News-Record.com

How bad does it get before the BOE takes some real action at Smith and Dudley. If you don't make progress at the HS level, you have not made any progress. It is obvious that the problem is in the Middle and High Schools. Congratulations to Washington. Their hard work is helping. Did the intervention teams help? Not much. The BOE is in denial as to how bad it is. Site based management should be given a proper burial.

Jpe I think you should read the information again. Dudley MADE AYP this year. Things are vastly improved at Dudley. You would not know this unless you visited, which obviously you have not. Dudley, like all our high schools, has work to do, but you cannot trample on the progress that has been made. We teachers work hard here and finally get some evidence of our hard work and then here you come. We see from this evaluation of our efforts that we need to continue to work hard and we will.

You really should limit your comments to those things you actually know something about. And I'd like to know what you are doing in the schools to help. I'm quite sure you've never volunteered in my class.

I should add that our goal is 100 percent and we are not satisfied now, but we are working hard.

Interesting recent editorial in the WSJ titled No Standards Left Behind, begins, “In early 2002, Republicans passed the NCLB act, the most INTRUSIVE (my emphasis) federal education law in American history. Five years later, with NCLB up for reauthorization, they can’t jump ship fast enough.” It appears that a lot of Republicans are now planning to fight their President on reauthorization of this loathsome law, and none too soon.

How federal education rules DUMBED down our schools.

“NCLB’s biggest problem is that it’s designed to help Washington politicians appear all things to all people. To look tough on bad schools, it requires states to establish standards and tests requiring schools to make annual progress reports and allowing them to preserve local control and to set their own standards. “As a result, states have set low standards, enabling politicians to declare victory amid rising test scores without taking any truly substantive action.”

The laws perverse effects are illustrated by the State of Michigan which “..cut drastically the percentage of students who needed to …make adequate yearly progress.”

The article continues, “Today, evasion syndrome is epidemic…while states are declaring success on their tests, almost none have standards even close to those of the federal National Assessment of Educational Progress…..Almost all states have set their standards below NAEP’s “proficiency level.”

The article concludes, “In the end, neither Republicans nor Democrats should fight for NCLB. It hasn’t helped either party, and it has hurt children all over the country. Indeed, if NCLB has taught one thing, it is this: When Washington gets involved in education, no one wins.”

I'm amused that 43 got this measure passed in the first place in 2002 touting the "educational success" in his home state of Texas whose even current educational testing level outcomes mimics those of some third world countries.

43 needs to concentrate on defeating terrorism and keep his and Washington’s mitts off my child’s education. Dr. Grier and company have my child’s educational interests under control, well not completely, but almost.

Lord Hear Our Prayers

Bubba Loves Jesus,

Well said, NCLBH needs to be left behind. Its bad legislation. It punishes schools that nneed more help. It creates disincentive for teachers to work there. And gives ecuses for parents to choose other schools further eroding its base making success more difficult.

I saw a teacher just before the AYP results were in. She was really hoping her school passed AYP. She wanted the bonus money to buy clothes to work in and some supplies for her classroom. She's a very dedicated teacher and she wantted the bonus for essentials for herself and supplies for her students. Unfortunately the next day I learned her school failed by one point. Now the school is in big trouble and despite all the efforts by the teachers, students and parents the are labled a failure again. In spite of being a "failing school" this school won numerous county academic challenges last year and had some of the best students in the county. Unfortunately that is all forgotten by the failure under stupid standards set by NCLBH. We have Legislation that matches the intelligence of the co-sponsors, Pres. Bush & Senator Kennedy.

Coupled with Garth's segregation plan the school will loose its middle class base and become an all minority low income school. Shameful.

The Real Truth

Did I read something wrong? The chart says Dudley down 7.25. Way below 50%. You can't gloss this over. They are not on the right track.

It would be reasonable to ask how Dudley with a Performance Composite Score of 44.4, with a reduction of 7.25 over the previous year, made AYP this year, and did not the previous year. This would seem to be contradictory results.

