News Alerts

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."

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."

11/20/11 Schools' way forward
"No one wants to move backward; the newly elected board members have stated that they plan to move forward with deliberation, information and in the interest of providing the best education for all our children. Fear, however is once again being fueled. Let's move forward, people; we are supposed to be examples for our children."

11/19/11 Last-minute cash helped sway District 3 runoff
"A flurry of last-minute money, including some from a national liberal group, helped propel Democrats back into the majority on the Wake County school board this fall."

There's a good case to be made for what could be called the all-the-way approach to mass transit improvements in the Triangle - load on the works, with expanded bus service plus commuter trains and light rail.

But it also can be argued that undertaking all of those transit upgrades at once would be too ambitious. Wake County Manager David Cooke's latest strategy reflects a sense that it would be better to stretch things out - better financially and better politically. He could be on the right track.

Speaking of tracks: It's the rail component of the overall improvement plan that causes heartburn here and there, especially among some of our local conservatives. But Cooke makes a distinction between commuter rail service that could be up and running fairly quickly, using existing N.C. Railroad tracks through the heart of the Triangle, and light rail between Cary and north Raleigh, which would be a new animal.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/ARTICLES

10/15/11 School assignment vote should go on, Tata says
"Wake County schools Superintendent Tony Tata stands behind his decision to ask for a vote on the new student assignment plan next week - even as some newly elected school board members and parents say the vote should be delayed."

10/15/11 Pre-K resolve
"The recognition by Gov. Beverly Perdue that the state should follow a judge's decision on pre-kindergarten programs for all at-risk children in North Carolina is important."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

11/13/11 New school stewards: Now, results

"The debate over student assignment has touched on a deeper set of issues at the heart of public education: How can schools maximize the prospects of each and every student? Are sound policies and ample resources the key to success or does success hinge on the motivation and self-responsibility of students and parents? Yes, and yes. As for the new school board, it must fully own up to the system's past shortcomings and be relentless in pushing toward new heights for all."

11/13/11 Party, race shaped board wins

9/10/11 Magnet busing may be cut back
"Wake County magnet school students could lose door-to-door bus service under a proposal to save money and reduce long bus rides that sometimes reach two hours each way."
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/09/10/1474974/magnet-busing-may-be-cut-...

9/10/11 Potential impact of switching to express busing only for magnet schools
"How much of an impact would going to express busing only for Wake County magnet schools have on the program?"
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/potential-impact-of-switching-to-ex...

8/31/11 Wake NCAE announces school board candidate endorsements
"In a press release today, Wake NCAE announced it was endorsing Kevin Hill in District 3, Keith Sutton in District 4, Jim Martin in District 5, Christine Kushner in District 6 and Susan Evans in District 8."
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-ncae-announces-school-board-ca...

8/31/11 Wake Democrats announce school board and municipal candidate endorsements
"As expected, the Wake County Democratic Party announced Tuesday that it was endorsing Kevin Hill in District 3, Keith Sutton in District 4, Jim Martin in District 5, Christine Kushner in District 6 and Susan Evans in District 8."
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-democrats-announce-school-boar...