News-Record.com

I know this is a problem of mine, but I have trouble taking a water polo player seriously.

Emory, good job for pointing out Garth's water experience! With all the hot air and firestarters on the board already, some water to the mixture is just what we need!

It is a little surprising that the N&R endorsed Garth. They often go with the status quo. I think the endorsement means that the N&R recognizes that changes need to be made and the BOE does not spend their time on matters that will lift the system from average to one of the best in the State. I applaud them. The Bond Issue may be in trouble if the citizens perceive that the new Board will bring no change. It is impossible to get the staff excited about improving education unless the BOE is excited and moving forward.

The N&R is to be commended for its endorsement in District 2.

Hopefully this will encourage others to participate on the Board that do not have the PTA as their primary qualification. Although it is great do be on the PTA, it does not mean one is qualified to evaluate and manage a $500 million + budget.

While there are exceptions to my comment such as Darlene Garrett not every PTA President is the person most qualified to be on the School Board.

I do not think the News & Record has any
business endorsing any candidate whether it
uses the editorial column to do this in or not.

Of course, since the News& Record appears
to be one-sided when it comes to issues
relating to the school board and continues
to help cover up important issues relating to
school safety, the endorsement actually will have a negative impact on my voting for this particuliar candidate.

It is not a good time to side yourself with Terry Grier, as President Bush realized, or with the
News & Record, which contains nothing but one sided propaganda generated from the downtown office.

Emery,

Don't take the news of the N&R endorsement too hard. At least the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgendered group (LGBT) endorsed Debbie. I guess that makes them even.

You can google the Q-Vote 2006 (That's Queer Vote 2006) endorsements online to verify.

In a SAT update Grier's stat man reported this evening that the achievement gap between black and white is closing. He also reported that there has been no improvement in results for the white population in the last two years.
This is really bad he said.
Something needs to be done.

There was no comment from the board on this and as they sat there silently they all knew that this is a direct result of their actions from the last three years in High Point.

Just to add to my above post, for clarity, as we all know, the board have driven hundreds of kids out of the schools of High Point. These kids are white kids that were to be bussed across town to improve test scores in schools that have been ignored for years and years by Grier and the board. Instead of swapping public schools they have simply swapped from public to private.

Truth,

You tell the truth. I can say for sure that this has happened. My white child's butt now sits in private school.

Thanks Grier, it's the best education he's had to date!

I know of at least 20 families personally that have left public schools to go private in the past 2 years. Some had several children and most were children who would have raised all the test scores in GCS, including the SATs. Too bad we have lost these AL students to private schools. Their parents took their money and volunteer time with them too.

glad to be gone from high point,
garth, you got my vote
i'm still in district 2

I want to extend my support for Debbie Maines for the District 2 Board of Education seat. I personally do not like the connotation of the phrase “PTA Mom” because is sounds derogatory. I proudly am a PTA Mom and the students of Guilford County have benefited by the volunteer service of all PTA Moms.

Debbie Maines has business experience. She was the office manager for an orthodontic practice in Greensboro. She has overseen budgets at all different PTA levels, including the county level. She has served on the School Improvement Teams at all three levels (elementary, middle, and high school). While serving on the School Improvement Teams she helped the school personnel decide how to trim their school budgets many times, line item by line item, without hurting the students.

Debbie Maines met with the CFO of Guilford County Schools prior to running for this seat, a meeting to which all candidates were invited, but Mr. Hebert chose not to attend.

The GCAE (Guilford County Association of Educators) teachers in Guilford County have endorsed Debbie Maines over Garth Hebert.

Debbie Maines has actively and passionately been involved in High Point Schools. She knows the issues that the school system faces. Debbie has dedicated her daytime and evening hours working to benefit the children in District 2. As President of the Guilford County PTA, she already has worked with the school board.

Debbie Maines may not hold the designation, CPA, but she does hold the experience to represent District 2. A CPA is not going to solve the school board problems. Debbie Maines’ passion and her school experience make her the candidate I choose to endorse.

Rosemary,

That was a good endorsement for Debbie. I think Debbie is a passionate person, too, who cares for all students.

But - Garth is equally passionate about students and their educational achievement.

The current school board has mismanaged money beyond comprehension.

I'll go with the News & Record endorsement on this one -
Guilford County Schools desperately needs fiscal responsibility and Garth has that much needed experience.

VOTE GARTH for DISTRICT 2.

The teachers I know who live in District 2 and know there needs to be fiscal responsbility in Guilford County are voting for Garth.

There are individual school budgets and PTA budgets and then there are county, state and federal funds which is an entirely different level of finance. In light of the recent overspending in school construction alone, and projects that were never started as promised in the last bond referendum, there needs to be someone who knows the building industry as well.

