News-Record.com

I think that all parents are concerned about violence, but we have busy lives. Most of us view our world as small, meaning what is going on in our school. It is hard to think of the county when we are juggling our own family commitments.

Also, after years and years of being involved and being frustrated about lack of change, being ignored etc some of us are just plain tired. Tired of beating our heads on the wall, tired of giving our time and being used only when its convenient, tired of having to raise money for things the county should be doing.

I hope the task force can make some valid suggestions and someone hears them.

Debora,

Amen.

Morgan:

The advertising wasn't terribly effective. So far this week our household has received several ConnectEd calls from Grimsley about its upcoming sports events and about last night's report card distribution but none regarding the climate task force meeting. I had to speak to several school staff before I could find someone who knew that the meeting was being held in the cafeteria.

The scheduling wasn't especially good either, at least for Grimsley parents. Report card pick-up and face-to-face meetings preceded the meeting. I attended both and was at the school from 5:30 p.m. until the meeting broke up at 8:45 p.m. Fortunately, my wife and I had the luxury of deciding that one person would feed the kids and get them to their evening events while the other went hungry while attending the various meetings. Households with single parents or with less flexible evening schedules would have been hard-pressed to do anything.

A third issue may have to do with the framing of the task force's mission. The stated mission seems to be framed more in terms of reducing suspensions and expulsions than in improving discipline. Suspensions and expulsions are harsh, unfortunate, but ultimately necessary tools. Every suspension and expulsion should be viewed as a failure, but the safety and efficient operation of the schools requires that they be available and used.

Finally, the format wasn't very effective. There were no specific proposals on the table. People were randomly assigned into separate focus groups and given specific, narrow prompts to respond to.

good point, Deb (and Dave).

See: http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/hallway-brawl-at-southern-high/

E.C. Huey

Dave,
I can't speak for the task force representatives, but part of my task last night was to attend the meetings mid-point to see what has been accomplished and let this story serve as a reminder to parents about the remaining meetings. I noticed the conflict in the Grimsley scheduling as I was told the meeting would be held in the cafeteria, no, the media center, no, wait, the cafeteria (not very convenient for a woman nine months pregnant but at least the buildings weren't very far away).

One question in my mind, and one I have started to ask members of the task force and school board is what they expect the final product to be coming out of the task force. Will board members hear in January truly unique proposals? Will the task force answer questions that haven't already been asked? That remains to be seen.

I went to the meeting at Eastern Middle. There was a turn-out of 15 to 20 citizens. Most citizens are not experts on the subject matter. I have never thought this type of meeting is helpful to anyone. It is best for the experts to come up with their recommendations and then put them out for comment, improvement, fine-tuning and etc. Most people believe that the current policies are OK. We just want them applied by all concerned in a fair and humane way. The primary reason we have violence in the schools is because the children involved are not interested in being a good student. If we could get the students more interested in liking school and school work, the amount of discipline problems would go way down. The reason the School Board approved the formation of this Task Force was to put off any action they might need to take on the matter and to have cover for when they do take action. I am sure Dr. Grier and staff has ideas on how to improve the situation, however no one knows what the ideas are.

If Garth cant change things on the school Board itself then what can parents do? The whole system is run by Duncan and Grier!

"The primary reason we have violence in the schools is because the children involved are not interested in being a good student."

Joe,
I will agree that some students act disinterested in being good students, I think of their apparent disinterest as a symptom, not an explanation.

Each individual has the right to decide for themselves whether or not they believe the sky is falling, or not. And whether, or not, they feel their input and actions are worthwhile or meaningful.

Sometimes, the world we live in changes quickly, sometimes, somethings never seem to change, and yet our experience teaches us that nothing stays the same forever.

I do wish to hear the public's input. I am listening.

Yours,
Jeff

Joe raises a good point. In it's report, "Dropout Risk Factors & Exemplary Programs: A Technical Report," the National Dropout Prevention Center found that students who are not engaged in the school community (through performing arts, athletics, band, chorus, yearbook, etc.) are far more likely to become involved in delinquent behavior or drop out. By cutting these programs to the bone in Guilford County, we're limiting our students' opportunities to become engaged in their school communities.

