News-Record.com

Again, our school gets the shaft, losing our SF 2 out of 5 days. BTW, we only made AYP by "safe harbor" and have a new subgroup this year, so that will not be a safety net this year. They are sending 5-6 people to every school to help. That is a good thing, but why do we rob Peter to pay Paul? These schools have smaller classrooms, more help, more money (most have Title1, some have Equity Plus), Mission Possible teachers etc.

Why can't we get these schools up to passing? Would someone please tell me that?

Could it be the lack of disciple? I know that the level of income makes it harder, but not impossible to succed.

Well said Debora. There are other schools that are slipping, so I hope they have more people that can be sent out in the future, they're going to need them.

Are they really going to be in the "trenches"???

Or are they going to be hiding in an office somewhere are these schools?

Is Dr. Grier going to be in the "trenches" with the soldiers or is he go to be in a safe bunker back at the Central Office or Chop House?

I fully agree with Debora. In High Point many teachers left SWM and SWH via Mission Possible to teach in these very schools that Grier is sending the teams. Neither SWM nor SWH met AYP last year. Those schools have overcrowded classrooms being taught by rookie teachers.

We continue to drain the barely making schools in order to try to improve the failing schools. It's just like the achievement gap - continue to bring down the high achievers instead of bringing up the low achievers. The gap is lessened, but have we really taught the students?

Discipline, discipline, discipline.

It's the one approach that hasn't been tried. It's so logical. Punish the kids who disrupt and don't want to learn and move them to their own school. Let those who want to learn learn.

Buck,

Let's see. Terry said:

"What's been going on is not working," Grier said Tuesday. "We're there to intervene and say 'What you have done is not getting results."

Note that he said "what you have done is not working"? It's all the fault of the teachers and principals. Any good leader would have said "what we have done is not getting results". Oh, I forgot, we are talking about Terry, aren't we?

"It's not going to be easy for any of us," Grier said, acknowledging that longer hours for these employees are likely and the effect on central office work is unknown."

It's gonna be hard for everyone, but where's Terry gonna be? Is he gonna be answering phones at central office or something? Why isn't he going to one of the schools to help? He was an educator before he became a bureaucrat, I have heard. Again, good leaders get in the trenchs with their troops when the going gets tough.

C'mon, Terry. Get in the trenchs and fight, along with your troops.

Oh Cry me a river you Grier haters. You don't have a shred of understanding the problems faced by impacted schools. You are bunch of selfish whiners! You have had the most qualified teachers for years. They fled schools of poverty to teach in your white bastion of glory (Southwest schools.) For many years schools impacted with poverty had many vacant positions, poorly qualified teachers or less experienced teachers. None of you cared. None of you cared until your little world was upset and you might have to pitch in. Your whit child might habe to share space with a child of color in your school or worse yet your white child might have to go to a school high numbers of children of color. You only really care about yourselves and not the community you live in. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I'm ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of your ignorance, your lack of empathy. Its always someone else's problem. Fix it but don't ask us to contribute! Reading between your lines says, "Why don't you just send all these kids off to an island somewhere so we don't have to deal with them." You people disgust me!

Good job Dr Grier! Thank you again for your continued efforts to help all of our children!

The Real Truth

No, "The Real Truth" I expect these highly overpaid professionals to FIX IT and not waste everyone's tax dollars.

Again I'll ask the question... "Are these bus loads of PHD's going to be in the trenches or in a classroom?" Grier likes to tout himself as "a poor old country-boy who used to be the baseball coach". I say that's great let's see Grier put his money where his mouth is, go over to High Point Central, teach a class or two, and show the kids on the baseball team how to hit a slider.

THIS IS ALL A SHOW SO WHEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT WITH THIS YEAR'S FAILED TEST SCORES Grier can say we tried.

Is this "The Real Truth" person serious? If so, it's quite disturbing.
My child is not in the Southwest district, BTW, so we are not in the "white bastion of glory" or whatever other inflammatory description you want to use.

Today's News-Record editorial makes it clear that the sole purpose of this educator "surge" is to flood low-performing schools temporarily with central office staff and curriculum coordinators from other schools with one purpose...to try to get those schools to succeed on their year-end exams.

RT, this is "not" about helping the students in these schools, as if it was, they would be doing something to help with their education. And, this surge is not about helping with education, it's about passing year-end testing. Who do you think stands to benefit from the schools passing their tests? If you said the students, you are wrong. It's Terry Grier, because if we have a massive failure of schools this year, ole Terry's resume will be tarnished. He can't have that, now can he?

If Terry could send those kids off to an island somewhere so they aren't counted in the testing this year, you can bet that ole Terry woule have a fleet of ships chartered and ready to go.

RT, you refer to Southwest as a "bastion of white glory", so you obviously haven't been to that school. It's one of the best examples of diversity in the whole district.

By the way, you spew hate and vile just like another poster on the Letter to the Editors blog....someone who calls themselves "Demon Deacon". Are you one and the same?

Remember The Shirley Temple Movies.
We will put on a play and save the school.

I can't deal with this.
For all I know "The Real Truth" is Terry Grier.

Terry's next progrem will be applying six sigma
quality methods and sending in some sigma black belts.

Go for it Terry

TRT

SEE YOU FORGOT YOUR MEDS AGAIN TODAY.

RT,

Every single middle and high school in High Point is a majority minority school.

Get your facts straight!

Dr, Grier is just taking steps to help those struggling schools. As he said "Its kind of like robbing Peter to pay Paul but we haven't been paying Paul." Whats wrong with that, he admits they need to do more and is trying to put as many resources as he can to fix the problem. The "Test" are what we have to measure progress by like it or not its the world we live in. (If you don't like it March on Washington. NCLB is Bush's unfunded manadate not Terry Grier's) We should be grateful this is a positive move. I think you Grier haters want the children to fail so you can blame Grier. If you would stop trying to cast blame on a decent and honorable man who is fighting an uphill battle trying to educate kids who who come to school hungry, in inproper clothing, who stayed up all night. Kids that are moved every six weeks. Kids that speak little English. Kids that see drugs on the corner everyday. Parents who don't or can't support their school or provide basic substenance for their children. Dr Grier has dedicated his life to these children. All you have dedicated is your steadfast selfishness, lack of empathy. You criticize everything Grier does. I bet if he just let you all have SW schools with district lines to your liking you would love Grier.

