News-Record.com

I'm giving odds that its either Dot Kearns or Walter Childs that makes the motion to adopt Map C*. Of course, it doesn't really matter, because the other will second the motion. But, then, what would Ms. Mendenhall's role be this time? Hum...

Stormy,

You might not have long to find out. They're cruising through the agenda. There were only 8 or 9 public speakers, which surprised me. I thought more would turn out to make one last plea for redistricting in their area.

Anyway, it's about 6:20 and they're already on the first discussion item - the Simeon Stadium deal with the city of High Point.

Redistricting is next. Stay tuned...

buckmtn,

This meeting reminds me of a line from our favorite movie: "I've got news for you, pal. They're
going to nail us, no matter what we do."

Jennifer,

Why should people come make a last minute appeal to a decision that has long been made? Can there be any doubt? This deal was wired in private. Although, they have put on a rather good show, don't you think?

Stormy,

Pardon the Interuption will be over in 15 minutes then I'll flip back over.

I'm assuming that Marmalard and Niedermeyer will keep things bogged down that long.

Let me go get the plaid sport coat and the medical bag.

They're on a 10-minute break now before they start redistricting talks.

The Simeon Stadium deal was put on hold so the board could go over the contracts, which were practically smokin' they were so "hot of the press," as board attorney Jill Wilson characterized them. The final terms had been hashed out a mere two hours earlier, according to Wilson.

Susan Mendenhall requested the issue be tabled.

I'm going to get a drink now while I've got a chance.

(JR, if you're reading this, that would be a drink of water. Not what you might have been thinking!)

Jennifer,

A line from the movie comes to mind here, also:

Bluto: My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.
Otter: Better listen to him, Flounder. He's pre-med.

You may want to start drinking heavily, too. I always needed a lot of Pepe Lopez to sit through one of those meetings and listen to some of those people speak.

Stormy, based on the bags under her eyes and the slurring of words, I think Dot has aleady cleaned out the Pepe on you.

Well that came through loud and clear, Dot just asked whether she was dense or not.

On a more serious note, Marti made it very clear about her willingness to spend everyone's tax dollars like a drunken sailor on leave in the name of diversity.

Murphey Elementary will remain a magnet school with a neighborhood attendance zone. Students at Murphey, a traditional education magnet, wear uniforms and study Latin.

The board voted 7-4 to move students among Peck, Wiley, Frazier and Foust elementary schools as recommended by staff. But board vice chairman Amos Quick, vie conference call, asked that Murphey's neighborhood kids be allowed to stay. He made that motion after hearing Murphey Principal Mark Harris say parents are happy with the school and concerned about losing their seats through a magnet lottery.

Southern and Sumner will remain K-5 elementary schools.

The board had been considering combining the two schools' attendance zones and making Southern a K-1 school and Sumner a 2-5 school, in part to deal with space concerns.

Instead, the board voted 8-3 on a motion made by Anita Sharpe to move Sumner's Pre-K classes (about 30 students) to Southern.

Just introduced Map C3 for High Point. I don't have the details in front of me. I lent my map to some parents in the crowd.

Sounds like the main points would be:
*move area south of Skeet Club Road to Andrews
*move small number of students immediately west of Penny Road into Andrews
*move the Parkview Elementary zone into Southwest

Why can't that sleazeball answer a direct question from either Anita Sharpe or Nancy Routh?

He suffers from a cronic medical condition: cephalorectal inversion

4 hours into the meeting and Darlene is the first board member to use the word EDUCATION.

I predict an 8 - 3 vote, Deena just showed her hand.

Buck,

Is that 8-3 for C3? They had to have this map done before showing it tonight.

NCT,

Good one I'm still laughing.

BTB

why did they waste all of their time with the parent forums..they had their plans made and did not change them on iota based upon what their constituents want....once again

Mikeg,

By law they have to have public forums. Of course, the law doesn't require that they actually listen to the constitutents. Onthe other hand, they don't have a great record of observing open meeting laws either. This is our elected representatives in action.