Oh, Real Truth, it's "lose" its middle class, not "loose". Two different words with different meanings.

I'm not sure what happened in Dudley's case, but it's possible for a school to not make AYP simply because enough students didn't take the tests, regardless of the percent proficient. I'm checking on that.

Truth,

Yes, it is better that the Feds keep their mitts off our children. Since the Federal Dept of Education was created during Carter's era, the quality of our education has quite frankly gone to pot.

Help me to be clear on something. The entire point of the article was that the end of year tests have been "dumbed down" by the States in order to reach or exceed the goals set by the NCLB. Are you saying that even in light of the fact that the States can implement a lower standard test, kids still failed in large numbers at the school your friend teaches at? Odd.

I wasn't aware that Garth implemented an education segregation plan for Guilford County. If so, the school my child attends hasn't received the marching orders because it's student body represents a big old melting pot.

Lord Hear Our Prayers

Has NCLB helped? Yes. There has been more attention on achievement by minorities in the last 4 years than the previous 10. I admit we have a long ways to go. The reason we have not made more progress is that some teachers and principals have not gotten on board. When this happens, we should see a surge. Site basec management hurts the NCLB goals. It should be taken away from low performing schools.

Bubba,

Garth did no such thing. A review of the School Board minutes shows that historically there have been at least 5 "choice zones" in Greensboro and throughout Guilford County - with the exception of High Point. Garth simply made a motion to add a choice zone in High Point - to be consistent with the rest of the county.

This choice zone allows lower income children to choose whether to attend a school closest to their home or to endure an hour or longer bus ride to another school. In many cases the poorest of children in High Point were close enough to walk to school, but were being bused away from those schools.

The families have free choice to determine which is best for them.

Un-named Poster,

Garth's segregation plan wasn't intended to give people choice it was to segregate SW schools so people that are afraid of poor black children can insulate their middle class kids from the rest of society. It wasn't about helping children it was about selfishness and fear based on race and socioeconomic diferences. Its about unfair and unequal treatment not choice. If it was about geography many of the white middle class kids at SW would be at Andrews because it is just as close to their homes as SW. Also why is it that when the choice plan was inacted many of those SW families chose HPC over Andrews even though Andrews was closer to their homes. Now under Garth's segregation plan they are all going back to SW. Their any your argument about geography is contradictory to your agrgument and consistent with mine that its about race!

Bubba Loves Jesus,

Large numbers of kids didn't fail. 1 Sub-group did. Sub-group can be as few as 20 students. So if a school has 20 children that don't speak English and half of them don't pass a standardized test in Egnlish then the school fails AYP. It could also be that the attendence rate at that school was poor inspite of good test scores the school would still fail AYP. The law is stupid. My point is a school could be doing great things but still fail AYP because the measures of success are stupid. As for dumbing down I think NC made the math test more difficult. NCLBH is Bush's failed legacy just like all of his other policies and initiatives. W stands for "Worst Ever."

a sub group is 40 children and if one child fails then the school fails. If a child is black, poor and EC, they would be in 3 subgroups. That one child can make 3 subgroups fail. It is a strange law.

RT,

Wrong again - on all counts!

It's true choice - the parents choose.

And, thanks to Debora for posting the correct details of NCLB - you're also wrong there too - but what else is new?

Whatever RT posts, the opposite is true.

When it comes to Real Truth you need to always do what my Mother said, "never argue with a crazy person and always be sure you are wearing clean underwear in case you are hit by a bus."

Choice Zones....
Please explain where these choice zones exist.

Mostly minority students are being bused from within 1 block of Page High School in Greensboro to Eastern Guilford in Gibsonville.

Some of these students are on the bus for forty minutes before the first student is dropped off. You can forget them participating in after school activities or parents attending teacher conferences. Of course , these students income levels are not the same as those around the lake.

Many have asked to be given the option to attend Page and refused due to "lack of room", yet Page has room for IB students now that Northern has opened and for a "golf driving range" that will be included on the Bond Referendum as part of Page's athletics upgrade.