"We don't want to lend a hand in helping these poor kids, you need to do it over there on an island and keep them away from our kids. If you don't I'll put my kids in a CHRISTIAN ACADEMY... I don't really care what they teach as long as there aren't too many poor kids or kids of color." Buckmtn!

BuckMtn

Didn't mean to make that post seem like it was written by Buckmtn. (didn't see Buckmtn @ the bottom when I was editing) Its written by:

The Real Truth

Dear Real Truth,
You don't know me, so when you make generalizations painting with a wide stroke, you make too many assumptions. I walk the walk and talk the talk, I volunteer at schools and in my community. I will not debate my values with you, however I will gladly talk about the facts of education.

Do inner city schools need more help? Yes. They have smaller classrooms, Mission Possible, Title 1, Equity Plus money, more tutoring money, more magnet options, more academies etc. Now do I think that is helping? Maybe, but if we don't look at what we are doing that is and is not working, we can't keep changing and adding and adding without some evaluation of current programs.

If the few schools that made ayp don't keep their nose to the grindstone, then they aren't going to make ayp... then where is the entire county. Is it okay with you if all schools fail? Can we not help the needy schools without demolishing the others?

Terry is right, what we are doing is not working. My guess is that the EOC's from block schools don't look good. GCS as a whole is now on probation with the federal government. If we don't make changes (and hopefully improvements) we will face sanctions and lost of funding... then we will be worse. We need a new direction for all schools. More time teaching, less in meetings. Faster evaluation of testing. Classes for teachers are going to have to be after school, in evenings etc. Keep them in the classroom!!! Get the disruptions under control, add more votech classes for those that don't want 4 year schools. Quit passing on kids that don't meet minimum requirements. They don't catch up to their peers, they get further and further behind. It is a vicious circle.

If we all understood that the reason the children are not passing these tests is because they have no motivation to pass them, then you would understand why our scores are dropping instead of rising. Teaching is becoming more and more frantic while teachers pull out all the stops to try to engage students who plainly don't want to be engaged. Because of the way the system is set up, students who work hard pass and the students who don't work at all pass too. I wonder why the strong students quit working so hard???? They are smart enough to see that they don't have to work quite as much. 8th grade students can make F's all year long IN EVERY CLASS and still go to 9th grade. And then we wonder why they are dropping out?????? I think some of our administration must have been out of the classroom for so long they have forgotten how this kind of message affects a classroom. A teacher is working her heart out; the student's aren't. Then we are told by Grier, that "you (teachers) aren't working hard enough. We aren't seeing changes fast enough. You're sending people out in February.... half the year is already gone... do you think it will work faster with less time????? As for discipline.... principles are sent the message to find "alternate" forms of discipline to cut down on suspensions so that the school system can brag that suspensions are down. Guess where those kids are, parents? They are in your son's and daughter's classrooms wrecking havoc on your children's learning. Everyone suffers so that our "numbers" will look good. The numbers that I see aren't looking too good at all. Terry, wake up and smell the coffee. (Oh, I forgot, coffee smells GOOD) These people that are being sent in would be greatly appreciated if they wanted to take some struggling students out of the classroom and help teach them what they say the teacher's aren't. But for them to go in and walk around and then take up more of the teacher's planning time telling them what more they think needs to be done..... it's not their fault they are being sent; unfortunately, the one who does need to actually spend some EXTENDED time in a struggling school (longer than a 1 hour lunch with a selected group of students/photo op)will never actually be where it counts. Sit in a classroom for a couple of days, Terry, and actually see how hard it is to keep some of these kids thinking of school as any more than a extended social occasion. When they are rewarded by being passed no matter what they do, are you really surprised? You have lowered our school system to its LOWEST common denominator. To think that one of our slogans used to be "High expectations".... what have we done?

TRT, no problem, I'll respond to your Freudian slip.

As far as lending a hand to helping kids, my wife and I did our fair share at both SW Elementary and SW Middle in conjunction with our child's classes. Unfortunately it became apparent that you were eventually missing an arm or missing a leg as thanks for that "helping hand'. The last couple of years really opened my eyes to the lack a quality about the entire education experience within all of Guilford County. The common denominator is no doubt Dr. Grief and a majority of the School Board which grants his every wish or conveniently looks the other way. No wait that's Terry as Darlene Garrett calls him. She's right, there is no reason to recognize him as "Dr. Grier."

When my family made the decision to extract our child from this ongoing debacle in Guilford County I certainly did care what HPCA was offering as far as classes. When the response was teaching the core classes in order to be accepted at any school within the UNC system we were satisfied. It turns out the first graduating class placed students in one end of the UNC system to the other. No doubt ALL other parents care about the quality of the classes and resulting education as well at the many quality alternatives to "Terry".

Debora,

That was one of your finest speeches ever! I wish you would read it to the board tomorrow night.

Deborah is so so right. We are breaking our backs as teachers to just get these test scores up. I have kids who finish their benchmarks ( which is supposed to show what they have learned so far this year, but dont) in less than 20 minutes. The kids do not care, they know if they pass the EOG they will go on to the next grade. They can fail every class but still go on. That looks good on Grier's report card too.

It's time for Grier to Get Outta Here. He has nothing new to add to Guilford County. Our schools have dropped every year he has been here.

Wake up school board. Do the right thing.

(It's now obvious that TRT is in love with Terry Grier! And I was told that TRT's IP address leads back to a man! Eeewww!)

BRAVO! DEBORAH

TRT or should I just say EKM?

Robbing Peter to pay Paul...The schools are like a ship that is sinking because of different size holes. You go over here and plug one hole because it is the biggest. While you are doing that the other hole gets bigger because you have neglected that leak. It is just jumping from here to there and trying quick fixes what needs to be fixed first; a temporary solution. But at what price?

Deborah is right. Do we have to ruin all the schools that were functioning OK to fix those that were struggling? What will happen to our schools that are working? What about out children who want to achieve and learn? Who is meeting their needs?

The irony of this situation in High Point is that the struggling children from Parkview and other areas were shipped OUT of Andrews and Welborn with NO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOLLOWING THEM. Now all the resources and then some have been put into the schools they were shipped from(as Deborah mentioned all the various programs above). What help did these kids who got shipped to SW on a long bus ride get? Nothing but a long bus ride and a school they have no desire to be at.

and FYI you do not know all the persons who post here. Even the ones you refer to as "the Grier haters" are very actively volunteering in schools, some of them in several schools as they have children of various ages. They have ALWAYS volunteered. These same volunteers don't go in and say "I will only tutor the white children. I will only bring party supplies for some of the children." They willingly and wantingly sacrificed their days to tutor ALL children, black, white, hispanic, polka dot, striped.

