Media Coverage

5/20/12 Wake may reopen former Raleigh schools
"Wake County school administrators are looking at the feasibility of reactivating the Thompson School and the Crosby-Garfield School, both in Southeast Raleigh near downtown. Both buildings, owned by the county and used for county offices and by community groups, might be returned to the school system and reopened as schools as soon as fall 2013."

5/20/12 The way to pay
"I figured out how teachers can get fair compensation from this Republican-controlled legislature!"

4/29/12 Crowded schools
"We are not making optimal use of the facilities we have. We are making costly mistakes not only in terms of wise use of available resources but also with regard to our children's quality of education."

4/28/12 Still waiting
"Imagine my joy when I read in the N&O April 27 that "all 221 students who weren't assigned a school during round one were given an assignment on Thursday." And then the shock after checking the WCPSS website and finding that my children had, in fact, not been given an assignment; we are, as we have been, on the wait list."

Why is New York City able to recover from economic turmoil faster than other cities?  And, what is it about New York City that makes it so attractive to both businesses and individuals alike?

According to NYC's Mayor Michael Bloomberg it is the city's ability to look to the future that makes it such a desirable place to work and live.  The city invests in the quality of life for its citizens including schools, transit, entertainment, and affordable housing.  This investment makes New York an attractive option for businesses now and into the future.  The city also encourages an innovative and diverse economy that allows the city to remain strong when certain industries are suffering.

Wake County needs to follow New York's lead and invest in the future today.

Read and listen to Mayor Bloomberg's speech here.

3/31/12 CMS breaks with no word on bells
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools families are going into spring break without an answer on whether school hours will change next year."

3/31/12 Deceptive data
"They concealed these true numbers from us, but they insist on calling it "balanced transparency." Many of us would call it deception. They gave reasons to justify what they did, but it does not change the fact that they intentionally withheld information parents needed in order to make the best decisions for our children."

3/17/12 Wake County parents react to school choice results
"The winners of Wake County's new student assignment plan were cheering Friday about getting into the schools they wanted for this fall, while some other parents spoke bitterly about not getting even one of their choices."

3/17/12 Wake County still waiting to place 225 students at schools
"There are some 200+ applicants who are in limbo right now in Wake County's new student assignment plan."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES

2/26/12 State to decide fate of proposed Orange charter school
"The Howard and Lillian Lee Scholars Charter school would target black and minority students, many of whom still lag behind white students in test scores in both Orange County districts and throughout the Triangle."

2/26/12 Troubled schools brace for shakeup
"On Monday, hundreds of educators in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' new Project LIFT Zone will start learning their place in the public-private partnership aimed at transforming nine high-poverty schools."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES

2/15/12 Wake families urge schools not to shift schedules
"Parents across Wake County are telling the school system that proposed schedule changes this fall will increase their child-care costs and disrupt their children's activity and sleep schedules."

2/15/12 CMS scraps controversial tests, teacher ratings
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is scrapping 52 controversial year-end exams, including one-on-one testing for children as young as kindergarten, and the "value-added" test-score ratings that had teachers up in arms last spring."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES
1/29/12 Well-rounded students
"Engagement with that silly stuff that involves diversity of background and opinion is hard work."

1/29/12 In some schools, parents and PTAs to buy technology
"But Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools say that's the best hope for embracing the digital age, which moves faster than government budgets and bureaucratic decisions."

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."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES

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."