Real Truth,

A couple of corrections on your version of the truth:

1) Under the HP Choice Plan, most of the SW students that went to HP Central went for the rigor of the IB Program, which doesn't exist at Andrews or SW.

2) The reason many of these schools failed AYP was because not enough students took the tests. This was because they had dropped-out of school, not having notified the schools of that fact, during the year and were still being carried on the school rolls. These schools couldn't get enough students to take the tests because many of them weren't here. In some cases, school administrators were out rounding-up these kids to take the tests. Just a few of these AWOL kids can cause a school to fail to make AYP.

It's sad that you are so blinded by bias that you see free choice for all as being unfair and unequal. I suppose in your mind that fairness and equality comes from special privilege to some.

The Real Truth,

There you go again. How can Garth's choice plan help to insulate the SW kids when those "poor black kids" you speak of have the choice to attend the SW schools if they want to? What you are saying doesn't make any sense. Step back and read what you are typing. Those children can choose to be in either environment.

I'm beginning to think that the problems you have with Garth's plan have nothing to do with the "poor black children" rather some other group. It's certainly not the SW kids. Is it the children at Andrews that don't have the choice to leave? Or is it the children at Andrews that don't want to leave, they just want different kids sitting around them? Just who is it that you are so concerned about? Who has been wronged, in your opinion? I would really like to understand where you are coming from.

RT,

I've read your posts and I know who you are.

Darlene - the "real truth" is this - RT's kids were redistricted from SW to Andrews - this is a white, middle class family who have wanted desperately to return to SW. The School board has never granted their wishes.

RT is a hypocrite.

Wally World,

Don't kid yourself those kids didn't choose rigor they were running away from Andrews. Why is it they aren't seeking rigor at HPC now and choosing to be segregated at SW? Its because its always been about race!

Debora,

My web source says its 20 but I found another that said 30 and another that said 40 but is was refering to children with dissabilities which I think are counted differently. (see paragraph below) NC Public Schools.org says its 40 so I guess you are right. We could probably check many different sources and get different numbers. The point is its ridiculas to to fail a school because one sub-group fails. Of course you people are more interested in calling me names than solutions because I don't believe in segregated schools and I like Dr Grier. I think Wally World and I agree that NCLB is stupid but he would prefer to try to discredit and otherwise call me names than agree with me on something.

http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1214/article11955.asp
"Large schools that have at least 20 students in each subgroup (at least 40 for special education) can literally have their test results parsed out and measured in 37 different ways. If just one of the subgroups fails to meet just one of the standards (which include a two-thirds rate of proficiency and a 95 percent rate of participation by each subgroup on both math and reading assessments), then the school will be listed as having failed to meet AYP performance goals."

Where are my defenders? I've been called names again and no one is jumping to my defense! Why do you people always have a double standard? As long as someone says something bad about Dr Grier or our school system you people are quick to jump on their wagon. Why is it wrong for me to voice my opinion about segregationists and its right for one of you to call me crazy. Garth's plan is to segregate our schools.... Period! Many of his followers live as close to Andrews as SW, its not about geography its about race! You people are just denying the truth with convuluted arguments that serve your warped values as opposed to the good of the community.

Shame on you!

The Real Truth

I was going by the NC rules as that is what all the principals that I have worked with have told me. I agree with RT, this part of this law is wrong.

I was glad to see that we are going to be able to tutor children instead of opting out. I would prefer that my tax dollars be directed towards assisting the children that need it instead of buses and gas just to move them. Usually the children that opt out are not the ones that need the most help, but they are the ones who's parents are the most knowledgable of the rules.
I am not saying that they don't have the right, but I fear it hides the true needs of our children. In addition, why does the Fed. Govt. think that only poor level 1 and 2 should receive help. It is a PUBLIC education. Every child that is a level one or two needs additional help.

RT,

It's definitely 40 students per subgroup.

Get your facts before you spout.

"For AYP calculations, a subgroup must have at least 40 students who have been in membership a full academic year."

