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My suggestion is try the new schools encourage your kids to make it better. Upset you are wealthy and you perceive their new school as "poor", well then donate more to the school through invest in a child or boosterthon or whatever else they do to raise money. Raise money for the sports boosters. There are at best 5000 kids being moved. Its a good use of existing resources without burdening the taxpayers further.
How does one make Western Union any better? A school recommended for demolishment. A school and infrastructure that fails to meet most of the standards set forth by the state of North Carolina. Raise money via boosterthons?!?? Been there and done that at NTES only to be redistricted. Can't imagine parents subjected to the move to flush money away beyond serving the needs of their children directly to booster a school that will be leveled or will have to move kids due to another redistricting in a few years.
As for us, we'll be watching from the sidelines now for a few years to see how the drama unfolds.
For those parents that have planned visits to Western Union Elementary School starting later today and over the next few months you might want to be equipped with this facilities report. Please be sure to read- check out all the unsatisfactory check marks and ask questions. http://fpc.ucps.k12.nc.us/documents/...tarySchool.pdf
but wait....its NOT about test scores, isn't that right Ms Ellis....so that cant possibly be the reason. My issue is with the "overcrowding"....284 students....you move 5800 students around for a surplus of 284.....but wait, it was then about "filling empty seats"....ok, so fill empty seats at one school, and leave another school at 75% capacity....yes I know, those people decided the future of our children, that's what scares me
umm...you entrust "those people" with your child every day when you send them to school. You do have a choice, you know?
For those parents that have planned visits to Western Union Elementary School starting later today and over the next few months you might want to be equipped with this facilities report. Please be sure to read- check out all the unsatisfactory check marks and ask questions. http://fpc.ucps.k12.nc.us/documents/...tarySchool.pdf
Yes, because the parent volunteer or guidance counselor that will be giving tours will have all of your facilities/upgrades answers I'm sure. Give me a break.
Thanks doc, I'm not a racist, I wholeheartedly believe in inclusion and equality. I teach my kids respect for all and anything less, to me is unacceptable behavior. That's what makes the OP's remarks about me so laughable.
See this is where I have to respectfully disagree. I was a product of the forced busing initiative of Char-Meck for six long years during the 70's. While that was for racial balance in poor schools, this smells exactly the same. Move kids from a higher economic level (and their parents and their pocketbooks) into lower economic and yes, lower academically performing schools. Yes absolutely there are outstanding performers, teachers and admins in these schools but the state numbers on scores, grad rates, crime, academic proficiency doesn't sway the story in the most positive light. This is why people are afraid. This is pretty scary stuff it you think about it clearly. Coupled with the ass clownery actions of both the BoE and the BoCC, it is absolutely understandable why people are mad. They should be, they got screwed by their elected officials and right or wrong they should stand up and hold the government accountable.
See, here I agree. I don't care if my kids go to a brand new school, that has never been something that I have cared about. To me, the learning environment and overall support are more important. That said , the conditions of some of these schools is frankly unacceptable and the conditions of these schools are a significant part of the overall learning environment. If anything comes out of all this, it better be to fix these schools. I got no problem standing up for that, I don't think that anyone would. No one, regardless of who they are, should be subjected to what I've seen in some of these schools. Again, this is on both the BoE and BoCC. So if anything, people that are already in these schools should be joining the forced busing people to pound the message into the BoE and BoCC
Ok, So you Believe in inclusion and equality. However, you do admit this smells exactly the same as busing. Socioeconomic and Racial components. Its in your own words. Which is my point from my very first post. Most are fine with it as long as its not Their kids. However, over the past 7 pages my observation was shot down. Its amazing how inconsistent everyones arguments are when they don't want to look like snobby racists.
Edit-I have read your posts regarding your children's special needs and I understand your intentions. I do happen to believe that the majority do not have circumstances such as your own.
You ever been to Blackstone or Wesley Oaks? Neither are hardly McMansions. Go over to Skycroft or Firethorne or Providence Downs to see what real McMansions look like. BTW none of those neighborhoods got forced out of their neighborhood schools.
Really, while they are certainly not 7000 sq ft homes compared to Skyecroft. But They are certainly twice as large as the median home size in America. Yes I have spent plenty of time in those neighborhoods. Keep driving east towards Monroe and those students would classify those homes in Blackstone as Mansions. Again those other neighborhoods you bring up are deeply nestled into the Western most part of the county. Those on the "barrier" neighborhood east of Billy Howey are the ones complaining the loudest because they have to go to "bad"schools with poor kids from Monroe. Its simple. The lead lawyer is from east of Billy Howey not nestled deep in the confines of Providence Downs. Why is that? Just more deeply passionate parents from that area? Open your eyes.
Yes, because the parent volunteer or guidance counselor that will be giving tours will have all of your facilities/upgrades answers I'm sure. Give me a break.
Then the people that do have answers shouldn't be avoiding, dodging, deflecting, and changing their stories.
There is a racial component. White kids from McMansions in blackstone and Wesley oaks will have to go to school with less affluent and possibly people of color at sun valley and parkwood
nckeith, you are completely wrong and quite honestly offensive to even suggest this.
