We Need To Encourage Black Males To Enroll In The Edgecombe County Early College

Edgecombe Early College is such a unique opportunity for students to earn their high school diploma while also earning a two year associates degree. This is a five year commitment from students, but the end result is that they save time and money!  During the 5 years students are enrolled in high school and college classes all the while working toward their high school diploma and a two year degree.  The hope is that our students leave the Early College prepared to continue their education at a University or for the world of work, whichever they choose.  Our goal is to reach the most under served populations in Edgecombe County, and our particular interest in in those that are first generation college students.  Our program provides tons of support for students that are interested in putting in the effort!

The deadline has been extended to the 12th.  There will be a parent night on Tuesday evening March 9 from 5:30 until 8:00.

Note: I am challenging everyone especially churches, fraternities and others who knows some black males to ask them to consider enrolling at the EEC.

Cold snap swells area utility bills – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

Based on calculations released by the Rocky Mount utilities department, area temperatures were between 15 percent and 35 percent colder than normal the past three months. (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)

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EectriCities

Part 4: Parents of Child At G. W. Carver School Questions The Central Office To Move Their Child But Tell Them Not To Come To The Hearing Scheduled for Monday Night

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Mr. William Ellis Principal
G.W. Carver Elementary School
Pinetops, North Carolina

Dear Mr. Ellis:

This is an official letter requesting a conference with Mrs. X, Mrs. X, guidance counselor, school nurse and you. The request for all of the said names to be present is because of a recent incident that happened on or around Thursday February 18, 2010 as well as other concerns that have not been addressed dating back to the beginning of the school 2009 – 2010 school year.

We are deeply concerned that we were not notified about an incident that happened on or around Thursday February 18, 2010 in which we received a phone call stating that our child had eaten another child’s vomit. The teacher did not call us to inform us that we needed to come to the school and at that time we could have possibly met with the school nurse and decided what steps we needed to take due to the safety of the child. However we may have chosen to take the child to see a physician outside of the school.

We received a call from Ms. X on or around February 22 informing us about the vomit incident. We appreciate Ms. X for calling however we feel it was the teacher or the principal duty to contact us at the time this happened. If the child had not been sent to Ms. X, it is a possibility that we would never have found out about this incident. The child could have gotten sick and we would not have known what may have been the possible cause. Not only have we heard that our child ate the vomit but that some type of chemical was put on the vomit as well.

We feel the teacher and G.W. Carver Elementary School did not follow their own policy and procedures for reporting such incident. This document is to be considered as an official complaint.

If the teacher and G.W. Carver Elementary School had followed their own policy and procedures we feel we would not have an official complaint. However since it is fact that our child ate the vomit and the chemicals that was added, therefore we feel strongly we have a legitimate complaint.

We are requesting a meeting with said names above so that we can discuss this situation and other concerns. We would like to meet to begin the process of bringing some closure to the February 18 incident along with the concerns that we have had this school year. We have requested that our child be removed from Mrs. X’s room and it has been denied. We have also mentioned that we wanted to transfer our child to another school. We have requested that our child receive speech therapist services and nothing has been done. We took it upon ourselves to get our child some help so we take our child to Heritage Hospital 2 days a week whereby he receives speech therapy services.

We had a hearing scheduled for Monday March 8, 2010 with the Board of Education to request moving our child out of the school but that was only because you have denied moving our child out of Mrs. Hyman’s class.

We received a phone call from Mrs. Cofield at the Central Office on Friday March 5, 2010 saying we do not have to attend the hearing on Monday March 8, 2010 because our child can be transferred to Princeville Elementary School. We find this somewhat strange because it is our intention to have a discussion about our child before any change is to occur. It appears that since the February 18 incident has occurred, someone, not quite clear who is ready to just move our child out of the school.

We requested a meeting last week to meet with you, Mrs. X, Mrs. X, the guidance counselor and the school nurse and you said you wanted to meet with us alone. We denied that meeting because first of all you were not in the classroom when the vomit incident happened. You were not at school at the day as well. You say you wanted to see could we work it out because calling the others to the table.

