News-Record.com

Hummmm Douglas,

Do you get the feeling that someone is trying to shove a lottery down your throat???

Just ask anyone in North High Point and they'll sympathize with you....well, okay, maybe they won't.

We already have a lottery - the High Point "Choice" Lottery 'Random' Reassignment" now known as the "IT" Plan.

The winning numbers are ONLY stacked against SW Middle School students.

Who out there was complaining about the lottery of young spirits when that happened?

They aren't losing money just four years of their lives if they happen to get lotteried into the wrong "focus", four years of their dreams to go to THEIR own traditional high school, four years of their wishes to just be treated like the rest of the kids in this county, and more importantly treated like every school board members' kid who DOES get to go to their neighborhood school and NOT ever be in a lottery. Is that too much to ask?

"All men are created equal"??? Well in at Southwest Middle and High School try to tell those kids that without your fingers crossed or growing a Pinnoceo (spelling?) nose.

Barbara Ann,

Obviously not enough people were complaining about the reassignment, because apparently the powers that be on the Board certainly didn't feel the vibes were strong enough to pause and reconsider their decision.

Doug,

I'm sick of hearing this drivel regarding the school situation when the subject matter is other than. Isn't there some way your N&R IT techies can devise a "firewall" to prevent these obsessed people from posting "other thans" and thus straying from the topic. Please do something our sanity and the integrity of the blogforce depends on it.

Jon,

Thanks for your questions. I understand the frustrations of readers who'd like to participate in discussion of topics other than the HP choice plan but feel drowned out and also sullied by the often-childish level of comments posted.

I don't think we can filter out comments by content. We could adopt a registration system here as on the letters blog, which at least requires a unique identity for people posting. That would cut down on the number of people on this blog and others who post comments using several different "handles."

Or I could simply remove off-the-subject posts, although not immediately because I can't monitor the blog 24/7. What are some thoughts about that?

Doug,

It is an astounding development that Jon suggests that you practice censorships of posts that he and you don't like, and you are actually considering it. This is especially astounding after you just made a post about the UConn kids not allowing Anne Coulter to speak. So, is it OK for you as the editor of a newspaper to write about what you want and then censor and remove comments on this blog by others that you and Jon don't like or agree with, whether they are on-subject or not. You've staked out clearly your position supporting the school lottery, and now you want to censor those that oppose it. This is truly hypocritical, if you were serious about your Anne Coulter post. But, if you decide to exercise censorship on this blog and in this newspaper, go right ahead. We'll see how the News-Record fares when it is known that it censors the thoughts and opinions with which it disagrees.

And, Jon, when governmental officials take an action that is detrimental to a minority, do you feel that they are then empowered because few others speak out against it? Can they play a political game to the detriment of a minority as long as the majority doesn't object? Is it OK if they only hurt a few? If the county government decides to take your property by eminent domain and sell it to another private party so that they can develop it and produce more tax revenue, and no one else speaks out, is it right? By your standard, government can do whatever they choose for whatever reasons they deem appropriate, as long as there aren't "strong vibes" against it. What country do you live in, Jon?

Stormy,

I haven't suggested any censorship, but instead responded to Jon's questions as to what could be done to address a clear problem.

When I write about the HP choice plan or a related subject, all responses on that topic are appropriate. None has even been censored on this blog, even though many from anonymous commenters have been pretty vile in tone.

But Jon isn't the first reader to express frustration that the same few people try to turn a discussion of all subjects into their one and only issue of interest. That's defeating the purpose of the blog, which is to engage in discussions on various topics -- and hopefully in a mature and respectful manner, by the way.

So I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for your opinion.

Stormy,

When the topic is other than obviously your and Barbara Ann's favorite topic, HP schools I've surmised, please have respect for those want to keep the subject matter that's posited, in focus.

