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The full Croal Report made it to the BOCC agenda. It's posted online and includes the absurd "survey" as well as the infamous CMS vs MRMS overlay. The BOCC are deliberately making a farce of both the BOE and the protesters and I can't believe the de facto leaders of the rally groups are allowing this to continue.
Regarding the google maps fiasco, I give credit to the stoptheucpsboe blogger who admitted it was a mistake after realizing the two story difference. What I can't understand is why wasn't it removed from the Croal presentation? These committees need to be working together.
Just fyi...another note about the google map pictures of the schools, the picture of Weddington Middle School is pretty misleading. That is actually Weddington Middle AND Weddington Elementary. The two schools are connected and are housed in one large building with various internal access points from one side of the building to the other. From the picture, the right side of the main building and the 3 wings on the right are the middle school. The left side of the main building and the three left wings are the elementary school.
Just fyi...another note about the google map pictures of the schools, the picture of Weddington Middle School is pretty misleading. That is actually Weddington Middle AND Weddington Elementary. The two schools are connected and are housed in one large building with various internal access points from one side of the building to the other. From the picture, the right side of the main building and the 3 wings on the right are the middle school. The left side of the main building and the three left wings are the elementary school.
Not sure if anyone cleared that up yet or not.
Great point! That's right, and I forgot about that layout.
You know, with that much size in one building, that would make a great K-1 elementary for the whole county! We could close WMS and house those kids in with MRMS and CMS. My work here is done.
The BOCC is only out for the BOCC. They most likely have already identified some obscure request from the Croal report and will suddenly vote to approve funding for it. The press release is probably already written. This is all about poking at the BOE and not about listening to the public. I consider it a circus show: "Ladies and gentleman, step right up and see the bearded lady!!!" Or maybe a better analogy is snake oil salesmen.
Honestly, the BOCC is posturing. That's it. They have the calendar advantage by meeting (again) the day before a BOE meeting. Expect another monkey wrench.
lol - pay per view BOE meetings... help fill funding gaps.
I am still looking for the silver bullet from the anti-redistricting/anti-forced-busing-title-1 "committees".
We've discussed some in the private forums, but it's obvious that the large scale efforts are not likely to get the traction needed to completely avoid some students moving. The Croal report was a dud and I have serious concerns with the latest Rally plan. It seems that it's playing out as many feared - when you get large groups working on a consolidated plan there is a disconnect from the big picture as each small part of the overall group has competing interests. Yes, they may share a common goal of not wanting to be redistricted... but it becomes painfully obvious that you can't keep everyone happy without making some part of the plan egregious to another. By example, the Rally plan must have been heavy on the Middle and High schoolers since it will bus the youngest kids all over the place changing schools several times until they get to Middle school - all to keep the current Middle and High intact? I don't see how this can be taken seriously.
Croal report does have some flaws but it also has some great data.
Croal report and "rally plan" as you call it not joined at hip. Different groups.
Both Croal and Rally plans put together by parents. Parents who don't work for the BoE or the BoCC. Parents who are using their free time to try and come up with something better than the same old tired flawed course of action. Parents who are doing what they can with a limited amount of available data. Parents of students being redistricted and parents of students that are unaffected by proposed redistricting. Parents trying to put together a proactive plan instead of a reactive band aid. We are simply a group of parents with diverse careers that have united to do what is best for our families. We have no agenda other than the well-being of our children. Our goal is that we can meet and have real discussion leading to real action that will best help our children in a way that is most meaningful for them and for the parents that raise them and pay tax dollars for their education.
Croal report does have some flaws but it also has some great data.
Croal report and "rally plan" as you call it not joined at hip. Different groups.
Both Croal and Rally plans put together by parents. Parents who don't work for the BoE or the BoCC. Parents who are using their free time to try and come up with something better than the same old tired flawed course of action. Parents who are doing what they can with a limited amount of available data. Parents of students being redistricted and parents of students that are unaffected by proposed redistricting. Parents trying to put together a proactive plan instead of a reactive band aid. We are simply a group of parents with diverse careers that have united to do what is best for our families. We have no agenda other than the well-being of our children. Our goal is that we can meet and have real discussion leading to real action that will best help our children in a way that is most meaningful for them and for the parents that raise them and pay tax dollars for their education.
I'm aware... on all your points. Just expressing my opinion based on the available data - same as you. This makes neither of us "right", but perfectly entitled to voice concerns or comments.
Regardless of whether the alternate plans are from different sets of parents, a common thread is a smackdown approach to any criticism and bias due to circumstances - which does not pass a sniff test when the same groups responsible for these perfect plans are so steadfast against any redistricting. I think that most reasonable people feel that no "proposal" (croal, rally, or redistrict) is perfect. But there's this strong arm approach of "if you're for any redistricting, you're against us" from the alternative side.
I do not support the redistrict proposal in its current state and think it needs work... but I'm not seeing where any alternative is better than scrapping it completely.
I think if you knew the parents that are doing a lot of the heavy lifting you would find there is definitely not a strong arm approach and a my way or the highway attitude. Quite the contrary. The Rally plan folks for sure know that the plan is not perfect and they welcome assistance! But they also should not have to take abuse--they are not the BOE or the BOCC and they are certainly not the ones that have created this mess! What they don't understand is what seems to be a steadfast refusal by the BOE to engage after repeated requests. They have tried over and over to offer up free time and talent to the BOE to no avail. So when Croal at least gets a reply from the BOCC to come and talk (knowing full well going in its political grandstanding by the BoCC), he probably feels he has to take the opportunity regardless. I have not seen a comment from Rally folks or Croal saying, "this plan is perfect". I think the main goal is to just get the BOE to slow down, consider all options(not just retread band aids), and take a look at what other districts across the country are doing to deal with similar circumstances.
Wasn't the Croal report presented to the BOE at the last meeting?
I thought that is what the speakers were referencing, that they took turns referring the BOE members to different slide numbers.
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