Wake County Public Schools – District 3 runoff results generate local, national media hits

District 3 runoff results generate local, national media hits

The outcome of Tuesday’s runoff election between Kevin Hill and Heather Losurdo is making news locally and nationally. Here’s a list of stories and point-of-view pieces thus far:

 

Dems regain control of school board (Raleigh Public Record)

Hill beats Losurdo in Wake schools race (The Independent)

Wake school board tilts back toward sanity (The Progressive Pulse)

Democrats retake Wake school board (Southern Political Report)

A big loss for Art Pope in NC school resegregation fight (Facing South)

Wake County, N.C., board changes political majority (Education Week)

Battleground North Carolina – Democrats sweep local elections (Huffington Post)

NC voters put down threat of resegregation of county schools (MSNBC)

Associated Press:

Democratic-aligned candidates finish sweep of 5 open Wake school seats in closely watched race (The Republic / Columbus, IN)

Democrats complete sweep of Wake school seats (Blue Ridge Now, Hendersonville)

 

Martinez encourages minority families to leave WCPSS…

On WPTF’s Rick and Donna Martinez show yesterday, host Rick Martinez said "…the education reformers have been booted out of office" and that parents of black and Hispanic children should leave WCPSS if they have the means to do so. Read more on the WakeEd blog.

 

…and LuMaye claims District 3 results will require more prisons

WPTF’s Bill LuMaye interviewed Heather Losurdo during his show yesterday. LuMaye falsely claims that the Department of Corrections uses fourth grade reading scores to project the number of prison beds that may be needed. Later, Losurdo recommended that all News & Observer subscribers cancel their subscriptions. For a summary of the discussion, refer to the WakeEd blog.

 

In the News

Photos show more victims of gym teacher

 

LTEs/opinion

Will separate and unequal, 2.0 just become 3.0?

Changes, man, at schools’ HQ

Sticking with choice

Hill, hear this

 

Upcoming meetings / events

Mon., Nov. 14

- 2PM, Parent Information Session, Centro para Familias Hispanas, 2013 N. Raleigh Boulevard, Raleigh

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, St. Mark’s United Methodist Preschool, 4801 Six Forks Road, Raleigh

 

Thurs., Nov. 17

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Durant Road Elementary School, 9901 Durrant Road, Raleigh

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Knightdale Town Hall, 950 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale

 

Sun., Nov. 20, 3:30PM, Parent Information Session (Spanish-only session), St. Raphael Church, 5801 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh

 

Fri., Dec. 1, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, West Regional Library, 4000 Louis Stephens Drive, Cary

 

Fri., Dec. 2, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Islamic Association of Raleigh , 808 Atwater Street , Raleigh

 

Thurs., Dec. 8

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Cameron Village Library, Room 202, Raleigh (AG-Specific Session)

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Wake Forest United Methodist Church Family Life Center, 905 S. Main Street, Wake Forest

 

Sun., Dec. 11, 2PM, Parent Information Session, First Korean Baptist Church , 8905 Ray Road , Raleigh

 

Tues., Dec. 13, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, St. Matthew’s Church, 1629 Bennett Street, Raleigh

 

 

Thanks for staying engaged with WCPSS.

Hello! Here is today’s BOE news.

 

District 3 runoff results generate local, national media hits

The outcome of Tuesday’s runoff election between Kevin Hill and Heather Losurdo is making news locally and nationally. Here’s a list of stories and point-of-view pieces thus far:

 

Dems regain control of school board (Raleigh Public Record)

Hill beats Losurdo in Wake schools race (The Independent)

Wake school board tilts back toward sanity (The Progressive Pulse)

Democrats retake Wake school board (Southern Political Report)

A big loss for Art Pope in NC school resegregation fight (Facing South)

Wake County, N.C., board changes political majority (Education Week)

Battleground North Carolina – Democrats sweep local elections (Huffington Post)

NC voters put down threat of resegregation of county schools (MSNBC)

Associated Press:

Democratic-aligned candidates finish sweep of 5 open Wake school seats in closely watched race (The Republic / Columbus, IN)

Democrats complete sweep of Wake school seats (Blue Ridge Now, Hendersonville)

 

Martinez encourages minority families to leave WCPSS…

On WPTF’s Rick and Donna Martinez show yesterday, host Rick Martinez said "…the education reformers have been booted out of office" and that parents of black and Hispanic children should leave WCPSS if they have the means to do so. Read more on the WakeEd blog.