Since receiving the phone call on Friday from the Central Office, we have thought about this whole situation. We are involved parents and have tried to do what we think is best for our child. However it appears that the school has failed our child to a certain degree. If our child had been moved as we requested earlier to another classroom at G.W. Carver we wonder would the things we have experienced during this school year have happened.

We have thought about this whole situation and we have decided that it is unfair first of all that we have not been able to sit down and have a discussion with all whom should be concerned to consider what would be in the best interest of our child. It is only 2 months left in this school year and it has taken this long to be unofficially granted that something take place such as the movement of our child. We strongly feel that it is unfair to us and our child that we have been unofficially granted to move our child out of the school system which should always be the last option.

If we were to accept the transfer this would put our child in a whole new environment and he will be in a place where others will look like complete strangers which is just wrong. This will cause a hardship on us because Princeville School is around 12 – 15 miles from Pinetops and we would have to take our child to school and pick him up daily. We live about 1 mile away from the school and if our child was to get sick and/or etc. we can be there in such a short time.

In conclusion, we are demanding a meeting with all who should be concerned about our child and then he be moved to another classroom at G.W. Carver just like another little white girl was granted. We can not begin the healing process until we all have come together to make sure that we all want what is within the best interest of our child.

We look forward to receiving a response from you in writing asap.

Sincerely yours,
The Parents of Said Child
Mr. X
Ms. X 

The Parents of a Kindergarten
Pinetops, North Carolina 27864

Note: The names have been replaced with Mr. & Ms. X and Mrs. X.

See related:

Child Eats Another Child’s Vomit At A Local School

NAACP FILES COMPLAINT WITH SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS and CALLS FOR THE STEPPING DOWN OF WAKE CHAIRMAN MARGIOTTA at MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

NORTH CAROLINA STATE CONFERENCE

114 W. Parrish Street, Second Floor Ÿ Durham, North Carolina 27701

866-626-2227   Ÿ    919-682-4700   Ÿ   FAX  919-682-4711

www.naacpnc.org www.ncprosecutorialmisconduct.com www.hkonj.com

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II President                                                                                                                                      

Amina J.  Turner Executive Director                                                                                                                                                               

 

Immediate Release

March 5, 2010

Contact:  Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, State President, 919-394-8137

                 Atty.  Al McSurely, Communications, 919-389-2905

NAACP FILES COMPLAINT WITH SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS and CALLS FOR THE STEPPING DOWN OF WAKE CHAIRMAN MARGIOTTA at MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE

(Durham, NC)  Today, State NAACP President Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II and Attorney Al McSurely, Communications Chair, unveiled the formal complaint to the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  “We believe these acts are in violation of SACS CASI standards including, but not limited to Standard 1, vision and Purpose; Standard 2, Governance and Leadership; Standard 6, Stakeholders Communications and Relationships; and Standard 7, Commitment to Continuous Improvement.”

In addition, the NAACP called for the Wake County School Board Chair, Ron Margiotta to step down as chair of the largest school district in the state.  In this regard, Rev. Barber said, “Mr. Margiotta openly referred to the many stakeholders of color at a public meeting as ‘animals’ into his microphone, so that all could hear: ‘Here come the animals out of their cages.’  The obvious racial meaning of this remark is even more hurtful because, if the Chair of the Wake School Board feels comfortable in openly deriding people of color who have been waiting to make their public comment as ‘animals out of their cages’ without fear of ostracism… we can infer [that they] must feel free to express similar derogatory and racist attitudes toward people of color in their secret meetings.”