It is you who sounds like you are filled with hate and unresolved issues.

Now since the miserably, admittedly failing HP Choice Plan (even admitted by board members) and the infamous Midnight Map C Swap Plan you LOST 425 children to homeschooling and private schools and other counties. So now these children who struggled, black, white, whatever do not have these parents volunteering at those schools.

So what good did all this social engineering do?
You had one okay high school and two schools struggling, one more so. Now you have 3 equally struggling schools as we continue to lose teachers and not to Mission Possible, but to other school districts or AP teachers going to teach at college.

As for Buckmountain it is his right as a good parent to do what is best for his child's education. He only gets one shot at it. When you go to a homecoming at SWH and see two girls making out on a rocker at rockathon I can see why many parents would have problems with what is allowed in our public schools these days, not to mention the daily fights, use of the F word and blatent total disrespect for authority all in the name of "my culture". GIVE ME A BREAK! A parent has the right to raise his child in a healthy, safe environment and give a child the best education for his future well being. What makes you the almighty judge of people you don't even know except by a pseudonym on a blog site where people express opinions.

and p.s.

WE LOVE YOU GARTH! GLAD YOU WON FAIR AND SQUARE. YOUR TURN IS NEXT MR. HUEY! THE TROOPS ARE GROWING EVERY DAY.

I especially liked this statement from the newspaper article:

"The struggling schools typically are staffed with new teachers who don't have much experience preparing students for tests. The intervention teams will give them a hand."

Does Central Office Staff have experience preparing students for tests?

Many at central office were teachers in the past. I think this will be a great reminder of what real life in the classroom is about. Some of central office are so removed from today's reality! And of course, sitting in an office; it is easy to suggest new and innovative ideas because they don't have to implement them. A big dose of real life is going to jump on them! That is if they get in the trenches for real and not just sit in an office in the schools and preach!

Deborah,

These are my thoughts exactly. One very positive part of the "intervention" will be people who have been removed from the reality of what goes on in our schools seeing what many teachers must deal with on a daily basis.

I hope, as you suggested in an earlier post, that the staff who is intervening will take the students who have the lowest scores, the students who disrupt and other "problem" students and work with these students. Let's see their "expertise" will work. I hope the people from Central office will make note of the fights and other incidences of disrespect that occur in our schools on a daily basis.

I also think it is a good idea to try something rathern than to just passively do nothing. However, I would like to see review and data of all the new programs and methods that have been incorporated in our schools in the past two years. We need to see if any of them are working or at least have a trend toward working. These programs need to be evaluated to see what works or all this money is just wasted. If it is working, keep it. If not, quit wasting funds.

JENNIFER, MORGAN OR DEBORAH

Have you heard anything on how the new program for suspended students at the Baptist Church is working so far? I had a rumor that they only had two participants so far. Surely, this is not the case.

"The struggling schools typically are staffed with new teachers who don't have much experience preparing students for tests. The intervention teams will give them a hand."

Again, contrary to Real Truth's assertion that they are there to help children, the evidence contineues to show that they are really there to give test results a temporary boost. This is not about educaton, but about test results. It seems that what they will really be doing is teaching the test. Sure, RT wil blame Bush and NCLB for testing in schools, but if there wasn't some required measurement, what would really be happening in our schools? It's truly a pity that new teachers can't teach students the test....

Morgan, Jennifer,

Can you provide updates in the paper on the progress of these teams? Can you provide details as to what, exactly, they're doing? In fact, I would like to make a suggestion - I think it would be great if you could shadow one of these teams as they work for a day in the schools. I would be very, very interested in knowing what they're actually doing.

Quest,

I'm working on a follow up right now, although it is more reaction from teachers and parents at this point.

I'd definitely love to follow a team. I just need to find one that will let me. I've had trouble hooking up with team members to get more details about what they're doing, let alone to set up shadowing. But I'll keep trying.

From what I have heard, it sounds like the teams will do a variety of things based on what they feel is needed at their school. I've heard they'll do everything from tutoring students to co-teaching classes.

Jennifer,

Thanks. I'll look forward to that story.

I find it really hard to believe that you Grier haters have a problem with Dr. Grier sending resources out to troubled schools to help them. Are you people really that nuts? Unbelievable! Its about teaching kids which means passing tests.

Tests measure what one has learned so helping students pasts test requires teaching. Again the depth of your twisted logic is unbelievable!

Your hatred of Grier has twisted your minds and logic beyond the slightest bit of sanity.

I notice that your Messiah Garth hasn't objected? Could it be he thinks its a good idea? Of course EC Huey won't, he hates the Administrators because they fired him, oh excuse me DIDN'T RENEW his contract!

The Real Truth

The Real Truth,

I've never met Garth Hebert or EC Huey but I have met Terry Grier. One thing that I'm sure of is that Grier is only interested in Grier. If you ever get the PLEASURE of meeting him, you'll know what I mean.

I have been reading this blog for a long time and nobody seems to have anything negative to say about Hebert or Huey except you.

Dear Truth,
It is fine to send people out to help schools that need help. The teachers in the trenches are finding that the tests do not measure what is being taught. The last math benchmark in 6th grade had material on it that wasnt going to be taught until April or May so how can a child pass that test? The reading benchmark was longer than the EOG and the kids tuned out. What happened to good old fashioned teaching? They give us a curriculum to teach and we better teach it or else. We are not supposed to deviate from the curriculum set by GCS. For example in 6th grade the first week of school 6th graders were to learn what irregular verbs were. They did not even know what a noun was at that time of the year. The stories in the literature book are about death and ghosts and the kids do not relate to them. But we better teach it or else. 8th graders are listening to music and watching movies and calling that language arts. Grier is spending more and more of our tax dollars on programs and progams that dont work. We need discipline and parent support in the classroom. The schools with the best test scores NW Middle, Summerfield, Kernodle--they have parents in the schools that support the teachers and staff

Barbara Ann,
I planned to follow up on the suspension program around April when it has been in place for a while. The program started Feb. 1 and that is not enough time yet to look for a pattern. Thanks.

Morgan,

I hope that was just a rumor and I sure hope the programs produces positive results. Thank you for following up on this.

