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Jennifer,

Thank you for cleaning-up the other strand.

Stormy, I agree.

One thing I would like to do is have a real honest debate with Real Truth. The subject is the real truth. The Choice plan and subsequent redictricting is a total failure. It was designed to bring diversity to the three HP high schools but its final result is more segregation.

White enrollment at the three schools has decreased 22% (almost 400 kids)

Andrews has decreased 43%.
Central has decreased 20%
Southwest has decreased 16%

Up until the choice plan implementation Central White enrollment had been increasing. Lets not talk about Andrews. That is a disaster.

Say what you will these are the results.
Its not working.
The political forces that have made this happen need to take a Long hard look at this and do something. Just what have they done?

As for you Real Truth: Are you capable of analyzing this and suggesting a concrete solution?

I can't wait to see how the NHP crowd blames Terry Grier and Dot Kearns for this nearly tragic wreck! (and you know it's going to happen....)

Dropping your kid off at school does at times create great frustration especially toward other parent drivers.

One of the biggest irritants is when the child fumbles around in the car collecting the coat, book bag, and getting last minute instructions from the parent in the car which delays the other cars behind to drop off their kids. I've even seen parents after dropping off their kid stay parked in the drop off zone and start talking on their cell phone. Many times I've seen parents in the back of the line who've dropped off their child pull out of line to get by the more challenged parent who hasn't figured out the process after the 300th time of doing it, and this is where it can get messy, avoiding other cars as well be careful not to run over a student whose happening by.

At my kid's school,there is a school monitor who encourages parents to pull up as far as possible to drop their kids off as well as leave as quickly, but most times this doesn't even work.

Of course the accident that just happened is an exception that doesn't occur often but in light of the incidences I've seen while dropping off my kid, I can see how it could.

Realistic,

I have a couple of strategies for you to try. One: Chill out, and please allow the person in front of you 30 seconds or even a whole minute to drop their kid off. I'm pretty sure there will be--at some point--some unanticipated glitch that holds you up for a few seconds, too.

If that bit of consideration is too taxing to you... Try parking your car, escaping its heated comfort for a couple of minutes and walking your kid to class. It might save you a few thimbles of gas, and it won't send your kid the message that he or she is something to be dropped off, much as you would drop off your dry cleaning or an overdue book.

Finally, it's not an "accident" when someone plows into a child because he or she lacked the patience to clean off the windshield. It's an avoidable, careless injury to a pedestrian.

CW,
I blame the Principals and the Teachers. Its got nothing to do with Terry Grier.
Heck, he doesnt even come to High Point. He doesnt teach there, he is not a Principal. How can we blame him?
I also blame the white parents all over High Point that have made the sacrifice to move, home school or whatever.
I do not blame the Andrews parents who's complaints started all this. I just ask why they didnt tell anyone that they would be jumping ship.
I agree with you that it is in no way Terry Grier's or the school boards fault.

You are right as usual.

Emerywood,

Really, I feel sorry for the many parent's who're mentally challenged when dropping off their kid. It's really not a complicated endeavor, but it seems that it's an issue that's culturally peculiar to this area. It's almost as if the parent and child's mind has to reboot or reprogram themselves everytime the child prepares to disembark from the car. Is there a purpose for me being here? Do I need my books today? Why is there a bookbag in the back of the car? What's the purpose of the bookbag?

That's a good thought, park my car and walk my kid to class every morning. First, because I'm a visitor I would have to report to the office, and of course, what cool kid wants to be seen escorted by a parent to class.

As always Emery, you've really outdone yourself on this one. And we wonder why our kid's suffer academically and education is in decline in Guilford Cty.

Every school should have a set procedure for drop off, and it should be advertised often. All schools should have a car line duty person or two(every school I have ever seen does)- and no school wants hundreds of parents to park and walk their sweetie to school-- that is very disruptive and I would be surprised if there were enough parking places.

Also, parents need to follow the rules, and realize that they aren't special, their needs aren't any more important than every other individual driver. If all rules are followed, every drop off should run smoothly (icey windshields not withstanding)

If there is a problem at any individual school, then their leadership team should be told and they should put a plan into action.