layoffs will be handled."
5/5/11 Civil rights panel gets an earful on Wake schools
"All the conflict raging about the Wake schools for the past year and a half came spilling out Wednesday night when a panel of federal civil rights investigators heard testimony - often heated - in an East Raleigh church."
5/5/11 Poll shows support for tax, education spending
"A poll sponsored by state university boosters shows a clear majority of residents want to keep the temporary one-cent sales tax if it spares education from significant budget cuts."
5/5/11 Risky budget cuts
"Recent public discussions reported in The N&O about the proposed budget cuts to public schools prompt me to clarify some of the information circulating on the issue of budget cuts and layoffs."
5/5/11 Heated words used at OCR meeting
"Things definitely got heated at Wednesday night's forum looking into allegations of racial discrimination by the Wake County school system."
5/5/11 NC House budget has state set school layoff policy
"The budget just approved by the House includes a provision that makes the State Board of Education, not local boards, responsible for setting policy on how impending school layoffs will be handled."
5/5/11 Stability, diversity are 'clarion calls,' Wake schools chief says
"Ninety days into his tenure as superintendent of the Wake County Public School System, Tony Tata says the matter of student assignment is among the top concerns among parents and teachers he's met with over the past few months."
5/4/11 Teachers protest N.C. budget cuts
"A sea of public school teachers in red T-shirts chanted, shouted and danced through a rally across the street from the legislature Tuesday afternoon in a raucous fight against budget cuts."
5/4/11 5 Wake schools go to new schedule
"With the shadow of next year's bare-bones budget hanging over them, Wake County school board members voted Tuesday to change schedules at five year-round elementary schools, a cost-saving move affecting more than 3,000 students and their families."
5/4/11 A public promise
"Opponents of the legislation note that public schools must account for what they're doing to provide for disabled youngsters. The standards might vary widely in private schools where the same degree of accountability didn't exist - so students wouldn't necessarily be helped."
5/4/11 Church is fine setting for civil rights forum
"Tedesco and Majestic are entitled to their opinions, but their viewpoints on this particular issue involving the OCR's meeting venue are a sobering reminder that more honest discourse is needed in order to meet the needs of the thousands of citizens who live in and around Martin Street Baptist Church and beyond."
5/4/11 Budget cuts and real consequences: Robert's story
"These cuts would harm every school-age child in the state, and most dramatically, low-income and minority students. If instituted, the House budget proposal would reduce the quality of public education in North Carolina."
5/4/11 Federal civil rights investigators hear community thoughts on Wake schools
"Nearly a year after filing a federal complaint against Wake County Schools, the state NAACP and others got the chance voice their concerns directly to those investigating it."
5/3/11 Triangle schools expect cuts; issue is, how much
"Triangle school leaders are bracing for budget cuts and layoffs that could affect the quality of education students will receive in the coming school year."
5/2/11 Wake schools soften on zero tolerance
"Zero tolerance will no longer be tolerated in the Wake County school system, assuming
a proposed overhaul of discipline policies - one designed to keep more students in school - is approved."
5/2/11 Time on task
"Everybody talks about education reform. Most of the talk is distorted by politics. It centers on deep-seated ideological controversies - over public schools, private schools, charter schools, teachers unions, vouchers and tax credits. What if we actually focused on reforming education?"
5/2/11 A serious setback to Pre-K schooling
"The state House of Representatives' budget bill would essentially eliminate state pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) in North Carolina."
5/2/11 School board weighing whether to use purpose and function
"Will Wake County school board members side with county commissioners or school district staff on the issue of "purpose and function" in school budgeting?"
5/2/11 Monday numbers
"500 million-amount in dollars that the House budget reduces spending on public education by eliminating 8,694 teaching assistants, cutting 290 instructional support jobs, cut 1,700 non-instructional jobs, cutting support for limited English proficiency, eliminating Drop-Out Prevention Grants, cutting state support for textbooks by 68% and instructional supplies by 42%, and cutting funds for local school transportation (The Devil's in the Details: House Budget Subcommittee Recommendations, N.C. Budget and Tax Center, April 13, 2011)"
5/2/11 Hagan, Duncan tout Durham school as way to curb 'dropout factories'
"U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Sen. Kay Hagan were at a Durham high school this morning to talk about ways to turn around low-performing schools."
5/2/11 Norwalk to quit Wake commissioner's post now
"Democratic Commissioner Stan Norwalk has just announced that today's meeting of the board of commissioners will be his last."
5/1/11 Back to School for the Billionaires
"Has this big money made the big impact that they-as well as teachers, administrators, parents, and students-hoped for?"
5/1/11 State Democrats want to use Wake school board elections to revive party
"North Carolina Democratic leaders are again hoping they can mobilize opposition to the Wake County school board to revive the party."
5/1/11 Young people share their thoughts on CMS
"They need to start actually working together, rather than trying to sabotage each other," said Jalen Feaster, a Mallard Creek High junior. "Students, we get fed up, because that's our education."