See http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcsfiles/aypstatus.pdf

RT,

It's always sour grapes with you. I know you live close to SW, but were redistricted to Andrews. Just because you weren't given a choice doesn't mean you have to hate everyone who was given a choice.

The Real Truth,

Since you didn't respond to my question should I assume that JS Gregson really does know you and your situation with Andrews? Did you get redistricted from SW?

I didn't mean to make you feel like you were being attacked. I apologize.

Debora,

I agree with your last post except for one thing. You forget that SW is way over crowded and that there are available seats in the other schools. Garth's segregation plan will cost the tax payers of Guilford County millions. $59 million just to start. All so his middle class white constituents can stay segregated.

The Real Truth

RT,

Cite your evidence. The choice plan cost NOTHING. Go back and watch the board meeting in which it was approved. The transportation director said it would cost nothing - in fact it was estimated that the plan would SAVE money in fuel.

Crawl back under your rock.

Darlene - you'll never get a straight answer.

RT, I have one thing to say to you.

AAAAHHHHHH What?????

My last comments were about AYP's- county wide, not HP specific. What I hope will happen is that the tutoring will find the level 1 and 2's that need additional help and offer it in small environment that would help the students. The Opt-out program hides the program and doesn't assist those with the biggest need. This has nothing to do with choice plan etc. This is NCLB sanctions.

Real Truth,

I know for a fact that many of the SW students that went to Central for the IB program are still there. I personally know many of them. They had the option of returning to SW when the choice plan was trashed, yet they stayed for the rigor. You would like for everyone to believe that is not true, so present your evidence of what you claim.

No, I don't agree with you that NCLB is stupid. I think that it could use some tuning-up, but in essence the program is needed to keep school administrations and school boards honest. Don't try to include me in your racial tirades.

No Choice for Poor,

You asked about the free choice zones existed in Greensboro. Katisha Hayes had a story in the HPE today, and here is a portion of her comments:

"The school system has used the attendance optional zones before, but on a small­er scale. There were “mini choice zones” created in 2003 to relieve overcrowding at some high schools, including Southeast/Southern, North­west/ Western, Ragsdale/ Southern, Ragsdale/Western and Smith/Western."

So, it appears that there have, indeed, been free choice zones in the past prior to HP.

To anyone that thinks Garth's plan was unfair,

The Enterprise is reporting today that 229 children are able to be reassigned to a school closer to their home. My neighborhood (Oak Hollow area) is assigned to Andrews and Welborn. With Garth's choice plan 57 children will choose SWHS instead and 82 will choose SWMS.

The Real Truth is concerned for the poor children in the Parkview area that have been reassigned to SW schools. Well they made their choice too: 51 will attend Andrews and 39 will attend Welborn. These children were given a CHOICE and chose to attend school closer to home. I'm sure there are many more children in that area. Some chose to stay at their districted schools. How can that not be fair to everyone? The decisions were made by the families, not school board members or superintendents or school administrators, but by AFFECTED FAMILIES!

Does anyone know the total number of children living in these two zones, therefore the percentage of children that wanted to attend school closer to home?

Now, to address Real Truth's argument about what he calls "Garth's Segregation Plan", which is really about free choice for all. Here is the rest of Katisha Hayes' story about what actually is happening with the HP choice zone. Real Truth, you'll find that everyone is taking advantage of the plan, with equal numbers of people opting to go to Andrews, as Southwest. Also, note the numbers going from Welborn to SWM. So, if everyone is able to, and does, exercise free choice, where is the problem, RT?