I never thought I would hear myself say this, but it's time to implement a voucher system for parents that choose to send their children to private school

Bamboozled Again.
I will be contacting a real estate agent asap. I'm Outta Here.

Wasn't Alan's open meeting comment hilarious?

Mikeg... welcome to the party. You are voicing what those of us who gave up on the public school system long ago have been saying all along. These people do not have the best interest of our children in mind, they all have their own agendas and they have nothing to do with Education.

No Public Trust = No New Bonds.
Learn it, love it, live it.

So what was the final tally, and who voted against it?

The new Map - C3 - passed on a 6-5 vote.

Yeas:
Marti Sykes, Dot Kearns, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Susan Mendenhall and Deena Hayes

Nos: Amos Quick, Nancy Routh, Alan Duncan, Anita Sharpe, Darlene Garrett

surprise it is map c3. blairwood from andrews to central. larger portion of parkveiw from andrews to southwest. all the rest is the same as c.

Hey, I could not bear to watch. Could someone please tell me what happened with the Whites Mill/Oak Hollow area in this new, never-befoire-seen, map?

Nevermind. The knife in my back says it all. Hey, those of you who are history buffs, did you know that Southwest High was almost closed down in the '80's due to low enrollment? No one wanted to go to school in a cow pasture. (So says a proud Ragsdale graduate) The OAK HOLLOW families saved the school from extinction. I guess Mrs. Kearns can finally be at peace as she has pursued this for many years.
As usual, the board wussed out. If they really wanted to make a big change, they would have moved the entire Penny Road area to Andrews and Welborn. I guess they only wanted to change things a little, not a lot.

whites mill is now going to andrews

Forgive them father, for they know not what they do...

It is finished...

Liberty Bell,

I encourage you to send your message as an email to the board. Not all of them read the CB.

STOMRY

You are right. Why would anyone go and be humiliated to plead their case. You know it was a done deal from the get go.

Other speakers from other schools are listened to. Their schools and neighborhoods are "saved". Not so with SW. Old High Point politics at their sleeziest.

We've let a lot of comments slide the past few months, thinking that you all would self-police yourselves. Some of you have, some of you haven't.

You may have noticed some comments have disappeared from the Chalkboard. I deleted them. I talked to my boss about this to make sure it was all right. This is why I deleted the posts:

*They were derogatory to average citizens who were named, or easily identifiable
*They used profanity

I really hate having to spend the extra time to police the blog for these comments, which have no place here anyway.

Private citizens are not fair game for saying whatever you want about them. Public and elected figures, such as the superintendent and school board, are a different matter all together. Say what you want about them. However ...

I will delete profanity (or attempts to disguise profanity) as I come across it - that includes sign on names.

Just wanted to give you a heads up to the new rules. I've gone back only through the past few strands to clean them out. If I missed a post, let me know. I'll delete it. The new rules apply from here on out.

I want you all to continue debating the issues. There are some good discussions going on at the Chalkboard. But we don't need profanity to make a point. And we don't need to drag an average citizen's name through the mud.

Thanks,

Jennifer

They talk about socioeconomic diversity, but use statistics regarding race. How can they get away with this in regards to the following federal law?:

20 USC 1652

TITLE 20--EDUCATION

CHAPTER 37--ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS

Sec. 1652. Prohibition against busing

(a) Use of appropriated funds for busing

No funds appropriated for the purpose of carrying out any applicable
program may be used for the transportation of students or teachers (or
for the purchase of equipment for such transportation) in order to
overcome racial imbalance in any school or school system, or for the
transportation of students or teachers (or for the purchase of equipment
for such transportation) in order to carry out a plan of racial
desegregation of any school or school system, except on the express
written voluntary request of appropriate local school officials. No such
funds shall be made available for transportation when the time or
distance of travel is so great as to risk the health of the children or
significantly impinge on the educational process of such children, or
where the educational opportunities available at the school to which it
is proposed that any such student be transported will be substantially
inferior to those opportunities offered at the school to which such
student would otherwise be assigned under a nondiscriminatory system of
school assignments based on geographic zones established without
discrimination on account of race, religion, color, or national origin.