Wake Schools: Déjà Vu All Over Again?

[netbrad]

Originally Posted by meh_whatever

Suggesting we force people to "stay on their side of town" reeks of "separate, but equal."

That won't fly in the South.

That is not what anyone means and you know it. The focus of this board should be on improved academics for all and not a failed busing policy. I'd hardly call that "separate but equal". If you saw the link I posted, great progress was made with low-income students during the year without diversity busing because resources were allocated appropriately. Busing students around doesn't solve anything, it just spreads the problem around. Solve the "problem" schools at the source.

[RedZin]

Originally Posted by netbrad

That is not what anyone means and you know it. The focus of this board should be on improved academics for all and not a failed busing policy. I'd hardly call that "separate but equal". If you saw the link I posted, great progress was made with low-income students during the year without diversity busing because resources were allocated appropriately. Busing students around doesn't solve anything, it just spreads the problem around. Solve the "problem" schools at the source.

So, you support neighborhood schools, I take it?

I'm not against them in theory.

My observation has been that people get to the point that they're gonna get what they want personally, the proceed to ignore what's best for society as a whole.

Get yourself on that school board and champion all these programs that allow poor kids to stay at their neighborhood schools and have as good or better an educational experience as they can have over at Panther Creek and then I'll concede that you're right.

[GotHereQuickAsICould]

Originally Posted by meh_whatever

My observation has been that people get to the point that they're gonna get what they want personally, the proceed to ignore what's best for society as a whole.

Oh, I agree. As long as the School District can spread the low-performing kids out amidst the district, the pressure's off to meet their academic needs, even if that's what's best for society as a whole.

Group these students all together in a few schools and everyone from the neighbors to the federal government will be demanding that something be done as it's an outrage that so many kids are unable to read after twelve years in the public school system.

Those with substandard academic skills are going to find it tough going in the years ahead, not that many low-skilled jobs that pay a decent wage any more.

The social service safety net is stretched thin with cutbacks in everything from Medicaid, to food stamps and subsidized housing. The sink or swim philosophy is gaining momentum and some people can barely tread water.

We can pat ourselves on the back for busing students from south Raleigh to west Cary where if they don't learn to read it's their own darn fault as plenty of students there do.

Or we can figure out what they need to be successful. Perhaps this newly funded Office of Equity and Diversity will be up to the task. One can only hope.

But we could go around this tree from now to New Years. If there is proof that busing works, let's see it.

Otherwise, continuing this conversation is pointless.