"Under a new transfer plan, more than 200 High Point students will take advantage of atten­dance optional zones in their neighborhoods.
The Guilford County Board of Education approved the controversial plan in April, reversing part of a 2006 re­districting that moved some north High Point families to T. Wingate Andrews High and Welborn Middle schools and moved residents from the city’s core to Southwest High and Middle schools.
The latest attendance plan allows students to choose a school closer to home rather than the one they are as­signed to for the 2007-08 school year.
In total, 229 students have requested transfers under the attendance optional zone plan. School officials have approved the 57 students who plan to switch from Andrews to Southwest and 51 who will relocate from Southwest to Andrews. Also, 82 students are expected to leave Wel­born and attend Southwest Middle and 39 will choose Welborn over Southwest this school year.
According to figures from the school system, the choice zones won’t have much of an impact on enrollment numbers at the high school level. Andrews’ projected enrollment is 902, with a capacity for 1,260 students. At Southwest, 1,454 are ex­pected to attend the 1,620 ­seat capacity school. Enroll­ment could exceed capacity at Southwest Middle, where 1,142 students are expected. The middle school’s capacity is 1,088. Welborn is projected to be under capacity with 556 students, with classroom space for 1,008 students at the school."

Is SWH really under capacity? I am very surprised!

Debora, Wally World & un-nammed poster,

Garth's segregation plan is requiring an addition to SW High School to ease over-crowding because Garth's white middle class constituents don't have to go to school with poor minority children. Its a fact! If The BOE simply properly district our schools zones we wouldn't need to spend millions.

Last time I checked there were only a handful of kids enrolled in the IB program at Central and I guarantee and those that have stayed, stayed because its a good program but many Sw posters have said very negatibve comments about Central, safety, gangs, etc. Now you want to say the kids like it there so its not about race? You cannot have it both ways. You contradict yourselves. That is what happens when you are trying to manipulate information to hide your true motivation which is.... SEGREGATION!

The Real Truth

Again, RT is upset because they were redistricted via the 1999 redistricting plan away from SW to Andrews. They have been upset ever since. They wanted middle class families bused from SW to their school. They weren't included in the choice zone.

The Real Truth, Darlene:
We ran an update story about the HP transfer option a week ago. When looking at last year's enrollment compared to the enrollment at the schools this year, I found the transfers will result in little net difference. The only school that will be above capacity is Southwest Middle as it was last year. When I interviewed the principal, she wasn't that concerned about it.

Thanks Morgan for your response.

How in the world RT thinks that a net zero in population change would result in an additional $59 Million in spending from the Board of Education is beyond me!

debora,
I believe that SWH is under capacity because after they built the addition they kept the trailers. There are many, many houses going up within a mile of the school so they will need every seat in the next couple years.

RT,
Were you redistricted from SW to Andrews? I notice that you never deny it.

The Real Truth

"Properly district(ing) our schools zones" to ease over-crowding would not include taking one area of kids out of the SW schools while replacing them with another group of similar size. If the "poor minority children" want to go to SW they can. This may be the reason the addition is required. If your goal is for our school system to save money, it sounds like you would be against busing students across town.

Please tell me if you think the black children that chose Welborn and Andrews over SW are racists too. Your arguments seem to be so lopsided agsinst the people of SW that I am continually baffled by them.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend. Try to stay cool!!

"Last time I checked there were only a handful of kids enrolled in the IB program at Central and I guarantee and those that have stayed, stayed because its a good program but many Sw posters have said very negatibve comments about Central, safety, gangs, etc. Now you want to say the kids like it there so its not about race?"

What in heck are you talking about? Sure the SW kids stayed in the IB Program because it is a good program. That's why they went there in the first place. Race has nothing to do with staying there. It's about rigor in education. Why are you always such a dunderhead? Since you are an expert, how many kids are in the Central IB Program from SW?

And, since there are many non-white kids attending SW, your arguments are like a sieve. They don't hold water, RT. Why not just hang it up. You can't reason yourself out of paper sack.

""You're going to have your naysayers, and that's part of improving schools," Grier said."

Does this mean that Grier needs more critics to help improve the schools?

Hey Wally - I'm afraid the number of naysayers only works when the concerns are HEARD by the school board and Grier gets fired! His past record shows it..Lots of naysayers, fired from every job, schools improve after he's gone.

Yeah, that's probably what Grier meant to say. Something like "Once you have enough naysayers that are heard, I'll be gone and that's part of improving your schools".

The parkview kids that were forced to attend the SW schools are some of the poorest children in this county. RT does not want these kids at Andrews. That is the real truth.