The News & Record has this endorsement right!

VOTE GARTH FOR DISTRICT 2 FOR ACCOUNTABLE SCHOOL BOARD!

You cannot ignore who and why the News and Record have endorsed.

VOTE FOR GARTH ON NOVEMBER 7!

I agree that Garth is the choice for our kids. I'm a transplanted North Carolinian and since living here, I've never seen so much turmoil in a school system. I can see beyond a shadow of a doubt that the current school board lacks business intuition. I feel that those on the board have good intentions and care for our kids, but we've come to the point that we need more than a shoulder for them to cry on.

Our kids need and deserve to be competitive in today's competitive world. Our current school board has not shown that they can create quality programs that can pave the way for even the basics in education--not to mention the fiscal irresponsibility that has been at the forefront the past several years.

We would be doing our kids a dis-service NOT to elect a man that can potentially bring change. It seems Garth has the passion for change and the know-how to get it done.

I can't wait to vote for him. Thank you Garth for giving me hope.

Rosemary, I certainly appreciate your support for Debbie Maines, our daughter is involved with her chidren's extracurricular activities. However I am unable to support her because I fear she will be sucked in to the deception and manipulation which runs rampant both on the current School Board and the School Administration.

Unless this orthodontist's office was a multimillion dollar organization you are not making an "apples & apples" comparison. It's not so much the accounting nuts & bolts experience that is a positive for her, but it is her lack of auditing experience which is sorely needed in a slot on the School Board that becomes a negative for her.

Debbie's comment about firing Grier only if there was a better person to replace him hasn't set well with me. What would she do? Interview behind his back? Not let him know?

It was a dumb thing to say and an impossible feat to carry out.

Grier needs to go. Everybody knows it. Garth has the XXXXs to say it.

GARTH HEBERT FOR DISTRICT 2

A recent poll in our neighborhood show 95% of the residents voting for Garth.

Go Garth!

We need Garth on the board NOW!

I propose that Debbie run against Dot Kearns for the at large seat in 2008. I am sure that there would be a LOT, I mean a LOT of support for that!

Wouldn't that be fantastic?
Garth replaces Mendenhall and Debbie replaces Kearns.

Can't agrue too much with that Tammy (the part where Dot Kearns is replaced).

Hopefully by 2008 Dr. Grief will just be an unpleasant memory.

Buck,

Nope, having Dr. Grief here for several years is like buying a mansion that you can't afford. You have to take out an obscenely large mortgage to pay for it, and you'll be paying that off for next 30 years.

Stormy, that's true, unless a mortgage like Dr. Grier bankrupts you in the process.

In regards to the mortgage allegory, Dr. Grier is more like the bad credit score that won't go away when you try to buy your first home. With him as Superintendent, how can we expect voter support for badly needed school bond money for new schools. Wake School Bonds look like they will fail, Charlotte’s already failed. I am glad we have some empty trailers at Florence, it's just a short drive to Southwest Elementary, Middle and High where they will be badly needed next fall.

We have had enough grief in our county, it is time for a fresh start. In the last 3 years North High Point has had at least 500 kids pulled from the system. With only 3 families joining these families in no bonds votes that is at least 2,000 votes against the bond that should have been for it. In majority voting a swing of 4,000 votes. (2000 less for + 2000 more against), add to that the universal displeasure county wide for the mismanagement of our schools, thousand of Jamestown and High Point voters alienated, the increased violence, the failing test scores, messed up budgets, media mistrust and you have a major liability and impediment to new bonds.

For the school board to make any progress now, it must encourage TG to find a new haunt, whether he created these problems or not, most place the blame at his feet. Eric Becoats, TG's overpriced "Chief of Staff" who joins TG with a known record for consulting on the side when their supposed talents could have been used full time is another piece of excess baggage we cannot use in trying to gain credibility. Between TG, Becoats and Becoats’ wife we are spending almost 500,000 a year. They should not need to consult on the side.

Debbie Maines wants to wait and see if we can find someone better. I’ll stick my neck out and say that we cannot afford to wait if we want to build new schools and fix the old ones. TG and the Becoats need to go into consulting full time and get off the Guilford County Schools Rich and Infamous Free Lunch Wagon. That kind of money can buy REAL talent to solve real problems.

I believe even Madam Arbuckle and company can figure what a boat anchor this leadership team is to our school systems future.

Dr. Grier is not perfect. However, the problem is with the BOE. If they did their duties in a direct and efficient manner, Dr. Grier would not look so bad. They donot help Dr. Grier. They donot give direction to Dr. Grier. They donot get on board with him to advance education. Yet, we have members running unopposed. This is a tragedy.