Click on the link: http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org:80/2010/03/04/margiotta-calls-parents-animals/.  See the full complaint attached.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

NORTH CAROLINA STATE CONFERENCE

114 W. Parrish Street, Second Floor Ÿ Durham, North Carolina 27701

866-626-2227 Ÿ 919-682-4700 Ÿ FAX 919-682-4711

www.naacpnc.org www.ncprosecutorialmisconduct.com www.hkonj.com

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II President  Amina J. Turner Executive Director

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5 MARCH 2010

CONTACT: REV. DR. WILLIAM J. BARBER, II, PRESIDENT, 919-394-8137

MR. AL MCSURELY, COMMUNICATIONS, 919-389-2905

REMARKS from NC NAACP’s NEWS CONFERENCE

March 5, 2010

Al McSurely, Communications Chair & member Legal Redress Committee

North Carolina NAACP

Good morning. I want to make two points. I realize many people are not familiar at all with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and its Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. This prestigious organization has been in business since 1895, when it was formed to insure that the new public school systems in the South met best practices standards of good education. The NAACP, a national and state-wide organization, is constantly learning about effective ways to push forward our purpose of DE-Segregating our society—our neighborhoods and our schools. Recently we learned from our Burke County Branch that it had received a quick, effective response from the SACS when some members of its School Board had been engaging in similar autocratic, racially-discriminatory acts. SACS sent in a team of investigators, corroborated the NAACP’s allegations and found some other violations of the SACS standards for accreditation, all in a couple of months. The SACS team required several fundamental changes in how the Board related to the minority community and our members involved in the process have been impressed by the professional and thoughtful way the SACS has intervened. We are aware of another case in Clayton County, Georgia, where SACS withdrew its accreditation, and wholesale changes were initiated to bring the school system into compliance. I urge you to research this prestigious organization and its solid track record of responding quickly and effectively to this type of complaint.

Secondly, I want to emphasize that the complicated task of repairing the breach in the human family, rent asunder by slavery and Jim Crow, cannot be captured in 30 second sound bites, or in caricaturing individuals and their statements to imply this exercise in democracy has degenerated into a yelling match. This story is not about Ron Margiotta’s “animals” and “cages” remark. Nor is it about individuals, Black and White, who have been systematically shut out of the decision-making process by the ideologically driven Caucus of five. It is clear, as we have alleged in our complaint, that they hold secret caucus meetings before the public meetings, that they make their decisions then, and that they even plan on how Mr. Margiotta will handle the “public.” This is not democracy. These are acts of a small group of conspirators, afraid of democracy, afraid of the “animals” –all of us—getting out of our “cages” and expressing our hopes for our children.

Let us who have dedicated ourselves to truth and justice renew our commitment to providing the historical context, the political agenda, and the financial foundations that lay behind the racially demeaning remark of Mr. Margiotta. Let us ask our editors, our supervisors, our teachers, and anyone interested in the De-Segregation of our society, to tell the whole complicated story occasionally and the pivotal role the NAACP has played for 100 years in guiding our society toward one nation, with freedom and justice for all.

Amina J Turner, Executive Director, NC NAACP

As a former school board member, it is understandable that there can be heated debates and arguments around policy and direction in which a school board should lead its schools and educate its children. But it is unacceptable that the heat of the moment as described by Mr. Margiotta was the excuse for not be respectful of people exercising their rights to hold divergent opinions in a democratic society by calling them animals. If it is a matter of managing the public, as chairperson you use the gavel. You don’t resort to school yard tactics of insults and one-upmanship through verbal attacks. This behavior seems rather arrogant and anti-community building, anti-seeking common ground, anti- working on behalf of all children and their families in the Wake County School District.

A gavel will do when trying to maintain order. But the use of charged language in an already fractious situation is highly improper and demonstrates a lack of understanding of history, and the purpose of civil discourse. Civil discourse is what has lead to the gains in civil rights in our country. But to shut discourse down through the Margiotta Method will not raise test scores, maintain diversity in public schools nor support equitable distribution of resources and in opportunity for learning.

Mr. Margiotta, enough is enough! Your position demands more of you for all of Wake County’s citizens as well as those you were elected to serve—Wake’s public school children and their families.

Rev. Nancy E. Petty, Pastor, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church

I am the pastor of a church in Raleigh that, for 125 years, has stood for justice and equality for all people. I am here today to speak to an issue that is facing our nation and now, specifically, Wake County— a crisis in moral and ethical leadership when it comes to seeking justice in our world.

For certain, we don’t need our public servants, our elected officials calling people animals. We don’t need leaders who are unwilling to listen to their constituents; who are inflexible; who cannot make wise decisions about the best interest of the good of the whole; and who cannot after looking at the facts admit that they may be wrong.