Now they have a real choice. What is wrong with that? Of those returning to Southwest many are children who had been home schooled or sent to private schools. High Point student enrollment will probably increase next year for the first time in four years. Everybody is winning here!

Once again Andrews and High Point Central have higher composite scores than Smith and Dudley. This has happenned for most of the past five years. Only one year did Andrews fall below.

It still baffles me why the BOE devoted so much time messing around with High Point schools while ignoring Greensboro. That is why High Pointers fought the board so much.

Thanks to the recent (real) choice plan High Point can finally be at peace.

Good morning Statman.

Who could ever disagree with real choice? Everyone wins. If there are those who don't agree, be it a school board member or a parent, it must be because they have ulterior motives. I'm afraid that is what has happened to The Real Truth. I can never get a straight answer from him as to how he is affected by Garth's plan. All I know is that he doesn't like it and doesn't think it is fair. I've tried but for the life of me can't understand his stance. Maybe he just isn't able to express himself very well on this issue. The same goes for Mrs. Kearns. How could she not want children and parents to have a choice? The vote should have been unanimous and then maybe those like The Real Truth would have tried harder to understand the benefits.

Giving everyone choice would consume millions that are needed elsewhere. Giving all public school children choice is about like building another airport so travelers could have a choice. We don't have enough money to give choice to very many students.

Joe,

Do you, then, favor busing kids away from schools within walking distance to other schools 45 minutes away? That seems like a total waste of fuel and time to me.

Do you think we should allow the 36% of children that do not graduate to enter into school in the first place?

Lets face it. Its happening every year. Why do we let them waste our precious money?

There should be no magnets then and children should go to their nearest schools. There should be a straighter curriculum. No latin, no mandarin.
Way to go Joe.

Joe,

If you are not in favor of giving students school choice, then do you feel that all of the magnet schools in the county should be disbanded? Magnets are, after all, a school choice. You say that we can only afford to offer choice to a few, so who would those few be? What is your criteria for who gets choice and who doesn't, and what should those choices be?

Thanks for asking?

Yes, we have way too many magnet schools. They take the best students out of the local schools and that makes their job tougher. I favor a few magnet schools like spanish emersion and year-around schools, mainly as a lab to see what happens. My children went to the local school and it didn't hurt them. (1 house between my house and the HS/MS campus.)

Joe Stafford,

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear in my previous message. I was talking about Garth's plan, not providing choice county wide. It is my understanding that Garth's plan doesn't cost the taxpayers anything. In fact, it may save the county money.

I will add that if there are other areas in Guilford County with similar issues as the assinine redistricting that occured in High Point, they too should look into choice zones.

Joe,

Why spanish immersion? Why is that more important than other magnets? You may feel that there is a special importance to spanish immersion, but other people may feel that there are special benefits to other magnets. Whose to say that you are right and they are wrong? So, let's either let kids attend their neighborhood school and do away with all magnets, or let's give everyone free choice. Anything else results in someone being discriminated against when some are granted choice and others are not.

One final point for consideration. This school board and administration believes that you can force parents and students to comply with their dictates on where students go to school to serve their own agenda. What we have learned over the past few years is that people have choices. People have been making choices with their feet. They have been moving to surrounding counties that are more family-friendly or opting to private schools. You see, this is the ultimate school choice program. This school board and administration needs to come to understand that they serve the public, not the reverse.

There is a limit on how many resources can be used for a public function like education. If we spend too much, people will leave Guilford Co. for lower taxes elsewhare. If we are a very high tax county (especially as compared to adjoining counties) companies will locate there instead of Guilford Co. Some people still think that we can spend our way to academic excellence. I am not one of those.

Joe,

Your children went to school in your own back yard. This was convenient wasn't it.

We have kids that want to attend Page High school because it is in their back yard.

They can hear the band playing and see the football lights from their back yards, yet Guilford county continues busing them to Eastern Guilford in Gibsonville.