Molly,

Just a note "Truth" is not "The Real Truth". There is a person who posts under the name of "Truth" who knows the truth, statistics, facts and all. Just thought I'd mention this as I think you meant your post to "The Real Truth" who is indeed the only one who says ugly stuff about Garth and Mr. Huey.

btw everyone - Mr. Huey gave a great speech at the beginning of the School Board meeting tonight regarding keeping the SROs.

Hi folks...continuing coverage of this issue is on my website, including the full text of my speech from last night. If there's a community meeting, I'll be there. I'll have an updated blog entry on last night's events right after the lunch hour today.

E.C. Huey

Real Truth, perhaps if there were 84 less administrators and 84 more teachers in these schools in the first place, well........

Don't get me wrong, everyone wants these schools to succeed, it's just hard to believe these schools ever have a chance under the present administrative leadership.

Personally I see improvements every day. Not having Susan Mendenhall on the Board for the past two months is definitely a step in the right direction. Having Kris Cooke and Dot Kearns gone in another two years would pay tremendous dividends to the county.

While congratulations are in order for Kernodle Middle's recent award (CONGRATS DARLENE!) reportedly there were several cop cars called to Southwest High School yesterday because of an impending gang fight. When is enough enough???

Last night was one of the most useless BOE meetings I have ever been to, and I have been to many. On the agenda, was a discussion of the bond issue. Did they reduce the amount to some managable amount? No. Did they put the projects in some decent priority? No. For weeks, this meeting was billed as the one where a serious discussion of SROs would take place. What happened? Nothing. This week rolled out a bold plan of sending the staff into the field to help poor performing schools. Was there an update to BOE members? No. Did the Chairman or the BOE members offer their support? No. Did you see excitement in Dr. Grier's face? No. What you see is a system going down the tube and a BOE unable or unwilling to stop the slide. Be prepared, it will get worse before it gets better.

Molly, Have you bothered to look at the faces of the students at Kernodle and Noerth Middle? Mostly white middle and upper middle class families. Of course they have parents involved in their schools. You don't have a clue the challenges faced by families living in poverty. You all seem to want to make judgements from your vantage point rather than trying to consider other peoples perspective. Thats fundementally what is wrong with you.

The School administrators have a job to do. Its a big system with state and federal guidelines to follow. Reports that have to be completed to get funding. Laws that have to be followed. It takes a lot of administrators and GCS is doing more than most systems in NC with less. They should be commended. Taking administrators out to schools will take a toll on their other responsibilities but Dr. Grier is doing what he can to make a positive difference. Its not a bloated administration as you Grier haters continually spew. You should be ashamed of yourselves, you will say anything as long as its negative.

Barabara Ann,

I need to correct you, I not only say things about Garth and Huey but you too. When I refer to Grier Hters you are at the top of the list. I think you are as demented as your friends. As for the Truth, sure it spews statistics but only use the negative data. Its certainly not balanced. Its always the glass is half empty. More negative spewtum from a Grier Hater thats all it is.

As for Huey, I didn't see his speech and could care less. Resource officers aren't going to be removed from the schools. Nobody wants that including the administration; neverthelss there is nothing wrong with examining the process. Every process every system should be continually examined. Thats what makes improvements.

As for programs: We live in a very diverse county and I for one am very glad that our school system is willing to try new an innovative programs to reach students. To provide students with cirriculum that interests them. I wish I had gone to school in a system that had all the tremendous opportunities GCS has. I'm not saying all the programs have worked but some have. Sometimes you don't know if they will work until you try. Additionally many of these programs were financed with mostly Federal Grant Money. If we hadn't done the program we wouldn't have gotten the money. Again you Grier haters want to throw around accusations of wasting resources and local tax dollars but you are simply wrong (sure I know there were some local dollars spent as well>>>save your breath or key strokes)

Buckmtn, One more thought. During the redistricting debate you and your white flight neighbors complained about long unsafe bus rides etc. but when faced with the prospect of having your little darlings sitting next to a person of color or from a low income household you enrolled them in an all white school (I know there are a couple African Americans at HPCA)that was a further distance from your residence than any of the public schools your kids might of attended. I say this to point out that there is no logic in your arguments. You twist the logic to for your own warped motivation to justify segregating your kids. Shameful!

Get A Life,

Here you talking about maps again. You really are terrified of Andrews High aren't you. Its all about race... admit it. You are pathetic. As for two girls making out in a rocking chair. I should have guessed that was from SW. That wouldn't be permitted at Central or Andrews.

The Real Truth!

Wrong TRT...that would be encouraged at any school/person under Dot's influence. The facts speak for themselves.

THT, two words: spell checker.
Use it!! :oD

Real Truth, those "white flight" neighbors of mine that you refer to actually consist of Mexican family and an African American family. Our daughter baby sits the kids of the Mexican family and has a recipricating deal going on with their Mother where our daughter helps her with her English and their Mother helps our daughter with her Spanish. The African American Mother was one of the most vocal opponents of the long bus rides.

As long as you brought up the long rides to HPCA, that's easy. A direct car pool to HP Central and HPCA is only 20 minutes compared to over an hour on the bus. Actually the car pool will get shorter next school year when the HP Central student transfers her "A" average to HPCA. Her family has gotten tired of the lack of discipline over at Central. That's a lack of discipline by the white students, black students, and any students that happen to be green with pink polka dots.

So RT, please take your deck of race cards and share them with Deena, Skip, Bruce, Jesse J, Al Sharpton or some of those nutty professors over at Guilford College that nurtured Deena's ideas in the first place.

Got Grammer,

Sorry I'm not a good typist. I'll give you that. But at least I'm not filled with hatred and negativity.

Buckmtn,

You are full of it! If you can drive your kids to HPCA you could have driven them to Central or even Andrews its closer. Central's a great scholl you just want to crucify it as an excuse to move your little white darlings to an all white school and then claim its not about race! Disgusting! As I said before you use selective reasoning. Do you work in intelligence at the White House?

The Real Truth

TRT says...
"But at least I'm not filled with hatred and negativity?"

Are you kidding me? You show your hatred everyday. You are no better than the commenters on this blog. You just hate a different group of people.

TRT aka Emma,

You need some serious help. You have no idea what I am about. You don't know the other people you write about either. These people have credibility while you do not.

Actually TRT another alternative would have been Westchester where the kids get to hang out with all of Dot's neighbors. You see Dot's neighbors don't want their kids to go to Central either. How do you feel about them?

Or the more environmentally friendly alternative would have been SW. There the mode of transportation would have been using your Keds for 5 minutes.

Let's just all take government grant money because it is there and make up a program to go along with it.