 

…and LuMaye claims District 3 results will require more prisons

WPTF’s Bill LuMaye interviewed Heather Losurdo during his show yesterday. LuMaye falsely claims that the Department of Corrections uses fourth grade reading scores to project the number of prison beds that may be needed. Later, Losurdo recommended that all News & Observer subscribers cancel their subscriptions. For a summary of the discussion, refer to the WakeEd blog.

 

In the News

Photos show more victims of gym teacher

 

LTEs/opinion

Will separate and unequal, 2.0 just become 3.0?

Changes, man, at schools’ HQ

Sticking with choice

Hill, hear this

 

Upcoming meetings / events

Mon., Nov. 14

- 2PM, Parent Information Session, Centro para Familias Hispanas, 2013 N. Raleigh Boulevard, Raleigh

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, St. Mark’s United Methodist Preschool, 4801 Six Forks Road, Raleigh

 

Thurs., Nov. 17

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Durant Road Elementary School, 9901 Durrant Road, Raleigh

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Knightdale Town Hall, 950 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale

 

Sun., Nov. 20, 3:30PM, Parent Information Session (Spanish-only session), St. Raphael Church, 5801 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh

 

Fri., Dec. 1, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, West Regional Library, 4000 Louis Stephens Drive, Cary

 

Fri., Dec. 2, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Islamic Association of Raleigh , 808 Atwater Street , Raleigh

 

Thurs., Dec. 8

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Cameron Village Library, Room 202, Raleigh (AG-Specific Session)

- 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, Wake Forest United Methodist Church Family Life Center, 905 S. Main Street, Wake Forest

 

Sun., Dec. 11, 2PM, Parent Information Session, First Korean Baptist Church , 8905 Ray Road , Raleigh

 

Tues., Dec. 13, 6:30PM, Parent Information Session, St. Matthew’s Church, 1629 Bennett Street, Raleigh

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

Wake County Public Schools – The Rachel Maddow Show

The Wake County Public Schools Board of Education election was being watched nationally. Click on The Rachel Maddow Show for more.

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

ONCE AGAIN, TONIGHT CAN MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE POLITICS OF TOMORROW AND THE END OF THE MEAN, DIVISIVE, POLITICS OF YESTERDAY

ONCE AGAIN, TONIGHT CAN MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE POLITICS OF TOMORROW AND THE END OF THE MEAN, DIVISIVE, POLITICS OF YESTERDAY    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2011   For More Information:   Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137                                       Atty. Jennifer Marsh, Legal Redress Coordinator, jwmarsh1@gmail.com    Statement by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the North Carolina NAACP on behalf of all of our branches and the 110+ partners in the HKonJ People’s Assembly Coalition    Once again, tonight marks a major step forward on the Highway of Justice and Love. Once again, children of all colors, we pray, can feel welcome in their schools and at their School Board. There are thousands of children today in Wake County whose only hope in escaping poverty is in our public schools. Their only hope is a high quality, constitutional, well-funded, diverse public education. Their only hope is strong schools with high student achievement, which require diversity and resources. Their only hope is a loving teacher, who nurtures the spark in them in the early grades, who spends some moments with them on the playground, expanding their world, igniting their interest in learning, and telling them they are as smart and as good as any other child and they can follow their dreams. Children who, though no one in the family ever went to college, understand that opportunities for higher education are open to them just as they are for those who come from college educated families. Let us welcome all children into our fine public school system.   Once again, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, old and young, rich and poor, Republicans and Democrats have all said, "We want to go forward and not backwards." It is our great hope that after these elections, the single focus of Wake County School Board is to set an example not only for North Carolina but for the nation that all children deserve a high quality, constitutional, well-funded and diverse public education.   Both tonight and on October 11, 2011, the voices of parents, grandparents, teachers, students and community members rejected candidates who support regressive public policy that leads to resegregation of our public schools. Their commitment speaks clearly to the rest of North Carolina, but also to the national debate over public education reform, which must have diversity and resources at the center. Tonight, we hope, marks a shift in the public policy of the Wake County School Board that will work toward the Gold Standard student assignment plan that builds upon past successes and commitments to diversity that made Wake County schools great, rather than destroy the progress we had made.   If we are able to unify and make a commitment to these principles, our children, our community and our future will be better because of our efforts.   We in the NAACP believe all educational decisions must be guided by the standards of the law with respect to civil rights, the data of sound research, which continually proves that diversity and resources are key components to student achievement, and the lessons of history that remind us we must go forward and not backwards.   We know what works if we want to provide a high quality education for every child. From the beginning, the NAACP has noted eight fundamental principles that must guide any real desire to have healthy schools and strong public education: Stop resegregation and promote diversity Provide equity in funding for all schools Provide high quality teachers and smaller classrooms Provide high quality leadership teams Provide high quality facilities Focus on math, science, reading and history Support parental and community involvement Address unjust and disproportionate suspensions, reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates among African-American students  The NAACP believes that Truth will win out; that healing the breach in God’s family is difficult, but the results are worth the struggle and the bad times; and we will win. Tonight we believe the beginning of change in the power configuration of the school board is a small victory for people of goodwill in the battle to keep pushing forward for the common good.   ###