Intriguingly, these same conclusions are supported by a GCS Study released in 1997, finding that students who participated in the cultural arts programs or athletics had higher GPAs, better attendance records, and a dropout rate of virtually zero. Students who had no involvement in the arts or athletics had lower everything and a dropout rate between 7 and 11 percent.

In light of these studies, it should come as no surprise that when we severely curtail our students' opportunities to participate in community and team building activites, we see a more detached and disruptive student body.

Mr Belton, In regards violence in our schools I am concerned about as I think it does put a big strain on our school resources. I havs two children in GCS, a 7th grader and a Junior. There is violence in their schools but I do believe that my children are wise enough to keep out of the way so I am not one of those parents that over worries about these situations. However, modern culture, modern parents in general do worry/panic a lot! This behaviour is driving good parents and children out of the school system. If they continue to leave our system it will get weaker and weaker. Doesnt that concern you? We must be concerned for the disruptive children but we cant lose sight of the overall picture. That is missing in my opinion. The GCSB needs to wake up before its too late!

In light of the recent large fights at Page and Southern, not to mention the beating a student took at Grimsley I think that students that are in these fights not only need to be expelled from school but before they are sent back they need some anger mangement classes, or something. Just sending them home for 3 or 5 or 10 days and then back to school does not address the problem.

Rumor has it that two of the girls from Page have been assigned to another school. Why? Are we just taking them from one situation and putting them at another school so that that school can deal with them? Are they having to go to some classes to learn proper behavior (cultrual awareness aside)-- follow the rules! Their problems will follow them and perhaps start a different problem in the new school. Maybe a new environment will be beneficial- but it is obvious that ignoring their actions will not help them or anyone around them.

One girl at Southern had 10 bags of pot! TEN BAGS! That person is a drug dealer. She should be charged as such and not allowed back into a school where she currently is supplying drugs to other students. She belongs in jail and perhaps she will be scared straight and get her GED.

We need a school where it is run like a military school- strict discipline, strong classes, teach these students pride in themselves when they reach a goal. I think we could fill it up with students causing fights- it might just be an all girls school, the way GCS is going.

In light of the recent large fights at Page and Southern, not to mention the beating a student took at Grimsley I think that students that are in these fights not only need to be expelled from school but before they are sent back they need some anger mangement classes, or something. Just sending them home for 3 or 5 or 10 days and then back to school does not address the problem.

Rumor has it that two of the girls from Page have been assigned to another school. Why? Are we just taking them from one situation and putting them at another school so that that school can deal with them? Are they having to go to some classes to learn proper behavior (cultrual awareness aside)-- follow the rules! Their problems will follow them and perhaps start a different problem in the new school. Maybe a new environment will be beneficial- but it is obvious that ignoring their actions will not help them or anyone around them.

One girl at Southern had 10 bags of pot! TEN BAGS! That person is a drug dealer. She should be charged as such and not allowed back into a school where she currently is supplying drugs to other students. She belongs in jail and perhaps she will be scared straight and get her GED.

We need a school where it is run like a military school- strict discipline, strong classes, teach these students pride in themselves when they reach a goal. I think we could fill it up with students causing fights- it might just be an all girls school, the way GCS is going.

Debora,

Now, now, you're being culturally insensitive. I'm sure that there is a good reason for the fights and an even better reason for the possession of 10 bags of pot. Let's sit down with this girl and listen to how society has mistreated her and then pat her back and let her go back to school. I'm sure she will do better if we just listen.

Absolutely it is the policy of this district to move "problem students" to another school. Last year at Aycock, they had big problems all the time (which most of you are totally unaware of)....when two boys were involved in a violent, gang related incident, they were given two choices......the police could be called in or their parents could withdrawl them (which they did). Of course these two just became a problem somewhere else. this goes on EVERY DAY in this county. Why do we take such pains for violent, disrespectful students who want no part in school, while our good kids must put up with having their education disrupted?????????????