High Point Choice Plan: condition of grant: public input, parents must approve of it WRONG - it was never presented to the public. The grand app failed because the persons applying didn't fill out the correct amount of money. They failed to read the directions.

MMM....Grants for a cooking academy. Sounds great. Let's put one at Central. It doesn't matter that these students can't read or write. Hey it's free money.

Here's the real 911, TRT. NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE EXCEPT TO THOSE WHO WANT GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS. WITH A FEDERAL GRANT WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR WASTED EDUCATIONAL PLANS THAT HAVE FAILED WITH OUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS. I WOULD RATHER HAVE VOUCHERS OR SAVE MY MONEY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE GOING DOWN THE TUBES AND NOT JUST IN GUILFORD COUNTY. OURS ARE JUST GOING FASTER.

Buck, Are there any openings at HPCA?

Correction: Here is the 411

Mirror mirror on the wall

Who has the most negativity and hatred after all

Who could it be

Why it's TRT

Mirror in the fun house

I'm looking at you

Reflecting a warped perception

Of only what I see

Could this also be TRT

The Real Truth, I hope and pray that you live in High Point because Greensboro already has its full allotment of wackos.

Truth,
Who ever said I dont have a clue what it is like for families in poverty is wrong. I do know. I teach those kids every day. It does not take a parent in the classroom helping. It does not take a parent working for the PTA 24/7. All it takes is a parent to ask their child how their day was and to make sure they have their homework each night and to make sure they are behaving in class. Most of those parents in poverty do care about their child's education and they want a better education for their children. The problem teachers see is behavior of all children. Black, white, Hispanic, Korean etc. They do not respect authority. We see kids marking the walls in the bathroom, kids not doing assignments, kids pushing and shoving each other, kids fighting, kids telling the teachers they dont have to do what they ask them to do. Kids saying FU to the teachers, kids with drugs, boys hitting young ladies on the bottoms, kids having sex on the bus and I can go on and on.

TRT, what a WHACKO you are. WOW!

This is America, we have the right to question our leaders. Its called democracy. Your desires and wishes belong in the old Soviet Union or the old Iraq.

on this issue, see my updated web blog, click on my name below. The state apparently is expecting scores to dip statewide. See the full text of the e-mail the state sent in my blog.

E.C.

Molly,

"Truth" is another person. I think you meant "The Real Truth" or TRT. Truth wouldn't say such irrational things.

I have heard that Truth has gone to a better place. Lost forever and replaced with a completely irrational whacko called "The Real Truth", The Real Truth has no facts, she insults everyone, regardless of their opinions, except Grier, who is her idol. The "Truth" cannot afford to be associated with "The Real Whacko Truth". Her beloved Andrews has been driven into the ground by Grier but like a love stricken teenager she cant see it. In the meantime the insults, the name calling and the irrational behaviour continue. She may disgust me but I might also may feel sorry for her. I havent made up my mind. In this case there is a fine line between disgust and pity.

This letter appeared today in the HPE, and it sounds like The Real Truth and Demon Deacon, as well as Emma. Could it be that they are all the same persona?

"While living in the flawless splendor of non-sectarianism, when Emma Mie­den speaks of the difficulties of talking about religious intolerance in the Bible Belt (Jan.27 column in the Enterprise), she gives little credit to its inhabitants for having the desire and disposition, or perhaps even the intelligence, for open and objective discussion in such mat­ters. How painful it must have been for her to take 14 years to actuate the cour­age to spew fourth her own intolerance.
She cannot discuss sectarian prayer in the City Council without impugning our good Southern friends in the Bible Belt. She implies that the Bible-Belters are the culprits in denying religious rights of others. Of course, she is not the first Carpetbagger to come South to try to reform the ways of these fine Bible­toting religious people in the good old North State.
It now seems that we see a dichotomy, in her mind, of just whose intolerance is acceptable and whose is not. As we have always seen from those of a liberal persuasion, in matters religious, politi­cal or social, that which emanates from their self-declared, nauseant, intellec­tual superiority carries with it a certain exclusion from moral judgment, while that of the hayseed, local yokels who should be seen but never heard, can be sullied at will, with no compunction.
When she implies that Bible-Belters have yet at attain unto her level of non-sectarian discourse, it bespeaks of a chilling air of superiority; and comes across as a little elitist, to say nothing of being rather condescending – especially from one who “preaches” universal tol­erance and acceptance, while taking an insinuative jab at a particular religious group. What a fine example we have here of religious tolerance."

Gee...What Is The Real Truth.... That sure is a coincidence. There have been so many letters in the HPE about that HPE liberal columnist lately. You may be onto something here.

Could someone tell me why the BOE did not mention the redeployment of staff? They provided no encouragement? What's going on? Are they distancing themselves from Dr. Grier? I was shocked that not a single member wished him well or offered support.

Joe,
They were too busy discussing nothing and by the way, you speak too much sense. I loved your comemnts about the bond. The facts are that if we had a Board of Education like Forsyth we would have a new middle school in Jamestown. Why does the board (or Grier) want to build Buckingham Palaces instead of functioning basic schools? Cant we assume that if a basketball court that collect rainfall really had a business case then big business would also adopt the same "concept"?.

When will we have a real discussion about discipline in our schools? Why do children come to school and feel like they can disrupt a class?

Why cant a poor child in a inner city school learn to read and write by a reasonable age?

Just too many burning questions.....

Maybe one of these days we'll have a real discussion on it but I'm not holding my breath. As I said the other night, these schools need help now, and no one's talking about it. Shameful...

These children have been oppressed for years. How do you expect them to learn? Why would I want them to learn?

If you look at the demographics of Guilford County the number of minorites enrolled increases every year. The number of middle class enrolled, in contrast, decreases. I am sorry to say but, the plain facts are that we can't educate minorities. So it takes no Einstein to predict that if we cant find out a way to sucessfully educate minorities then the demise of Public Education in GC is just a formality.

Its just a matter of time. We need to have the "talk" before its too late.

Is the goal for many of these students (or some might argue, should it be or must it be) a college degree, in order to compete with the huge numbers attending and graduating colleges in India and China? Since US Census (2004) estimates peg the percentage of Guilford County residents (25 and older) with a bachelor's degree at 31%, and those with a master's or professional degree at 9%, aren't we by definition seeking to create more "elite" people, by virtue of superior education and (one hopes) literacy?

Couldn't they remain less educated and live happy lives, albeit at lower standards of living?