Not many know but the HOA that manages Wesley Oaks also manages two other neighborhoods so "Wesley Oaks" is really made up of three different neighborhoods (The Glen and The Estates). All three neighborhoods are going to SV and as a resident I can assure you there are many in our 3 neighborhoods that are embarrassed by the actions of the loud mouth minority coming out of our neighborhoods. If you knew the "leaders" of this resistance in Wesley Oaks, you would realize some of them have very bad reputations in the community but now have an audience with others who are either unwilling or unable to think for themselves. The animosity they spew is egregious and I truly feel for the parents, students and administration at SV and PW.
So bring on the questions that may come up.....Yes I would have liked to stay at Cuthbertson but it didn't happen and guess what....my kids will be just fine and won't get beat up, bullied, picked on or receive a bad education. They will still have every opportunity to be successful because I choose to be involved. What better way to help your children than to take this as an opportunity to work with them closely through the change because guess what....it won't be the last time in their lifetimes they will have to deal with change.
Lastly, I did have a good laugh at your comment when I spoke to one of my friends in the neighborhood who is, as you say, one of the "people of color" going from Cuthbertson to SV. He feels the same way as I do and his children will be just fine. No need to put all of us in the same box....it's a big world out there.
nckeith - you're late to the party in this thread trying to cover points already debated pages and pages back. For those who have been posting here from the beginning (and have been consistent on opinions), it's all old points. Stop trying to compartmentalize the issues with redistricting and how it all played out... you can't wrap it up nicely into a box saying "it's all about <one thing>". It isn't - what is going on here is bigger than the redistrict itself. Take the blinders off. Look beyond what is distracting you.
Forget the lawsuit... it's silly and going nowhere. The fact that you even care to debate about it makes me think you don't get how useless it is. It will make a handful of people temporarily happy because they feel they are doing something. That's it. They aren't going to successfully sue the BOE. We know that. Move on.
Forget the whining overly entitled parents you seem to be fixating on. They are being ignored by us in the middle ground. They are not making valid points. We know that. Move on.
You need to take a step back and ask yourself some hard questions with regard to how this has played out since the BOE/BOCC shenanigans began long ago... up to and including pre-lawsuit between those govt entities. There are serious issues there that need to be addressed and you're focusing on McMansions, race, and socioeconomic distractions. The serious folks are looking at the BOE and BOCC, not race. Are you?
If you're happy this time around because the lines fell in favor of you - i.e. "geography was your friend" (as you would put it), then I'm sorry to say you're being naive. The BOE bungled the largest redistricting they ever attempted... period. Too few people were actual stakeholders and there were deals cut for select people only. The checks and balances for something this big were sorely lacking. The process is broken if a "policy decision" can be handled this way.
Put some focus on who this plan really benefits... Who made out the best with this deal? Did you ever think about that?
nckeith - you're late to the party in this thread trying to cover points already debated pages and pages back. For those who have been posting here from the beginning (and have been consistent on opinions), it's all old points. Stop trying to compartmentalize the issues with redistricting and how it all played out... you can't wrap it up nicely into a box saying "it's all about <one thing>". It isn't - what is going on here is bigger than the redistrict itself. Take the blinders off. Look beyond what is distracting you.
Forget the lawsuit... it's silly and going nowhere. The fact that you even care to debate about it makes me think you don't get how useless it is. It will make a handful of people temporarily happy because they feel they are doing something. That's it. They aren't going to successfully sue the BOE. We know that. Move on.
Forget the whining overly entitled parents you seem to be fixating on. They are being ignored by us in the middle ground. They are not making valid points. We know that. Move on.
You need to take a step back and ask yourself some hard questions with regard to how this has played out since the BOE/BOCC shenanigans began long ago... up to and including pre-lawsuit between those govt entities. There are serious issues there that need to be addressed and you're focusing on McMansions, race, and socioeconomic distractions. The serious folks are looking at the BOE and BOCC, not race. Are you?
If you're happy this time around because the lines fell in favor of you - i.e. "geography was your friend" (as you would put it), then I'm sorry to say you're being naive. The BOE bungled the largest redistricting they ever attempted... period. Too few people were actual stakeholders and there were deals cut for select people only. The checks and balances for something this big were sorely lacking. The process is broken if a "policy decision" can be handled this way.
Put some focus on who this plan really benefits... Who made out the best with this deal? Did you ever think about that?
I agree with your points. However, I have only come into this conversation yesterday. I only observe these obsessive, loud obnoxious folks on the news that continue this fight today. I am not discrediting folks with special need children. I have been and will continue to point out that the undertones of the most vocal, the attorneys that are going to swindle and the people at rally's have a very narrow focus at this point and to my eyes and to many i have spoken too, there intentions are clouded with undertones of elitism and racism. You are the first detractor of the plan in the last 8 pages that has admitted the lawsuit will go nowhere. I have not debated it. Yet "your camp" (i use the term loosely, since it is made up of many different folks) has continued to use the media to try and raise the 175,000.00. Has your middle ground been eroded by this few extremists. If thats the case my point is being made for me.
Last edited by nckeith; 03-11-2014 at 07:38 AM..
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