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I have to tell you that listening to the man lie through his teeth without the visual just isn't the same. I like to see the frustration build in his face until he finally snaps.

It really doesn't seem to matter what the school leadership decides. There is enough anger and contempt for public schools and their employees to keep any lasting effort from succeeding.
We can thank the people who for the last thirty years cynically undermined all government bodies as an "enemy of the people". We now have a critical mass of people in our society who believe the government can do nothing right. And government responds by insulating itself from attack by making no significant new initiatives.
Until our leaders recognize the problem of constantly attacking our democratic structures, we will suffer from fear, stagnation, and mutual disrespect. Until our citizenry moves away from temper tantrums toward articulate arguments, we will have glitzy air heads running the show.
I would require every person who wants to speak out against the school board to spend at least 1 hour beforehand at a school helping the staff there.

If you're saying that our school board members are "glitzy air heads" then I'll have to agree with you on that one.

Speaking out against the school board really doesn't have anything to do with the individual schools or their staff members. However, I will take a day off of work and volunteer at the SW schools if Susan Mendenhall will just make a visit. (If my boss is reading, you can relax. She hasn't been to Southwest all year!)

Susan Mendenhall will only visit a school if she's invited to meet with someone at the school for a specific reason. She won't darken a doorway to one of her consituent schools for her own benefit or the school's benefit. Sad, but true. I've heard other board members talk about going to a school to see a program or to read to a class. We don't have an elected official like that. Let's remember this when she comes up for re-election.

I'm pretty sure Susan Mendenhall announced within 1 month of being re-elected (ran unopposed), that this w/b her last term. Does anyone know if that is still her decision?

Lauenstien,

I'm really bewildered at what your point was. I know I should just click off your stupid post but I'm exhausted and you've hit a nerve with me.

Why am I exhausted? Because I just gave yet ANOTHER day of FREE help to this assinine school system. The only thing you said that made a lick of sense was your "glitzy air-head" comment.

I just got back from an ENTIRE day of helping out in my child's classroom. AND I was there yesterday, AND I plan to be there tomorrow AND Friday.

Want to know why? NO TEACHERS ASSISTANT! And our "glitzy air-head" superintendent just took FIVE more assistants away from this very school for next year.

As for the teacher that has this class daily, I praise the air that she breaths. How she can do it everyday is BEYOND me. She must truly be a SAINT.

I feel obligated to be there becuase of the children that want to learn. It's so unfair for them. Want to know how this teacher spends the ENTIRE day? She spends it disciplining, reminding, re-directing, firmly repeating what was just repeated, etc. So I'm there for the assistant that doesn't exist and for the sanity of this teacher, and for the kids that really want to learn something.

So, I guess under your idiotic requirements, I qualify for going to board meetings and speaking against the board. But it doesn't help. Their listening skills are no better than the kids I just spent the day with.

So yes, you said one other thing that made sense, the "anger and contempt for public schools" yea, that's 100% right. I know that I'm no alone in the anger department. I'm disgusted that I am actually paying for this system.

r.i.g.o.r.,

I heard that Dot Kearns said the same thing 4-1/2 years ago. No such luck!

I believe that if Susan runs again, she won't make it past the primaries. The N. High Point area will be ruthless, I'm sure.

I believe laurenstein will find that the majority of posters on this blog volunteer at their local schools. I just got back from over 5 hours today (office every Wed) and then PTA-- We know what we are talking about because we are THERE! Last year as PTA president I volunteered about 30 hours a week! So not only does that qualify me to speak at board meetings (which I do on a regular basis)-- but get this, I pay TAXES!!!! Lots of them! And since my son goes to a school that is not title 1 or equity or equity plus, or equity plus 2 or equity plus 3-- alot of my taxes go to another school! I believe that it is not only my right, but my responsibility to fight for better education and responsible spending for each and every child in this county. I will continue to do just that!

That poster must have struck a nerve in me also, not like me to rant and rave; but there ya'go!

Debora,

Your post made me feel better about my ranting. Ranting is good, because if our schoolboard doesn't wake up and listen to their "free help" we'll be GONE!

Thanks for all that you do.

lauenstein,

You've launched some critical remarks of people who have deservedly expressed concern and outrage at the actions of our elected officials, more specifically our school board. You've said that "you" would require them to spend time working in the schools before they have a rightful entitlement to speak against the actions of this school board (even though they are taxpayers and parents).

Would you kindly share with us what service that you have performed? Since you seem to feel strongly that people must serve before they can criticize, what have you done to earn your stripes?

Just catching up on all my blog reading.

Laurenstein - I agree with the others, that is one of the strangest posts I have ever read. I wonder if you are that lady that carries all those liberal books to the SB meetings and had all those stickers on her Volvo and lives in HP? This is really deep.

The one part I do get right away is the "glizty airheads" on the SB. Now that part is definitely a given.

Apparently, you haven't been on the CB long. Debra is right. I know for myself and many others who like to post here, they spend countless hours volunteering in the schools; in their community; working countless hours for VOTE FOR KIDS bond campaign, etc.

I can always count on seeing Deb at those school board meetings. You are preaching to the choir about being involved in schools. She is one of the most informed posters on this sight along with Teddy BG.

As far as the "tandrums" and whining - so what -because many of us are the long fingernails or squeaky chalk on the Chalkbaord. What you may perceive as tandrums; to many it is the voice of reason; concern and change. It is the voice of passion for people who really do care about the schools and want to make a difference in the future of our children. I find many of these posters VERY articulate.

Personally, I would like to see Dr. Grier and the school board "do some time" in each of our schools.

I would also like to know what study Dr.Grier referred to in his slanderous remarks about our county's teacher assistants in Monday's meeting. The TAs I have had the pleasure to be associated with are highly capable, knowledgeable, hard-working, caring and professional individuals, whom the students are lucky to have in their classrooms. I dont' know where he saw the example he gave (with a racial slur) of an assistant working with non-white children, but I have only seen positive interactions between TAs and students. (listen to minutes 5:30-13 of Jennifer's recording of the meeting)

Also, if Grier succeeds in axing more TAs, who does he think is going to do bus duty, hall duty, lunch duty, field trip chaperoning, paperwork, taking classes to the bathroom/lunchroom/playground/library, take up monies, and on and on and on. How would teachers ever get a planning period?

And his statement about 80-85 TAs not "having the skill set necessary" to meet the standards of the WorkKeys tests - I am quite sure that this number includes all the folks who didn't bother with those tests because they are leaving the system due to retirement, better job offers, etc.

If any TAs are as bad as Dr. G would have us believe, they could not fulfill their duties as described in the job requirements (http://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/HR/job_descrip/Teacher%20Assistant.pdf) and should not have been hired in the first place.