I have worked with Rev. William Barber for some months now, specifically on the issues surrounding the Wake County Public School System. What I can say is that he is a man of integrity (a character trait we teach in Wake County’s school curriculum) and he is a man who respects (another character trait we teach in our public schools) his fellow human being regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation. He is a man who works with people, not against people. But more than that, he is a man of justice; and when he sees injustice, he shows up to shine a light.

As to the article in the News & Observer today (March 5, 2010) quoting him saying, “This is not a dictatorship. This is not a gang. This is not a Mafia meeting. This is a democratic process.” –his words speak the truth. We are citizens of a democracy, not a dictatorship. We are not “animals having been let out of cages” as chairman Marigotta called the citizens of Wake County; but rather we are people who are concerned for our children and our community. Rev. Barber in his remarks spoke to our PROCESS. Marigotta called people animals. That is very different.

The issues before us—our children and the well-being of our community as a whole—deserve our best. The issues deserve our highest respect and the integrity of a fair and transparent process. Anything less is an injustice!

If we are to move forward in this world as one humanity, we need more leaders like Rev. William Barber and more organizations like the NAACP who are willing to shine the light of truth and justice where the darkness of inequality and evil would wish to persist and prevail.

Michelle Laws, President, Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Branch

District 8 Director

The question of what’s in the school board chair’s heart is best measured by his actions and his record. The hostile and politically regressive climate that we are now operating in requires us all to be very careful about the words that we utter that can spark the flames of destructive and division politics. As our president, Rev. Barber said, the issues affecting the education and therefore, life outcomes of our children are serious; they are not psychosomatic or simply in our heads but the repercussions are far too grave for us to take lightly. So, no one gets a pass for using racist rhetoric to get a point across or demonstrate powerful influence.

Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, Second Vice President

The actions of five who make up the majority on the Wake County School Board continues to violate the best interest of poor children and a disproportionate number of African Americans. The fact that they make up a majority does not negate the fact they have a responsibility to serve the best interest of all. Furthermore, the chair’s reference to the supporters of the diversity plan as “animals coming out of cages” is consistent with his blatant disregard for justice, morality and protocol.

Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus, Is It About Educating Black Folks or About Money?

I have talked about this many times. The actual name of the caucus is The Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus (ENBPC). A couple of years ago the Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Walker supposedly dropped “Black.” But why? To appeal to white candidates. That’s right. I first began to follow the Black Caucus back in the 90’s when I was the interim county Democratic Party chair and some folks said the party had received some money. Nope the money was given to the ENBPC and I researched it and at that time had the NC State Board of Elections to send me the reports via U.S. Postal service and fax because they were not online like they are now. During that time I found discrepancies in their reporting such as incomplete information. The state told me they do not question anything that the folks from the local area have to question the information.

I didn’t attend the Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus banquet on this past Friday because I do not support them. Yes I have an issue with the caucus members. Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Walker President, Deacon of Walker’s Church Dennis Hussey – Treasurer, Shelly Willingham member but I wonder what his role really is and Rev. Roosevelt Higgs their goofer and his role is clear. I have seen the big sums of checks written to Higgs saying administrative fees.

I have a problem with Walker and Hussey because when I read their Pac Reports I do not like what I read. I do not like how the money is being used and the inconsistency of how poll workers are paid. Money is raised at the expense of other folks and then it is used to hold communities right where they are.

It is my opinion that candidates feel obligated that they must support the caucus because if they do not they may feel they will be looked at in a certain way. The banquet is also an outlet for  them because hundreds of people are gathered in one place and this is good for politicking. However if I was a candidate I would not give them a dime of my money. I will say some of the commercials telling people to get out the vote is okay but the other mess they do is a joke If a candidate really tracked them, I wonder would they be pleased? I already know because I have seen several candidates who were used by the caucus.

The pac report shows things that they have done over the years that just do not make sense to me such as renting cars and etc.