There is no way for these students to participate in before school or afterschool activities. Most of them still attend the football games at Page with the rest of their "neighborhood"... Parents without personal transportation have no way to visit the school or teachers, because there is no public transportation.

This busing game in Guilford County is insane....
and by the way...there were not open seats at Eastern.

We had 10 trailers...before the fire.

If Page has room to put in a driving range, they
have room for a few trailers.

And, doesn't Page have room to offer an IB program next year?

Doesn't Alan Duncan's kids go to Page?

Didn't Kris Cooke's kids go to Page?

It is one of the "protected" schools in Guilford County.

Joe,

I do not disagree with your last post in any way, but it really doesn't have anything to do with the conversation regarding school choice. Whatever we do regarding magnets or school choice must be done with the education dollars that we currently have. You see, if the school board and administration used the dollars that they have wisely, then we could accomplish quality in education. The problem is that they are always experimenting with new programs, etc. that don't work, wasting millions in incompetent construction and repair of schools, busing kids for social purposes, and generally just wasting money. We could do many thing, like offer choice, if these things were controlled. Let's demand quality in education from our schools for a change in this county.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

RT

You say the same thing over and over and over again. The real choice plan (Garth's) is costing taxpayers nothing. More families will be returning to public school with their volunteer time and dollars. It's a win-win.

As we have told you over and over again SW is not a segregated schools. Apparently you haven't been there the past several years.

Get over getting districted to Andews in 1999 once and for all. Stop trying to steal more white kids to sit beside your kid at Andrews.
Choice is a good thing for ALL.

Talk about repetitive!

Un--naqmed poster aka repeat,

Sw is segregated. It does not reflect the same diversity as other schools in High Point and is is clearly segregated by income. The data is clear. Garth's segregation pklan isn't about choice its about making SW more segregated so his constituents don't have to fear poor black children.

The Real Truth

RT since "the data is clear", why don't share the data and reference where this clear data came from.

And if the data is so clear I'm sure the School Board will not have a problem balancing the entire County base on your numbers.

Real Truth,

Yes, show us the proof positive that SW is segregated by income. I'm not even sure what that means. Are you asserting that the 50% non-white enrollment are from well-to-do families?

RT wants the poor black kids he/she talks about out of Andrews.

Shame on you RT.

That is the Real truth!

RT wants the poor black kids he/she talks about out of Andrews.

Shame on you RT.

That is the Real truth!

Its sounds like this RT person wants to have the same as what happenning over by us at Page. Poor kids can see the lights of our stadium and hear the roars of the crowds but cant go there. We ship them over to Eastern. I think this is WRONG! Kids should be able to go to their closest school but the rich and powerful at Page dont want them there.
Do Alan Duncan's kids go there?

Dave,
I am fairly certain that Alan's kids go to Grimsley.

RT,
I think I'm starting to understand what you are trying to say. The group you often refer to as the poorest children in High Point (those from the Parkview area) are already districted to SW and can go there if they choose. Are you now saying that there are other areas as well that you would like districted to SW or at least given the choice to go there? What area are you referring to? I'm sure you could contact your board representative (Mr. Childs?) and this could be considered.

Please realize that even though they have the choice, many will still choose to attend school closer to home and that is not the fault of Garth's constituents. Are you unhappy that some of the Parkview children chose to go back to Andrews? That is a family's choice and I don't see how you can begrudge them of that right. I will never understand why their decision makes you so angry.

Dave,

Alan's children attend(ed) Page. That's a fact.

RT,

I must insist that you provide fully referenced data, capable of independent validation and verification, to substantiate your claims.

We both know that you cannot. Lies cannot be proven mathematically.

Alan Duncan's daughter attends Page.
Why this would have anything to do
with the insane 45 minute busing to
Gibsonville..I don't know.?

Eastern has a higher minority percentage than
Page and it is almost in the same boat as the
other schools when it comes to the low test scores.

Un-named poster: You hit the nail on the head for me:

Eastern has a higher minority percentage than
Page: Alan made sure of that by bussing the poor kids that could walk to Page all the way over to Eastern.