Or, if we insist on this goal, and try to increase those percentages to, say, 40-50% and 15-20%, respectively (to compete with RTP, never mind a future Asian meritocracy), shouldn't we admit it is elitism we want, after all? That would, unfortunately, perhaps, force us to consider rejecting some cherished superstitions and suppositions. Education has a way of challenging them.

Hello, Mr. Huey

I would be happy to have a real discussion.

To begin, on your website, you say you want "one county, one school system", but then claim having only neighborhood schools is the way to accomplish this hoped-for unity. Seems counterintuitve. Neighborhood schools by their nature show most the imbalances: of parental involvement or literacy; children coming to school hungry or distracted by crime and disarray in the neighborhood; (off-the-books) fundraising, etc., Such differences would likely further polarize the have/have not divisions in this county, wouldn't they?

Do you also wish to obliterate magnet programs? Would you like to see a school such as Brooks Global be converted back into a neighborhood school as well? Wouldn't it be better to implement more extended-year curricula at other schools, considering the competition in a global marketplace?

In addition, do you have any specifics about curriculum matters you would like to see implemented, speaking as a teacher?

Jim, Do you have any evidence that busing dis-adavantaged children across town to acheive diversity really works? Do they really get educated or do they get hidden away in the mix? I personally think they will get hidden away. If a neighborhood school is bad then it is for all to see and consequently demands accountability.

We need to find a real solution and not a way to dilute bad results away. Too much time has been lost working on diversity as the only solution.

Now Magnets. Do they really work or do they become a school within a school? An audit of High Point Central last year clearly stated that the IB program there was a school within a school.

All one has to do to see the impact that magnet schools have had on our system is to look at the graphic in today's News-Record. We have so many magnet schools and programs, they completely covered the map of the county. In essence, what I am saying is that our magnet schools are about quantity, not quality. GCS is throwing every magnet imaginable against the wall to see what sticks, and along with it, millions of dollars.

I am not against a moderate approach to magnet schools as they can provide an appropriate alternative to traditional school. Take a look at what Forsyth County is doing. They have a more modest approach to magnet schools. They have much fewer, and they work. Students and their parents know what is offered and that it is quality. Any idea how much of our school budget goes toward magnet schools? Any idea why our traditional schools don't have enough resources? The investment per capita in magnet schools are much larger than traditional schools.

I think GCS should adopt a new policy that says no student can be forced to leave a school in order to attend any school with lower test scores. In other words, no busing kids in order to save a school. If a school is performing poorly, those kids should have a right to get out but never again in this county should our board members be allowed to put the burden of failing schools on kids. It seems like a reasonable request to make this a policy.

I'm taking a poll. What do you bloggers think?

PS. Mr Langer, magnet schools are an option parents choose. I don't think they mind going to school in a different neighborhood if that is their choice.

Stormy,
I will agree with you about GCs approach, but magnet schools are only in the two cities, us poor country folk don't count. If any of our children want to take advantage of these schools, w are on buses for hours and hours. Many students live 20-30 miles from the inner cities of our county.

It is not economical to put them out in the county, nor is it economical to bus anyone to them.

What a tangled web they weave.

Debora,

I understand that magnets are not located in the county schools, but the magnet concept came into being many years ago with one objective...placing them in majority minority schools with the express purpose of luring white middle-class students to those schools. Magnets were created when busing to achieve racial balance was no longer allowed, i.e., they were created to desegregate schools. So, you will never see magnets placed in county schools, especially Northwest. It's not really a matter of economics where magnets are placed, it's about desegrating high minority schools.

So, we use a very large portion of our school district's financial resources to create large numbers of magnets. It's not about providing alternative education for students, it's about racial balance. In my opinion, the district could care less whether the students in Northwest have convenient magnet opportunities. If you want to take advantage of the magnets, you have to travel to a another school.

Stormy,
I agree totally with you, although the powers that be would not. The push for magnets in today's terms are all about 'choice' for parents with the never spoken real reason of racial diversity, but as many have said.. what good does it do the ones that need the most help? For instance at Jones, they are no longer title one due to the large amount of magnet students. Who does without? The neighborhood children that need the most help. I would guess there are many more examples of this.

If what we are doing now is not working (Dr. Grier's words) then what next. Does anyone think that mission possible is working? How will it be evaluated? How long we will continue to fund it even if it doesn't work? How did the block schools do on EOC's? Has anyone heard? Of course the value added scores for teachers are a secret! We will only hear if things are great; which I doubt.

Jim: I've addressed your concerns in a blog entry (http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/02/13/neighborhood-schools-magnets/)

Folks, click there to go to my new Express blog site.

E.C.

I did not say neighborhood schools are "bad"; I do maintain that neighborhood schools located in poorer neighborhoods will be less well-funded "off the books", with less parental involvement (for ahost of reasons, not just those that blame parents), and would likely suffer other ills not afflicting the affluent.

By the way, Brooks Global has a high percentage of African Americans, many of whom are in the upper middle or higher class.
They contribute generously in time and money to help defray out-of-pocket expenses of teachers, and to supply the school with needed resources.

Jim,

Why did you feel the need to make your last post concerning the African American families at Brooks Global?

It would seem that it would be an inappropriate post had someone said,

"By the way, Summerfield Elementary has a high percentage of whites, many of whom are in the upper middle or higher class.
They contribute generously in time and money to help defray out-of-pocket expenses of teachers, and to supply the school with needed resources."

I inserted those comments because it is clear to me much of the anger generated in High Point over districting outside neighborhoods revolves around assumptions about African American participation as parents in the eduaction system. It is clear at Brooks, this isn't the issue. The magnet programs work well because they can attract parents and children from different neighborhoods of many ethnicities, and create positive results, but a lot has to be siad for the fact these schools do attract motivated, better-financially-off families, again, of all ethnicities.

Yes, Summerfield has family financial support, but not diversity.

Jim,

I assume then that you live in High Point and have struggled with illogical board decisions over the last 4 years? You know - the decisions that have continued to lower our test scores across the board and cause hundreds of parents to leave the system????

If and only if you can answer yes do you have the right to make those statements.