Doug's topic might be Southern BBQ and by golly gee, use guys start talking about your Johnny & Susie having to ride 1.5 hours to a school far far far away. Heck, my HS boy lives only 15 minutes from school yet spends two hours each day on the bus. Should I PITCH A BITCH and complain to the school authorities that I can practically spit on the school from the roof of our house, perhaps, but I'm grown up enough to understand that this isn't the BIG PICTURE. And constantly complaining about this and other petty matters would only probably upset the boy.

Here's the bottom line, you and your ilk don't want your kids to go to a BLACK school nor do you want them to come to yours. There I've said it. That is the root of your problem. Stormy, I'm sorry to say, you need some couch time, or some quality time spent with your Baby Jesus in order to do some necessary healing.

No Jon, that is not it. Doug has stated MANY times that he wants the blacks out of his school. He also wants the blacks from Clara Cox out of his neighborhood. I'm surprised he hasn't said that there are too many blacks working at the N&R and tried to have them transferred.

Bottom line...the kids from Southwest Middle School should not be required to FIX the problems with the High Point Schools.

Jon,

How racist you are. You disgust me. I am appalled that you say and think those things. Doug, Censor his post imeadiately.

Jon, whoever said that Central was a black school? Are you out of your mind?

I was there the other night at parents evening. There was hardly a black person there and the carpark was steaming full. If you look at the statistics there is probably a real mix and Asians,white,hispanics and Blacks.

You are your kind can give a school a bad name and you are one of the reasons that schools like Andrews get the fame as a bad school.

Doug,

Why don't you open a poll to address the posting-off-the-subject question? Let's see how your readers will respond.

Jon - You could always ignore Stormy's and Barbara Ann's posts.

Doug, why don't you just lay your bloggy-blog to rest? There, problem solved.

Jon,

I cannot believe you said such a racist, ignorant comment. FYI there are no "BLACK" schools in High Point. They are all MIXED. Apparently you must live in Greensboro and don't get to High Point much. Take a break and go to some Friday night football at Southwest.

Apparently you don't watch school board meetings. The new buzz word is "socioeconomic" gap. There is not "racial" gap.

This NEVER had anything to do with race. That may be the certain little dirty "seeds" some people planted to get their secret little plan pushed through. That is an easy cop out to make good parents look bad to hide the true agenda. (Hint: It has to do with Central. Not Andrews.) It does not hide the truth. The SW parents offer no apologies for wanting for their children what the rest of the county has.

Southwest Middle and High school children are the ONLY children in this county who are in a lottery that is fixed. Andrews and Central got their first choice. The rest of the county is not in a lottery. Put the entire county in a lottery and we will shut up.

We don't like some of your comments on this and other blogs either. We just ignore them as you can CHOOSE to ignore the ones you don't like.

As to Doug's "survey", it would be extremely hypocritical in my opinon to censor comments people don't agree with. And I commend him for his patience in the past. He has allowed some questionable posts.

He can use his position to write editorials to protect his High Point neighborhood and his position about the Choice Plan. It is only fair that others get to express their opinions freely.

Reassigned,

Be nice now. I'm relatively new (1997, well not that new) around here and am really making an effort to assimilate. I really am.

Don't you recall, I'm the DAMNED YANKEE guy, who tries to fit in with all the clan down here. Got me a Jr's #8 cap that I sometimes wear, follow UNC basketball religiously, and gravitated to watching NASCAR racing 10 months out of the year so I can be on subject. However, I refuse to buy a truck.

Doug,

It's a shame our Governor never stepped up and was the leader we needed when this whole thing was blowing up. This would have shown good leadership. He impresses me as being a very passive individual whose just along for the ride.

In my opinion, quality of parenting is more important than amount of revenue thrown at the school system. In '97 I left a public school system that spent at the time 6-7000 per pupil, offered great facilities, had all the major sports programs, and they graduated, on the most part, well, idiots.