Its no wonder we cant graduate these kids. They are not welcome in their local schools!

Since Alan Duncan represents the district that contains only Northeast High, why does his daughter attend Page?

Wally World,

District voting lines have nothing to do with school assignment lines.

Wally World,

District voting lines have nothing to do with school assignment lines. While the district lines rarely change, as you know, the school board loves to re-draw school assignment lines.

Wally, because Page is where Alan's little Princess wanted to go.

Page parents will not be denied. Kris Cooke in open meeting said that we should give millions to Page Athletics because they have such a great Booster Club with great plans. At no time did she say lets survey the needs of all the High Schools and see where the needs are greatest.

From Guidestar.org (IRS Form 990 for 503c charitable organizations), Page HS Athletic Booster Club, Inc. total revenue:

2006 --- $154,715
2005 --- $205,398

Nice.

RT

We are not "High Point" schools as you keep saying when you state SW does not reflect a diversity of income. We are GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.

Are you saying we should look at everyone's tax return, compare it to the color of their skin and bus children across the county to have diversity of income and color spread throughout every school in Guilford County? If not, why should SW have "diversity of income" (which by the way it does)? It's apparent that you do not have a child at SW because we experience this magic diversity you talk about every day in both income and various races. We have middle class, poor, some well-to-do, blacks, Asians, Christians, Jews, Muslims, fat students, skinny students, gothic students, imo, jocks, nerds, whatever, whatever, whatever....

The number one goal of public schools should be providing an adequate education for all students without prejudice, not social engineering based on color, income, degree of intelligence, social standing, etc. This magic "ideal" fantasy number can never be accomplished in Guilford County because of the demographics unless you asked detailed, private information of every family (of which they could say what they want on many counts), their tax return, and in the end criss cross bus every child all over Guilford County.

Let's say you are correct (which you are not) that certain SW people are "racists" and do not want black children at their school. By you saying the same thing over and over and over again on some blog that only some people read, is that going to change these so called, in your opinion only, "racists"? If there are racists at SW then there are racists everywhere in Guilford County as there are at Andrews, Central, in NC and the US. By you saying this you aren't making any positive, constructive changes for race relations in High Point, Guilford County or anywhere. You are just making people ignore anything you say on this blog because you have no credibility. As others have stated, let's produce this so called "clear data".

If you don't like Andrews, why don't you just homeschool your children or put them in private school as others before you have done? See what it feels like to have your family life turned topsie turvie.

I think the board should vote to send some of the Page Booster money to some of the other struggling high schools. They seem so concerned about equality and diversity of income in High Point high schools. They need to distribute these funds throughout Guilford County like they have tried to distribute the right students based on race and income to High Point schools.

Distributing the wealth is not a new idea for our superintendant. He suggested that NW High 'spread its wealth' from their yearbook profits to all of the other high schools -- it was also intimated that he would make all high schools have the same yearbooks (just different pictures) because some were losing money while others were making money. Administration thought that by having the same yearbook throughout the county, all would be 'even'. Doing this would be wrong for many reasons...

SWH failed AYP for 2006-07 according to this week's Rhino. Guess all that redistricting and the not true choice/lottery plan made the High Point high schools even now.

When were the AYP's made public? I haven't seen or heard about any (been in the cool, cool mountains)

Debora

Thursday 8/16/07 Rhino under "Scores", front page. See end of article. Article was about Eastern improving this year despite their circumstances. Andrews and Dudley failed AYP again AYP yet it seems that the emphasis on redistricting is always in High Point. Now SWH joins Andrews on the failed list. Guess SW is finally "equalized" with the other high schools.

.

Dudley and Smith are bottom of the pile again.

Congratulations Guilford School Board, ALL of High Point is now failing. Now I see what it means to "close the achievement gap". Way to go. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would have never believed it.

What was it that Dot Kearns said when they passed the HP Choice Plan about wouldn't it be nice if everyone perceived that there were three equal High Schools in High Point? I guess that Ms. Kearns work is done here.