The bitterness on this blog is astounding...it's no wonder it funnels down to our children! I have never posted here, I actually came looking for some answers. But, I have to comment and say... my 7th grader has gotten a world of an education thanks to the C-star redistricting plan. None of which I am very happy about. My main issue about redistricting has always been about academics. It had nothing to do with race.
She is not getting educated to her potential. She is not even being educated to the basic standard 7th grade level. (She is repeating 6th grade work in English among other things)She is being tutored in Math so she passes the EOG. She has been asaulted physically as well as being harassed. On top of that she has been educated on racism, first hand knowledge, by a teacher saying, "sweetie that's a white thing".
So, do I think kids should have been moved and bussed around to bring up tests scores? NO I think increasing teachers and decreasing class size should have happened at the struggling schools.
What the School Board has done, at Dr Grier suggestion, was weaken a fragile school system. Now, to rectify that, they want to send out a repair team to the really damaged schools. If they had just done that to begin with, perhaps we would not be where we are right now.

Jim L

it is obvious that you do not live in High Point. you have no understanding about the anger generated in High Point. certain powers that be would love to have the public believe it was (is) about race. that is how Central became whiter and brighter. for certain elements in old HP it may have been about race. it was and is about politics, not education.

Frustrated Mom, above, describes the situation quite well. the lucky parents have left the system.

You can in no way even begin to compare Brooks Global a REAL CHOICE MAGNET to putting 8th graders in a lottery (WHEN NO OTHER SCHOOL WAS IN A LOTTERY) not knowing where they will go to school, what friends they will have to leave and the the Midnight-just-happened-to-pull-this-map-out-of-my-back-pocket-Map C. no matter how you cut it or what you call it, this was FORCED redistricting. we are losing more teachers every year because of redistricting.

if your child was FORCED to go to a school not of your choice that was continually failing, be put on a long, long bus ride when they had a school they could walk to, was FORCED to a school that had a record of violence, that have been a Title I op-out school until its Title I status was conveniently changed, was one of THE lowest schools in the state, was on Judge Mannings' list, I think you might be just a little angry.

For the record, getting into Brooks is also a lottery.

No, I must say, I don't live in High Point. I never claimed to nor to speak for those who do. I am, however, speaking as to the vitriol so well described by the FrustratedMom. We all want what is best for our own children, first and foremost. Secondarily, perhaps, we want something at least adequate for other people's kids. But, if we are afraid because we believe certain factions (and perhaps, races?) of children or the neighborhoods they come from will bring physical harm and /or lower test scores to thye schools our children attend, then we have to address those fears, not run from them.

I was a bused kid in my high school, from almost 15 miles away.
The city where the school was had a much broader mix of income levels, including the farmers' & truckers' kids like me (though, admittedly, there was not much racial diversity), and scores were all over the map.

Although 30 years ago there wasn't an expectation that all kids should nor would attend college, I managed to be the first in my whole extended family to graduate both undergrad and grad school. This, despite hours on the bus every day as a teenager. It helped I my main job was not one requiring a car or working away from home: I was busy on the farm. And I learned to do a lot of reading on the bus as it made its painfully slow way along bumpy (often snow-clogged) roads.

Brooks is not a forced lottery. It is a magnet school where you wait in a lottery for having the privilege to attend. This is not the same as waitng for the "thumbs down" and being FORCED to attend a high school that is the lowest in the state.

Children are being bused to SW that how no other means of transporations. When these children are sick, they stay at school all day.

Our schools are not the same as 30 years ago. I would imagine you had rules that were inforced or you had to leave. All children should have a chance to succeed. But do you have to destroy a once successful school in the process bringing down all three. No, Jim, it is quite obvious you don't live in HP. The vitrol is not going away. People in North High Point will never forget. All this could have been avoided by helping children were help was needed not hiding them in a mix. This has hurt all the children as voters will not be voting for future bonds.

Jim,
For the record, we actually had a choice. My child was approved for reassignment back to Southwest, but it was contingent on the sale of our house. Instead of being moved over in December, she chose to start at Welborn in August.
As I said before in my previous post, Academics have always been my concern. When I toured the school in the summer of 2006 and mentioned my concern I was assured that all children would be challenged academically. She isn't. In addition, she has developed an aggressive and angry personality as a coping mechanism to deal with being harrased and bullied. This anger and aggression now displays itself at home and she takes it out on her family. So am I now supposed to punish her for something, in essence,our 'wonderful' School Board has done??
We did not run from a school that clearly is in trouble academically. Fear is not always a motivator of why people do what they do.

BTW just how long am I supposed to idly sit by and watch my child decline in learning? Or I could just go and pay for Sylvan Learning Center to do what the Guilford County School System is supposed to do? Unfortunately, I can't afford that!
I saw this problem coming, just like many other parents. You blame it on fear (for whatever reason). The simple fact is when a school is in trouble it needs positive action that the students themselves can get excited about, as well as the parents and staff. It needs to have those students WANT to learn. And yes it needs funding, doesnt everything. What happened instead is the GC SchoolBoard has created a swarm of students who don't want to be where they are. As well as students protecting there turf. Which only creates alot of negitivity. Not a very sound place for learning.
I was not afraid to send my child to Welborn. Unfortunately, she is there and I am picking up the slack to make sure she passes her EOG's. Which still leaves me...frustated!!!

I can appreciate and applaud your decision to try to effect change at Welborn, FM, and I did not say you, personally, were motivated by fear and were running away: I meant that as a challenge to us all. We live in the core of the city, and the local middle school, especially, is showing signs of trouble (frankly, so is the high school!). We are considering a move (because we can't afford on teachers' pay to buy a house in this part of the city unless it would be smaller than the tiny apartment we rent)that would land our child in another pair of middle and high school with some real issues already afoot. So, I am projecting into the future (near and further along), perhaps, but the issues called, I thought, for the pronoun "we".

I am moved by your account of your child's pain and hurt, FM, and wish you strength as you seek ways to help her. Since my child hasn't reached those years yet, I can only imagine and share some of your worry...it's a cruel and angry world our children face, unless we keep them in suspended animation, I suppose. The very rich have their own ways of sheltering formt he storm, of course. The rest of us make do.

Yes, education is different from 30 years ago. But I am not sure it's just about styles of discipline. It also doesn't change the effect of long bus rides: children have endured them as country folk for at least fifty years, I am sure, if not longer. We didn't all succeed, but it is possible. I hate to even posit this, but some of the reasoning may fall from genetic predisposition and temperament. Not the "Bell Curve" variety, though.

Country children had to ride a bus as there were not many schools in the country. It was either that or don't go to school. Riding a bus for 90 minutes when you could simply put on your Keds and walk across the street is another story. You are creating unnecessary heartships like the example FM gave above. It is the children and their families who suffer because of the politicians.