Teacher
Thanks, more of you need to step forward, we get so little real information on this matter on the Board. I would love a summary report by school of disciplinay actions. I know staff gets it and much is suppressed from reporting, but something is better than nothing?
Garth

...Also Aycock is not the only middle school with Gang related incidents that were violent last year. Transferring to another middle school is not the answer as the problem is far more systemic than most are willing to believe. Thankfully our schools have not become gang infested war zones by any means. There have been school fights as long as there have been schools. In the past the behavior was addressed not tolerated and understood as repressed feelings. For the most part they are safe, relatively clean environments but we must draw a line sometime and somewhere.

Garth,

Why don't you guys ever give teachers a forum where they can address how they feel. Honestly, I don't believe that I can come forward with my name, ect. as I would fear for my job. As a high school teacher, and I can say for sure that others would agree, that our expectations for moral behaviors are completely gone.

Are you listening Mr Belton and Mr Herbert? What are you prepared to do?

Teacher: Part of my campaign platform (and you can read my entire platform at www.hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org) is to call for an examination of whistleblowing rules and provide protections if necessary, so that teachers and staff just like you can speak freely without fear of reprisals. If I'm elected next year, I would like to work diligently on providing such a forum.

I've never seen this before:

School board meeting is canceled Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 10:50 am
Tuesday's Guilford County Board of Education meeting has been canceled. A spokeswoman said today that the meeting was canceled because there were no items that needed immediate action.

The board will next meet at 6 p.m. Dec. 4.

Since there are "no items that needed immediate action", maybe the board could do something that they've never done before

DEVOTE AN ENTIRE MEETING TO DISCUSSING EDUCATION.

What a novel idea!

Teacher:

Please forgive me for the practical reasons of what you have requested. I wanted the very thing. Like you too many fear for their jobs if they speak up and I had thought before I got on the Board a forum like you propose monitored on-line with ID’s and logins and kept anonymous and legitimate by an external CPA firm hired by the educators association might work.

There are very real legal issues with doing this, as identifying specific students can trip illegal acts that must be avoided. Also staff appeals to the Board over personnel issues could be tripped up. Were a task force of educators to do this and avoid these trip-up’s I am sure School Board Members would be reading and listening.

The fear of the administration is real and obvious to me, I wish there were a way to clear communications so we could address issues intelligently. I will be requesting AL and academic rigor be placed on the December 20th agenda as soon as I can get my request square with details. With Thanksgiving vacation starting the night of the Board Meeting the “Bored” and staff also had some unable to attend as well along with a terribly short agenda it was decided to cancel. I realize this messes up a lot of insomniacs who directly benefit from our meetings on cable.

Garth

Garth,

In all honesty, it is ridiculous. It is the stance of this county and school board that we should look good, not be good. It is all about numbers and making the public believe all is well.

Why don't you guys EVER randomly drop in on our schools? If the board really wants to see how it is, you should visit schools regularly, walk the halls,and talk to random teachers (anonymously) on issues of behavior, gangs, safety, overall morale, ect. and see what they say.

Not trying to sound bitter, but I really had the dream that my daughter could follow her classmates all the way through the high school level. Honestly though, seeing what I see, I know all to well that our schools have become a place where she can not maximize her potential and that is sad.

Teacher:
I know myself and other Board members do exactly what you say, we drop in unannounced, and as soon as it is figured out that we are there we have an escort which prevents teachers from talking openly and honestly with us. There are a couple of schools this is not true, but many principals are scared of us (maybe just me). I have made it a point to contact former principals and talk with them on condition of anonymity. This and other very brave staff members have given me a truer picture, but now I get accused of conspiracy theory. I really wish I had better to offer.
Garth

Mr Belton, You have been on the School Board for one year now. What have you done to improve the education of our children? What have you done to decrease the violence in our schools? Think about that. Reflect on that please. When I watch board meetings, you do not say much. Whats up with you?

You say you are listening but I hear..............Nothing!

