News-Record.com

When a child reaches High School, he/she is about 15 years of age. He/she is certainly able to report whatever needs to be reported to his/her parents. This is not kindergarden. Sending home letters is waste of time, if the problem has been addressed. Here again, parents want administrators to do everything except supervise instruction. Let's give them the benefit of doubt. The letter does not cut down on rumors, it only increases them.

Joe,
I really think you are out of touch with the modern day parent. Time and time again you make that clear in your posts.
When I was young I did things that I wouldnt let my children fo now. Thats life. Things have changed.
We want information. If there has been a fight at my childrens school I want to hear about it. A simple e-mail from the school principal is all that is needed.
It takes five minutes.

I am not against handholding if it would improve academic performance. I see no indication that that is true.

Best regards,

Bruce,
I'm curious why you report on fights at Ragsdale but I haven't seen any reports on the multiple fights at Central? Did I miss that in the N&R? If the fights were reported was it a tiny blip in buried in the back section?

We had a story on those fights at Central, Curious - I wrote it, in fact. Fifteen students were arrested in that cafeteria fight (actually a series of fights).

And it wasn't buried in the paper. It ran on the front of the High Point section in the Jan. 21st edition.

I hear what you are saying, Joe. But this was a case where the community (including us) asked for information and the school didn't offer up any. That, in turn, led to wild speculation and rumors.

The problem with relying on high school students to relay information is they don't always have the whole story. That's what happened here - the Ragsdale kids thought that as many as 100 students had been suspended, when only 10 were. And no one from Ragsdale offered any accurate information to counter those rumors.

Accurate, timely information never causes more rumors, Joe. Only the lack of information does.

Principals have the ability to do the connect ed telephone announcements. These reach every home and take about 3 minutes. (not every home hears them for various reasons) Rumors are usually worse than the truth. Not all students would have seen the fights -thank goodness- but every parent has the right to know about violence in the schools and what will be done to help against the same thing happening again.

Joe, If you think that principals are checking out education most of their day, you are wrong. Almost all of a principals day is taken up with paperwork, communication, meetings and classes, and disruptive students, etc. It is sad, but my guess is that 25% of their day is spent in, or near a classroom. I am there volunteering hours each week-in the trenches. Unfortunately staff of GCS just sees the big picture and parents see the pixels that make up that picture.

I also heard from a fellow teacher (not from Central though) that there had been several fights at Central. I completely understand parents wanting information. I even started mailing my parents grades and a class letter every couple of months. I found that my parents were not getting important class information from my kids (ages 14-17). It's sad, but you can't depend on the kids to relay accurate information to their parents. It's better if parents hear it from the source whether it's through a phone call, email, or letter.

Times have changed and fights that occur in schools today are not always the type of fights you may remember. Gangs cause problems in all of our schools and add another element of violence. Kids that are using drugs can be unpredictable. Cell phones make it easy for students to get others involved in a fight. There is also the general lack of respect for adults and I know of teachers that were hurt breaking up a fight or that were attacked themselves. These teachers did not work at schools such as Andrews or Smith that are considered more "high risk" either. Fights and violence are a problem at all of our schools. While the number of serious offenses are going down at some schools, there is still much to be done. Parents then have every reason to be concerned and to want accurate information.

Bruce,

Re: Your article in today's (Sunday's) N&R

The quote by Grier, "If we were trying to bamboozle you, why would we have all these public meetings?" Grier asked.

Imagine that - Grier trying to bamboozle!

So, to answer his question - Of course, you tried to bamboozle us - you do that on a daily bais!

Babe Ruth was known as "The Great Bambino".....

From this day forward, grier shall be known as "The Great Bamboozle"......

If have problems with the redistricting process. Don't blame Dr. Grier. I know for a fact that this is the BOE baby. Dr. Grier is trying to support the BOE. Remember how little he says at the public forums. You can tell he has little interest in how the BOE is doing it. There is no indication that Dr. Grier is out front on this.

I agree with Terry. Why bother with a "bamboozle" when you can just do an outright
f--- you, like at the fake hearing at SW High before the "Choice Plan" vote. Now when they went around to the city council etc. before the vote,. that would be a bamboozle. We need to clarify terms.

Joe,
Dr. Grier is responsible for Eric. SO he is responsible for the maps. End of story.

Even the SB could not read the them.

Joe, you continue to be offbase.

"Why would we have all those public meetings?"

Because about four or five school board meetings ago Alan Duncan said by "STATE STATUTE" they must hold public forums.

The forums are held because it is the law. Remember Susan making some kind of comment if forums were worth it. One neighborhood would want the exact opposite of the other neighborhood. It seems like some school board members would rather not hold public forums.

Now if the maps are illegible so people are confused about what to comment on in the first place, what good is a public forum. If a map has already been voted on, what good is a public forum. If people whose kids aren't even being redistricted are told by a school board member to e-mail and call the school board about a certain map, what good is a public forum. Just like 800 some people speaking out at SWH before the Choice Plan. WHAT GOOD IS A PUBLIC FORUM.

Joe,

It is funny how grier hides behind the school board on controversial issues,,,but any time there is an award being given out,, he is the "Innovative Leader",,,there to graciously accept his hard earned Booty....

What a CON MAN.

Joe,

Dr. Grier has made it clear time and time again which map he prefers. There are at least 2 school board members who depend upon Grier to tell them how to vote.

Don't be fooled, Grier has an agenda and he promotes it every chance he gets with the weak board members.

Yes, he has an agenda. It is to stop the free fall of academic performance in Guilford County. He is toast if it keeps falling. Board members will be out, bonds will be defeated and citizens will abandon Guilford County if the free fall is not stopped. It is not just a few things that need to be changed, it is thousands. The pace is too slow and Dr. Grier knows it. The BOE is not on message. I doubt anyone can do better than Dr. Grier with this Board.

Joe, your boy hasn't been successful under ANY school board, ever! He has no clue how to improve scores of children, only scores of buildings.

Joe,

Why do you think grier has been tar and feathered in every town he has ever worked in?????????

The man is incompetent as a school superintendent and should be FIRED immediately!!!!