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

Wake County School Board Member “THE TEDESCO PICTURES I MISSED” –Source: The Cash Roc

I want to thank Jeffrey Wotus, a constant, yet unhinged critic of mine, for digging up these new John Tedesco pictures from when Tedesco served as Borough Administrator for the small municipality of Highlands, NJ from 2000-2002. (Read more)

Response: You must see these pictures. Curmilus Dancy II – The Political Agitator

See related:

A Must Read – ANSWERING JOHN TEDESCO’S WAKEED BLOG RESPONSE PART 1 – Source: The Cash Rock

Wake County Public Schools

Wake County – History of turmoil – Source: The News & Observer

Your Oct. 25 front-page article about the District 3 runoff race leaves a very mistaken impression with the paragraph two phrase, "After two years of protests and partisan votes and bickering and budget woes …"

The protests and bickering didn’t begin two years ago. They were already vehement during my opponent Kevin Hills’ term as chairman, when real parents with real concerns about their children’s education rose up to demand a more responsive and less arrogant school board. As The N&O itself reported in July, 2007 [prior to Hill's election], "Angry parents have picketed the Wake County school system, packed school board meetings and sued the system to protest year-round schools and student reassignment." (Read more)

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

A Must Read – ANSWERING JOHN TEDESCO’S WAKEED BLOG RESPONSE PART 1 – Source: The Cash Rock

      I have been reading, with great interest and equal amusement, Wake School Board Vice Chairman John Tedesco’s response to my story, "“Chairman” Tedesco An Issue in District 3 Wake School Board Race." (Read more)

Response: This article is too damn good but make sure you read other articles as well. Curmilus Dancy II – The Political Agitator

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

Wake schools runoff attracts big-time attention and money – Source: News & Observer

RALEIGH — The Strategy Group, a Washington political consulting firm, has made a name for itself by designing effective mailings to aid Democratic candidates. Among its clientele: President Barack Obama, former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and current Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. (Read more)

See related:

Wake County Public Schools

District 3 Runoff & Municipal Elections for TEN of the 12 Wake County cities!

District 3 School Board Runoff Election…
the Countdown Begins

17 days until Tuesday, November 8th!

VISIT

wakeelections.com

For everything you need about voting on
NOVEMBER 8th
District 3 Runoff & municipal elections for TEN of the 12 Wake County cities!

Dear Ron,

Despite a call from families across Wake County to slow down approval of a new student assignment plan, the Board approved this concept brief, by a vote of 6-2. The approved resolution indicated that the plan will remain in effect for a minimum of three years–much to the surprise of members of the community present at last Tuesday’s Board meeting.
The latest proposal was presented at the Work Session that proceeded the Board meeting.
A list of school choices will be available on Monday, October 24th at the WCPSS assignment Web site. The list of approved feeder patterns are also available online.

There was absolutely no need to rush this plan. Several times during public comment, community members asked what the hurry was. Like so many other questions, this one remains unanswered.

Yevonne

Early Voting Begins

Early voting has begun at the Wake County Board of Elections, 337 S. Salisbury Street, and continues through Saturday, November 5th. A second Garner location will be open November 1st – 5th.

Click here for more information.

Not registered to vote? You can register and vote at the same time during the early voting period.
Note: You cannot register and vote on Election Day-ONLY during early voting.

Absentee Ballots: Deadline Tuesday, November 1st

You can also request an absentee ballot to vote in this race. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1st.

Click here for more information.

District 3 School Board Runoff Election on Tuesday, November 8th

If you missed the District 3 Candidate Forum,

click here to watch the replay.

Great Schools in Wake Coalition is a community coalition of organizations, business leaders, parents and citizen advocates working to ensure educational excellence in the Wake County Public School System. The Coalition is a special project of WakeUP Wake County, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization working for good growth solutions.

For more information, please contact Yevonne Brannon at ybrannon@gmail.com or info@greatschoolsinwake.org

Help us build the coalition! Forward this email to your friends.

See related:

Wake County Public Schools