Its not just Mr Belton. The whole board is not acheiving or excelling. They cancelled a board meeting because they have nothing to do!!!

What kind of message is that sending?

Dave & AP:

As parents, we often feel there's something the board should be doing that it is not. There are many issues I would like to see them address or address more expeditiously. However, to a one they seem to be hard-working individuals with the best interests of the students in mind.

Just last night many BOE members showed up at the legislative dropout reform meeting. Amos Quick & Dot Kearns both spoke and I saw Jeff Belton, Nancy Routh, Alan Duncan and Deena Hayes in the audience. Other BOE members may have been there too and I missed them. Any reader of this blog knows how responsive Garth Hebert is.

In short, many of us can and do differ with BOE members on decisions they make or actions they fail to take. But I fail to see any evidence that they are not hard working and caring individuals. Certainly the cancellation of a single meeting on the day the system closes for the Thanksgiving holiday can hardly give rise to accusations of malingering.

There was an elected officials breakfast at 7:30 this morning concerning Gangs in our community. I counted at least 8 Board members in attendance. Meeting ended at approx 10:00 am. I do not know of a Board member that does not put in a tremendous amount of selfless hours in public service. I may be a great critique of a lot that we do and don’t do. I cannot question the selfless sacrificial service of the Board. Our sanity, that is an entirely different question that I believe each member of the Board asks themselves almost daily. Knowing your insane does help one cope with life better I have found.
Garth

We don't question the amount of hours the Board Members put in. We do question that all of the listening results in very little action. The BOE should be the leader in education. They should be out front solving problems before I read about them in the paper. They should perform oversight examinations of every Central Office function. When the BOE pats themselves on the back for Eastern rebuilding when the SAT's went south shows one thing, the BOE is not very interested in what happens in the classroom. They cling to site-based management when it works against the low performing schools. The BOE can do much better than they are now doing.

Joe,

I agree. Too often, we as a society, confuse effort and activity for effectiveness and results. Meeting and talking do not solve problems. Let's see some action resulting in positive results, then we can applaud the board and administration. It's been said many times that this board loves to meet and talk, but that seems to be where it ends.

Joe:
You hit the nails on the head! Oversight exams require staff to submit information to the Board that is in a usable format. Sadly we get pretty graphs aimed at 10 year old users without support data. The administration has taken arts from our elementary schools, Advanced Learner programs are all but dead. We have worked so hard to improve the weaker performers while allowing the top to crumble.

Maybe a few of you with time can take a look at how we stack up state wide when our kids go to college. http://www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/assessment/reports/student_info/far.htm

Some pleasant thoughts of our success preparing our best for college. Of the most recent statistics after the first year in the University of North Carolina System ie UNC Charlotte, Wilmington NC state Appalachian etc� only 25.7% returned for their second year with a gpa of c or better and 30 hrs or more credit. In simple terms only one fourth were on track for a normal 4 year degree in 4 years. The good news if you want to call it that, only one fourth our kids dropped out after first year of University.

When it comes to first year grades we really stink. They average a C in math, C in physical Science, C in Biology, C+ in Social Sciences and B- in other courses. They are not well prepared by any measure.

Now maybe the public should hold us accountable for real performance where it counts. These are our best and it appears they can hardly keep their heads above water.

For fall 2000 freshman 32.9 % returned next year with at least a C and 30 hrs credit/ compare with recent 25.7% or a 21.8% drop in freshman returning with 30 passing credit hours to most recent 2005 Freshman data.

For Fall 2000 freshman 82% returned for year 2, For 2005 freshman 77.8 returned for year 2. How much longer do we ignore our kids chances for the future? Am I supposed to be impressed by our academic rigor? I wish I could say we have been coasting under the current leadership, but this would be a significant overstatement. While Rome burns we fiddle�

Garth. Pls tell others what you have told us. You have to break away from the pack and then let others BOE members come to you.

Here is an excerpt from a Charlotte newspaper. This is the stuff that passes bonds.

