THE TRUTH ABOUT H6
Stan Norwalk, Wake County Commissioner H (919) 363-4685
At the first reading regarding the purchase of land in Rolesville for a new high-school, several speakers suggested we keep politics out of the site selection process, i.e. out of the Forest Ridge site. But consider the "road" to Rolesville. 2008 – Republicans in the NCGA introduce bills that would dilute the voting power of inner city residents for the BOE. Of course, that had nothing to do about politics!! 2009 – Setting a new precedent the Republican Party takes an active role in supporting the new majority on the BOE. Of course, that had nothing to do about politics!! Nov. 2009 Art Pope sends Margiotta a congratulatory email and thanks him for using Pope’s suggested strategy in the election campaign . Of course that had nothing to do with politics !! The major donors to the party include Art Pope and Bob Luddy, both of whom promote the end of public education. Based on selective and misleading data, Ron Margiotta, Kent Misegades (Luddy’s headmaster for his private school) publish a white paper promoting the success of re-segregated public schools in Charlotte-Mecklenbu rg. CMS was offered as the model for WCPSS. Of course that was not politics!! Luddy is building a chain of private schools ( Thales Academy ) and is an advocate for the public paying for his schools through vouchers. Ron Margiotta sits on Thales Academy ’s board. Of course!! That has nothing to do with politics!! Upon taking office the new majority on the BOE began spending tens-of-thousands of dollars on a stream of ideological compatible lawyers. They used a highly dubious cover story of an audit that would show the way to save legal fees. Surprise! The audit proved to be a dud..easily seen from day #1. Of course, that’s not politics!! The new majority, counter to staffs advice, initiates a poll to affirm their view of year-round schools. When the results were counter to their views, they ignored the costly poll and went ahead with eliminating some YRS…coincidently schools where their supporters had been most vocal and active. Along the way they committed hundreds of millions of school construction bond capacity. Never was a plan, a financial analysis or a strategy mentioned…of course! That’s not politics!. The new majority on the BOE made “diversity” a dirty word within WCPSS. Chair of the Assignment Committee John Tedesco claims the previous diversity policy was counter to Brown vs. the Board of Education. But that’s not politics!! The new board majority chooses to be the only school system in NC that is not a member of the NC School Board Association. Their cover story is that they are saving $40,000. Closer to the truth is that the national Council of Urban School Boards (CUBE) supports diversity and opposes vouchers…but of course that’s not politics!! Out of meanness and spite Margiotta and Tedesco propose to change the name of Enloe High School – home base for many protestors. Obviously that has nothing to do with politics!! The new board majority has abandoned a data-driven process for site selection; denied relief to the worst over-crowding in the County, i.e. Wakefield. Wakefield is in a BOE minority nember’s district; and selected a site (Rolesville) in a district represented by one of the majority…but of course!! That’s not politics!!! The new board majority , with only skimpy explanation, rejected the findings of a non-partisan task force of stakeholders that the original (Forest Ridge) site was the best of several investigated…but of course!! That’s not politics! Denying Rolesville as the site for H6 high school is NOT only about locating a school two miles outside the growth target area. It is NOT only about building a 2200 seat high-school in a town with 212 high-school age kids. Its NOT just about the low population density in the area and the excessive busing that will be required. It IS about stopping the death of WCPSS by a “thousand cuts”. If the line in the sand is not drawn here, future cuts will be harder and harder to stop. The H6 vote is the first opportunity for the Board of Commissioners to take action to stop the madness, the meanness and the eventual death of diversified public education in Wake County. The vote on the siting of H6 will be on Tuesday, July 6th in the 7th floor board room of the courthouse. You can email the County Commissioners at commissioners@ co.wake.nc. us
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