During election time when poll workers are hired all the workers ought to be paid the same in my opinion. Not? The more educated or well known folks are paid more while the undereducated and poor folks who really need the money the most are paid less and sometimes nearly half the amount. I see a difference in the folks in Pinetops pay and the folks in Rocky Mount.

Well I know by now some of you black folks are pissed off with me for talking about “your” Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus well I don’t give a damn. I know these folks are black, have family, ministers, deacons and other however when I became active in politics in the early 90’s I made it clear that I was not going to get caught up in mess and I have not. I made it clear that I will hold black, brown, white and other folks accountable. I am black also and I have family and friends who are affected by the actions of the ENBPC.

I will continue to educate folks about what is going on around them even those who do not want to be educated, so it is up to those folks how they receive the information. I do not care about these folks being mad with me because “I have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies only permanent interest.”

See related:

Caucus focuses on area legacy – Banquet

Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus –

Track the money in the online report that is reported to the NC State Board of Elections.

A report was done on 2.9.10 and was signed The Edgecombe-Nash Black Political Caucus. I wonder why there is no phone number?

Live report from Rocky Mount High Eastern Regional final vs. Northeast Guilford

Detrail Jenkins also active inside on offensive boards. He failed to box out on first possession and Gainey pulled him over to the side during a break. Guess he has gotten the message. Jenkins free throws gives RMH its first lead, 9-7. (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)

Debate over school busing in N.C. county gets uglier – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

RALEIGH — A racially charged debate over school busing in North Carolina has turned even uglier after an education official referred to proponents of a diversity program as “animals out of the cages.” (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

Electricity debate heats up – Source: The Wilson Times

More than 75 people who attended the community meeting hosted by the Wilson branch of the NAACP Thursday night agreed on some short-range goals they want City of Wilson leaders to accomplish. (Read more @ The Wilson Times)

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EectriCities

Consolidated Data Report for 2008-2009 — Progress In Edgecombe County Public Schools

Here is some good news about Edgecombe County Public Schools —

This is information in the Consolidated Data Report for 2008-2009. The report contains information relative to School Crime and Violence, Suspension and Expulsions, and Dropout Rates in NC schools.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/research/discipline/reports/consolidated/2008-09/consolidated-report.pdf

For information about Edgecombe County Public Schools, see the following pages in the report:

p9.17-19 Reportable Acts of Crime and Violence
ECPS   6.49%
NC      15.70 %

Highlights — These data indicate rates significantly lower than the state average.

P 92-94 Short Term Suspensions and Expulsions Rates
ECPS 33.2
NC 34.8

Highlights — These data indicate rates lower than the state average and a 35.7 point reduction in the short term suspension rate between the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 school years. See link to the 2007-2008 report below.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/research/discipline/reports/consolidated/2007-08/consolidated-report.pdf (p.77)

P. 117 – 121 Dropout Counts and Rates
Grades 9-12
ECPS 4.05%
NC 4.27%

Highlights — Lowest dropout rate in 5 years (p.122)

Grades 7-13
ECPS 3.01%
NC 2.98%

Highlights — These data indicate a 43.4% decrease in the Dropout Rate from 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 in grades 9-12 (p. 118).

We are very proud of the work being done in our schools to improve the culture and climate for learning. This information coupled with the improvements in student achievement is evident that our focus on students is indeed paying off.

Gryphons have a state title berth on the line – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

Rocky Mount High boys’ basketball coach Mike Gainey knew some of his players wouldn’t like what they were about to see. (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)

Online utility protesters gain traction in regional media – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

By Mike Hixenbaugh | Friday, March 5, 2010 – 17:32

The News & Observer of Raleigh took notice of a growing group of Facebook protesters who made their media debut on this blog last month.

Other than rehashing some of the outrage over $1,000 winter bills in Wilson and Rocky Mount, the reporter wrote a pretty good background on the history of the public power agreement. We’ve written about this in the past, but maybe this will help those of you who are new to the power debate. (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)

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EectriCities

NAACP files complaint against Wake school board – Source: News 14

DURHAM – The North Carolina NAACP announced on Friday that it’s filing a complaint with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the group that accredits many of Wake County’s schools. (Read more @ News 14)

See related:

Wake County Public Schools