"While we regret having to take this action, we simply cannot tolerate this kind of behavior on our school campuses," Gorman said in a statement sent to reporters. "We have to make sure that a handful of students don't put school safety at risk."

Gorman said in an interview that the four serious gun offenses on campuses since last week underscored the need to remove the most dangerous troublemakers. The students expelled Thursday have been out of school since September and October, awaiting their final punishments.

Gorman said more expulsions will come for students who misbehaved this month.

School board member Larry Gauvreau said that's not good enough.

"The superintendent should be accelerating the pace at which he rids our schools of thugs and hoodlums," Gauvreau said in an e-mail to reporters. "I'm disappointed that meaningful action is not being taken."

On another note the local news had two stories from Schools today. A teacher at Dudley beat up a freshman and another at Smith lot control and cussed out a whole class. Teachers are stressed out, middle class parents leave!

While Rome is burning Grier fiddles and Belton listening.

This is a good thread. Click on the link below or cut and paste.

http://blog.news-record.com/staff/debatables/2007/11/fighting_at_schools_part_ii.shtml

GetUsGorman,

Sorry, this won't work in Guilford County. Our board and superintendent are more concerned about learning why these kids act as they do, not dealing with their bad behavior. GCS' style is to tolerate the bad behavior or cover it up. Dot has expressed in the past her concern for these students, if they are suspended. She is more concerned about the bad actors than those who want to get an education.

Yes, teachers are reaching the end of their rope with these problems. We will soon start losing our teachers who do not want to tolerate this bad behavior. It's a blackboard jungle out there without Glenn Ford.

any besides me notice that grier won some big award, like the superintendent of the year award for NC... or something like that.

and like a few days later, we get a notice in our kids folder sent home from their school saying that guilford county did not meet so and so AYP's, and grade prediction, etc.

think it was planned in that order?? how can this man win that award, when he has not met those growth and education goals? i just keep scratching my head and wonder...

but then, i remember... THAT'S one of the main reasons we are moving away from this county!!!
and then i sit back, relax... and be glad he will not be the thorn in my side for much longer.

Members of our Task Force started visiting schools and we quickly learned not to say we were members of the Task Force. It just freaked people out. So now we just visit and blend in when we can. I have spent more hours than I care to admit, visiting schools. It has wrecked my business plan for the year, but every time I hang out in a school, I learn so much and it feels so worth the time.

How many hours have you spent in the schools? All those who post here, and are so quick to criticize... how many hours a week do you spend in the schools? I am poking around the schools quite a bit.

I share what I can about what I see. We have alot of work to do, We can't do it by placing blame and throwing each other under the bus.

Have the school board ever thought about what they are doing to save this small amount of disruptive kids? The 5% who are disruptive are probably dragging down another 20%.

I wonder if Mr Belton who keeps telling us that he is listening (but in reality he is doing nothing) has thought about that.

I'm sure that Jeff Belton has thought about it, but unfortunately, thinking and doing are 2 different things.

Listening and acting are 2 different things.

I just wish our super and board would get tough on these discipline problems like Charlotte is doing.

Why not just try it for a year? Heck, the teachers would love it, the parents would love it, the non-behavior-problem-students would love it and the bond would pass.

Or, we can stay status quo and continue to drive families away from the GCS public schools and continue to pander to the discipline problems.

As many of you have stated and know all too well what goes on in our schools. It amazes me that someone is surprised when a teacher overwhelmed with 40 kids loses it and cusses (no excuse for a professional to behave this way) BUT why do we allow our high schoolers and middle schoolers to cuss and speak with disrespect to teachers with no consequences? Why is this just considered part of someone's culture and we need to be sensitive and treat certain kids differently?

Garth and Jeff, long ago I suggested that we put a suggestion box for teachers' input in every school with a pad lock on it where only school
board members can open (say once a month) and have the keys. Each board member could take a few school each starting with the high schools and middle schools. As I recall (and it's been a long time now) Anita seemed to like the idea but it went nowhere. The time has come for us to want our schools to be better and not just look better.