Joe, you hit nail on head and Board deserves as much or more blame as Grier, however it does not look like they can or will be so readily replaced and the problems are imminent. Any significant impediment to a school bond needs to be “overcome” as soon as possible. To make it appear that they have seen the light so to speak and gain even a modicum of credibility, significant improvements must be made quickly. Most taxpayers/voters do not distinguish between Grier and Board and to convince these voters the Board must distance itself and show a willingness to reorganize.

Joe,

Let's look at Marti Sykes for a second. She never directs Terry Grier. She always ask what staff suggests and votes that way. Yes, it's her fault for listening to Grier but the bad ideas are all his. Grier is supposed to know what will work. Is this the best he has to offer Guilford County? If so, GET HIM OUTTA HERE!

Welcome Jeff Belton!!!

Grier is the reason Andrews is in the shape it is in.

Was it the school board's idea to get rid of Principal Hairston? NO!

Was it the school board's idea to take away our mascot? NO!

Was it the school board's idea to take Title I money from Andrews? NO!

Was it the school board that hired an inexperienced principal to come to Andrews that constantly worked on her Masters Degree in the backroom? NO!

Was it the school board that lied and manipulated the Lottery numbers? NO!

Was it the school board that took away our community involvement by busing our kids away? NO!

Was it the school board that decided that Seniors could no longer leave for lunch? NO!

And, was it the school board that decided to let our brightest kids leave and go to Central but not Southwest? NO!

These were all ideas that were conceived by Grier and his crooked staff before deals were struck to get the board's support.

Grier must go!

VOTE FOR GARTH

Was it the school board that took away our community involvement by busing our kids away? NO!

**********

Actually, the answer is yes. The school board must approve any changes in student assignment - and did so in this case.

And don't let the school board off the hook for the problems at Andrews. Ultimately, they are in charge and deserve some share of the blame.

I will not defend everything Dr. Grier does. But, at least, he is doing something. If the BOE acted any slower, they would be backing up. The BOE does not know how to get the best out of DR. Grier and staff. They don't call for ideas to fix certain problems we all know exists. Dr. Grier takes a hit for their misguided ideas. Out of 11 Board Members and 1 Supt., who wakes up and faces reality each day. I submit that Dr. Grier does a better job at that than 9 out of 11 of the BOE members. If they did nothing else, the BOE members should set an example to all on vision and dreams. The problem is with the BOE, they will not face problems square in the face and see that they are corrected in a short amount of time. Dr. Grier's shoulders are only so big, he would do better if the BOE lifted some of the burden from him. Instead, they lead the way in piling on.

Oh come on Joe!!

IF the board has to tell Terry WHEN to do WHAT, and Where and WHY to do it, and for HOW LONG and to WHOM, then WE DON'T NEED HIM!!!!!!!!

Next you'll suggest they need to wipe his butt! What good is he if he's just a puppet of the board?!!

I agree the board is NOTHING to brag about but to pay a man 200,000+ I would expect him to bring solutions to the board!

"for the record"
I realize that the board had to approve almost all of these changes but I don't believe that our current school board sat in a room...alone, without Grier...and decided that these changes needed to occur. Grier is the mastermind behind all the failed programs and policies in this district.

"why pay for nothing"
That is brilliant!! If the board could come up with all the answers, why pay Grier? Brilliant!! That is the best post I've seen on this blog in a long time. Please, post more often and you should even repost that one on a regular basis to make sure everyone gets a chance to see it.

"Joe Stafford"
What do we pay Grier for? I'm sick of him saying he works at the pleasure of the board. He took full credit for the HP Chance Plan until it was obvious to everyone that it was a failure. Then he quickly shifted the blame. He is a failure. Always has been. Always will be.

VOTE FOR GARTH

We have had two Superintendents. Do you really think Dr. Grier is worse than Dr. Weast? If we change Superintendents, we will have to pay him off. $600,000? or more. We take a year for a search, then what do we have. A person comfortable working with the BOE that will make no significant changes. You forgot the BOE extracted a promise out of Dr. Grier that he would make no changes the first year, even in those areas that begged for changes. If we run Grier off, all we are doing is trading one set of problems for another. The BOE is making a mistate to continually renew his contract. He has already been here 6 years. With his contract, the term will be 9 years. After 9 years, everyone will be ready for a change. By that time, several of the BOE members will have been replaced.

Joe,

Paying 600,000 NOW is cheaper than paying millions later. In the long run, that would pay off! I would even vote for a bond to pay to get him outta here. I will NEVER vote for a bond as long as he's here.

Get him outta here!

"Joe Stafford"
I agree with you on that. The school board is responsible for the decision to extend his contract again and again and again.

Which reminds me...Debbie Maines said she wouldn't fire Grier unless there was a better replacement lined up. Would she extend his contract? I think that she would.

VOTE FOR GARTH

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