In contrast, the good fathers & sisters of that parochial school system were graduating scholars for a third of the cost that their counterparts were costing the taxpayers. Had old buildings, hardly any sports programs, no swimming facilities, just a focus on good education.

It was also interesting that a good part of the parochial enrollment was made up of non-believers, I mean not Catholic.

All this lottery will do is to soak the poor of their paychecks who are blinded by the myth of easy money and prey upon those who are mathematically challenged.

I'm confused Jon, which lottery are you talking about? The one for Southwest High School or the one for all of NC?

At least the state lottery is not mandatory like the one for High Point High Schools. So good folks like you and Doug can say, "Thanks but no thanks." The poor families in High Point have no choice. And you're right Jon, but not only does it hurt those that are mathmatically challenged, the High Point lottery hurts students with any kind of challenge. Buses never solved anything.

Jon,

I am sorry to inform you will be banned very soon.

Your first strike: This strand is about the lottery and you talked about your school system, money spent on each pupil, sports teams, etc.

Please pay attention to Doug's new rule. You are not allowed to go off topic! You are only allowed to say "I agree" or I "disagree". (Preferrably the former. If you're still confused, just watch how Doug's boys and Doug's mother do it.)

Strike two: You used the term "use guys" this morning in your 11:19 post. What is that??? You lost all credibility.

Strike three: You used profanity (BITCH) and "Baby Jesus" in the same post.

Block him, Doug-o!

Blog Police,

I'm apologize, "use guys" was intended to read "yuse guys."

My bad.

Yes it is true Doug has taken several of the bloggetts out to the woodshed to emphasize the necessity of staying on message.

Jon,

You are breaking your own rule - you went off subject. But in regard to your first post to me on this strand "obviously not enough people were complaining....the school board didn't feel the vibes strong enough to reconsider..." Jon, the decision making and the politics goes on BEHIND closed doors. The board meetings are the "get-a-long" gang to the public. This is how many public boards function (exception our Guilford County Commissions - now that is the best reality TV show on). What you "see" or what you know for the time is not the final conclusion. Trust me on this. It is not over. "nough said"

Secondly, we do agree on something. I was a product of 11 years of Catholic School and proud of it. Like you stated - a very old building - old books - (no A/C) no football - we had baseball and were state basketball champs two years in a row - mostly short or medium height white guys (this was the 60's) - they won on sheer determination and lots of practice. The academics where exceptional. Discipline problems or lack of respect. It didn't exist. You were out the door. We didn't even have locks on our lockers. It was an honor code. Of course, that was a world too when traditional family life was valued. We didn't have the trash you see in the media. We didn't have the internet. We had parents. And if you did do something minor, a neighbor was sure to tell your parents.

Your post leaves leads us to think long and hard about school vouchers.

Sorry, Doug, for going off subject. Jon did too.

Back to Doug's original subject. The difference with this state lottery. People have a "free will". They can choose to participate or not. In Pennsylvania, their lottery monies have been put to great use for many senior citizens and other programs. I am hoping that the schools will actually see some of this money AND that it will go directly to the children in the classroom not for more 6 figure incomes at Central Office.

Jon,

One more thing - you are following the wrong basketball team - that should be DUKE.

I think Doug could agree on that one.

Okay - I will tie in the post. Don't waste your money betting on UNC this year. It would be gambling like a lottery.

Jon,

Now you've stepped over the line. How dare you call be a racist? You don't know a thing about me. You don't even know whether I have any kids or not, or which school they go to, if I do.

So you think I need a couch, huh? What makes you think that you are remotely capable of judging people? Yes, you've said it alright, now I'll say what I have to say. You are an uninformed idiot. Next time learn something about someone before you call them a racist and say that they need professional help, and find out something about the situation of concern.

Why does your child have to ride a bus two hours when he lives 15 minutes away from a closer one? Does he do that by choice? If your child does that involuntarily, and you don't question it, then you are, indeed, an idiot. Why would you put your child through that and never even ask? You must care not enough?