As many have said before and is the new task force just about reducing suspensions, not really enforcing the rules of the handbook for all students. The rules need to be enforced.

As Debora mentioned regarding drugs. Obviously, this person was dealing, breaking the law and needs to be in jail. When our students see what others get away with on a daily basis with no consequences, others wonder why should they have to follow the rules.

Also when you have time board members, look at the GCS handbook of about 5 years ago compaired to now and see which way discipline has gone. It's time for the pendulum to swing the other way - the sooner the better.

Barbara:
As I have suggested earlier, we need an email system for Teachers and Staff to report anonymously, but verifiably to the Board complaints, issues and ideas that they feel will not endanger their jobs. It would be great if Mark Jewell or someone of his organization would take the lead and have someone work on this so it could be done in a way satisfactory to all. It would be excellent follow up to the working conditions survey I believe as well as allow an outlet fro frustrated and cornered staff.

This would normally be done within the human resource division of a large company. But distrust has grown from one superintendent to another. Terry did not create it, but has done nothing to remove it either. It is the Board that now must take responsibility, blaming Terry does no one any good if the Board which has admitted this problem exists and does nothing to correct it. Telling Terry it is a weakness appears to have little effect and frankly may not be correctible by him over the remaining term of his contract.

I have great trust and respect for the integrity of Peggy and her work in human resources, this trust does not exist for teachers and principals who are under great pressure to perform as the organizational chart offers little to no oversight or reporting. I must point out, that many larger corporations do not have this vent either, many more are evolving as Sarbanes-Oxley continues to show weaknesses in corporate oversight. Sadly we have no Sarbanes-Oxley oversight in governmental units.

Garth

Those questioning Mr. Belton's listening are sadly missing a very great dynamic of the Board. Jeff cares, really cares and does listen. It takes 6 Board members to get anything even remotely close to moving. Publicly decrying issues in a Board meeting is not as easy as you might think or effective. Jeff, posting on a thread such as has occurred has sent a message to staff and to fellow Board members. Because Amos and I occasionally post, stick our necks out on issues and sometimes hold subtle dialogue, this Blogg can be very hostile. It probably is a reflection of the public at large, but I cannot even begin to imagine the real number of viewers vs. posters.

I am told by experienced Board members that it takes years to get your bearings on such a board. My profession dictates reading voluminous technical material and I do so at a significant rate, I find my self education in the field of child development, education and classroom management taking at least 2 to 3 hours a day of my time. I assure you, the public, after talking with other Board members, they are spending significant time learning as well. Deena Hayes knowledge of African American issues, learning the education gap etc. is quite prodigious, it did not become so by osmosis.

Dr. Routh is one of the most learned and organized people I have met in my life. Her memory at 75 is better than most at any age. She has done more to make this a better world and helped more individuals than anyone can imagine. My experience on the Board, while frustrating has enriched my life. I could go on, but my point is that there are 11 points of view on the Board heavily influenced by what staff provides us.

We have a staff that feeds the media with material that supports the Superintendent's desired results of public opinion. The media has the job of obtaining access to district information and yet providing a well rounded reporting on the subject. The board is also fed the same way, but it is easy to forget that what is presented is unidirectional in nature. On rare occasion I find a tidbit of fed information to be open and I question the motivation behind all material fed to me. Statistics are often not considered fed or unidirectional because we have some sort of belief that numbers do not lie. Accountants on the other hand are often taught the myriad ways numbers are used to reflect varying view points.

Over 20 years ago in graduate school I took and advanced accounting theory course. I had a year of experience with a CPA firm prior to doing this so had a bit head start over my peers. The professor asked as serious question that many in class thought was a joke, he asked "what is income"?, my answer was "what do you want it to be". Many gave very textbook answers and looked at me like I just fell off the turnip truck. Their incredulity was amazing when he told them my answer was correct. Were you to read the financial statements of Duke Energy, one of my former clients, you would see a very simplistic statement of income and retained earnings, knowing the company intimately you would find such statement useless. Not knowing you would be amazed by its size, it's profits and it's accumulated wealth. Were you to understand the company and the many sub components and their real values you might be shocked to find like an iceberg, it's financial statements barely reflect anything of what is truly there. So it is with GCS, I am still learning what is really there and how like the iceberg it is kept from our purview.