No, I am not creating "heartships", though I would be the first to sign up for a cruise on one. What I am saying is that the argument that a bus ride in itself might create poorer test scores, as some have intimated, is specious.

Jim, you are considering moving because you local schools are showing signs of issues? Plus if did buy a house you could afford you migh end up in a school with issues....Like Welborn for instance?

Jim, you are starting to think like the very people you are criticising from your high horse.
You are failing to listen. Dont compare your bussing to what has gone on in High Point. We live 800 yards from Southwest and my daughter was forced to go to High Point Central 11 miles away. We went past SW on the way. Isnt that absurd?

I am tired of all this. Our schools are now filled with disciplne problems. Its very tiring. People like you wear me out. There are many, many, many parents in High Point, burned out and pissed off.

That is funny, Jim. I meant to say "hardships". Notice the time of the blog so please excuse this typo.

No one ever said bus rides create poorer test scores. What we have been saying (and are quite frankly sick and tired of repeating) is that shipping students who are failing and/or are known discipline problems on a bus, across town does not solve their problems. This only changes the location of the problem and compounds the problems. These same students still can't read or pass Algebra. These students have knowingly been hidden in a different group with higher achieving students so each school as a whole will avoid NCLB sanctions. The redistricting has made all the schools WORSE. Now every these kids are angry and volatile about what has been done to them. It is the teachers who have to deal with their outbursts on a daily basis.

The Choice Plan was proposed to relieve overcrowding at SW. That was a bold-faced LIE. Midnight Map C was a blatent racial swapping plan. SW is more crowded than ever (with some recent relief from the addition). Our schools are losing veteran teachers because of all the change. High Point has lost 425 student to private school because of all the redistricting crap. SWM has DAILY fights.

We will never forget what they have done to SW schools. More importantly many families will never forget nor forgive the undue stress and HARDSHIP this has put on many, both financially, emotionally and spiritually. We will never forget about certain Andrews parents that laughed while 8th graders from SWM were crying hysterically the night of Black Tuesday. You had to live (eat, breath and sleep) it for several years to understand it and you don't. No family should have to sit before 3 school board members to wait for a thumbs up or thumbs down to know their child's destiny at a future high school. THEY ARE NOT GOD.

All this strife could have been avoided over the past several years if the few Andrews parents who simply wanted more AP classes at Andrews were allowed to go to SWH. They did not have to destroy SW schools and families in the process.

And in conclusion....SEE "NOLIES" POST ABOVE. THAT TRULY SAY IT ALL. Any hopes of passing future bonds for schools in the near future is extremely bleak. Add to that the recent excess spent on Northern and the picture gets even bleaker.

I like typos on blogs. They can open up subterranean thought processes, like Jungian or Freudian slips. Besides, the letters aren't close enough to be a typo. We should listen to our hearts, after all, as long as we also argue with our minds.

And I wonder who should make districting decisions, if not school board members. God doesn't deign to make them for us.

Okay, typo, NO. Spelling error, YES. It's not important.

I wasn't speaking about redistricting decisions in reference to "God". I was referring to the HP CHOICE plan which was never about CHOICE. Those students who received the bad lottery tickets (and the lottery was only in High Point not the rest of the COUNTY school system) and appealed had to be "judged" if they were worthy enough to go to SW in private session by 3 board members. No other parents in the county had to go through this b.s. It was not right nor humane to put this undue stress on families. Many left to for private schools and rightly so. They have no interest now in public schools and along with many other p.o. ed parents will not be voting for bonds.

And if school board members are to make redistricting decisions, those decisions should be based on areas of growth, keeping neighborhood schools as much as possible, and not on the politics of Old High Point powers that be wanting to improve their alma mater. Above all their decisions should not continually waste taxpayers money on programs that fail, hide students and not educate them, and cause hundreds to leave the public school system. The BOE should involved parents, listen to them and they do no.

THE END

The philosophical crux of the issue may well center on excatly what you say, Buses: "They have no interest now in public schools" and will vote against not just these bonds, I assume, but all bonds in the future to support public education. Now, if this may be true, I would like to hear the entire philosophical theory behind this abandonment of public education. Granted, many parents did leave, angry with redistricting. Have they then also decided they and their fellow citizens should not give more tax dollars to a wasteful system (all systems of government have at least some waste, inevitably...it's a matter of degrees, I submit)?

When Thomas Jefferson first envisioned universal public education, what do you think his philosophy was? Why provide education through taxes to those who would otherwise not be able to get any schooling, since private education is more expensive per student & parent(s) than spreading the costs across all citizens' shared taxes, including the dwindling support of corporations?

I will not vote for bonds for the following reasons:

-If they build an airport school in HP my kids will not be able to go there anyway. They board will use it and find a way to gerrymand a swap map.
-I also do not approve of the board building one school with the same money that they could build two.

This is called democracy. The whole district might need the bond but history shows that sometimes you need to go back to go forwards. A NO vote to bonds in Guilford Counties case will hopefully be very healthy.

THE PATRIOTS HAVE SPOKEN. JUST VOTE NO FOR BONDS.
"TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS TYRANY"

Just an observation, I was under the impression that the School Board Representative 'represented' it's district people. I hardly think the people of High Point, on a whole, were represented the way they wanted to be represented. If they were you would not have such an uproar over this issue. Our district includes many schools, not just one.
It also seems that the 'Lottery-Choice' Plan was fine for the High Point area of the County, but it just wasn't good enough for the rest of the County. It seems to be a little partial, and nothing leans in the favor of High Point.
As far as Bond money goes, how are we to be sure that the bonds we vote for actually go to what we voted for?? In the last couple of years didn't they use the slated Jamestown Middle bond money for some other school improvement??

Frustrated Mom - Welcome to the Chalkboard! I feel your pain. All I can say is hang in there. It's got to get better before it gets worse in High Point. Never, never, never give up.

FM, the general consensus is that BG "Before Garth" the people of High Point were not ALL represented. Now add to the fact that the at-large board member lives in downtown High Point and long with Susan M and Mayor Becky are Central Alumni.

Very true about the Lottery Plan. Haven't you heard? You will be told High Point is "different". You can bet it sure is treated differently than the rest of the "county" school system.

That's affirmative on your bond question. You have no control over funds being shifted. The Smith High School Academy WAS NOT on the bond referendum. Bond funds were used for that overpriced project. Those funds were not voted on by the taxpayers.

Don't forget the cooking school-- that wasn't on the bond either.