We were told how many AL qualified teachers we have, how the program works etc. Only after asking for raw data (how many AL kids by race and gender are distributed by teacher throughout High Point, was I able to get a real picture as to the treatment of the program. Only because I know specifics about teachers and classrooms at Ferndale, Welborn and Southwest was I able to test data distribution to actual teachers. That mouthful being said, all I can do is bring issue to the Board publicly again and discuss ad infinitum whether we as a Board support AL and whether it is being implemented as we desire and if enough Board members are willing to stand up to Terry and change direction. Sound easy, yeah right!

More Board members than ever are now listening, the question really is when will we start doing? Jeff posted encouragement to the Blogg to discuss and be aware that your public discussion matters, Rigorous discussion of the underling facts and viewpoints carries significant weight influencing several board members actions. I have contributed too much to this blogg but feel the public has a right to see inside government. I have no ambitions to pursue politics further and personal repercussions are likely limited to not much more than purported cross burnings and other expressive public gatherings. Job satisfaction for me is non-existent, therefore my criticisms much more poignant. Jeff is doing something, it is not as easy to make a difference as you would think.

Garth

Professional disclosure: I do not recommend any investment and do have a personal investment in Duke Energy and am therefore would not be independent. My knowledge and trading are and have been in compliance with SEC insider trading laws.

From New York Times 11 19 07:
"In Camden, attempts to build trust with residents has had mixed results. In 2004, when the police were making arrests in just 14 percent of all shootings, they formed a special response team to flood crime scenes with investigators and to canvass for witnesses. Today, the police solve more than 40 percent of all shootings, according to city statistics.

Last November, however, a 19-year-old gang member named Fred Morton was questioned by the response team’s detectives about a murder he had witnessed. Twelve days later, he was found dead in a city park. He had been strangled, and his throat was slit.

Prosecutors said there was no evidence that his murder was related to his discussions with the police, and they pointed out that Mr. Morton had many potential enemies because he had carried out several robberies and at least one fatal shooting in the week before his death. But Mr. Morton’s relatives and many of his neighbors are convinced that he was killed because word had spread on the street that he had been talking to the detectives.

Mr. Ottenberg acknowledged that while the effort had helped solve more cases, it had not eased the sense among city residents that the police view witnesses as “little more than cannon fodder.” "

Full article can be read at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/nyregion/19witness.html?ex=1353214800&en=fab28ed945963aa4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

They are real, they are hear and recently Greensboro Police arrested "enforcers" from these gangs trying to establish a more controlled structure in our area. Is this what we want?

Garth

Mr Herbert, I think your current attitude and openess is admirable and perhaps more of the school board should do the same. I do however think that you comment too much about other members of the board and some of the comments are not appropriate. So keep up the good work, keep up the questioning, keep applying the pressure but leave out the other stuff!

Good luck.

Andy.

What's inappropriate about Garth 's comments about other board members, if they are true? They should only be inappropriate if they are not factual. Is there a code of silence among the members of the board?

Mr. Hebert's candor is remarkable and refreshing.

Let's not look a gift board member in the mouth.

Ah, but you can count on high parent participation for the NO votes on the bonds.

We need someone to bring reality to the table on the school board. Deena Hayes pushes her race card angle whenever she can and has the board running like scared children. I look to Garth to help Anita, Kris, Jeff, Nancy, Alan and Darlene to bring sanity back to Guilford County. Who cares about the propoganda machine of the powers that be in Greensboro. We need to take care of the kids that are in the system now.

We need Discipline, Education, Respect and a desire to learn in our schools before it all goes down the drain!!!!!

Was Dr. Flair at Andrews as a Mission Possible teacher?

Every time I read this Blog I get depressed.
I'm old.

Time to up my medication.

David Colin