News-Record.com

And the first order of business should be to shut down the Guilford County Board of Education and reorganize it. Those members should consist of parents who actually have children in the school system.

And Dr. Routh, of course!

There's the trouble with hard and fast rules: right away, you want to make an exception.

Perhaps a group made of x number of parents, y former educators, and z business people. With the z group being the largest.

Come on! You're kidding, right? How can you set quotas and limitations?

You already have nine members elected by district. Which districts would have the parents, which the former educators, which the business people? How do you count someone who fits two of those categories, or all three? And on what legal grounds do you deny someone who doesn't fit any of your prerequisites?

Fine! Then let's just get rid of Kris Cooke and Dot Kearns.

I'm not sure how you mean that.

Doug, you make a good point that the Department of Education may need to be streamlined. But what Easley is doing is underhanded politics, pure and simple.

I have no idea who would do a better job, Atkinson or Buxton. But the voters clearly want Atkinson to run the state's education system - she beat Buxton in the election fair and square. Well, at least until Easley changed the rules.

Easley has more than "influence" over the State Board of Ed, Doug. The board is appointed by the governor. So Easley hand-picks a board that installs Easley's hand-picked guy as the de facto state superintendent - even though that guy lost the election. It's a blatant end-around the wishes of the voters.

Let's face it: if President Bush or any Republican did the same thing, he or she would be villified by the press, including the N&R.

js, I can't think of any comparable opportunity Bush might have in the federal system for overriding the will of the people with a political appointment, but I'll concede the point that we might bash him if he did something like that.

I don't normally pass up chances to smack Easley, but our state education system is so messed up already that I think it really does a service if he exerts control. As you note, he already appoints members of the State Board. What the heck is the State Board supposed to do if not oversee DPI? But what good is the State Board if the state superintendent can flip it off?

One good thing about this is that we can blame Easley for lack of school improvements. He's taking full responsibility for public education.

First of all, Doug, all board reps should be at-large if they continue to be elected.

If that were the case, I imagine Nancy Routh (the educator), Alan Duncan (the business man), Anita Sharpe (the business woman), and Darlene Garrett (the compassionate parent) would continue to be elected.

I think it's fair to say that Deena Hayes, Walter Childs, and Kris Cooke would be gone.

I certainly could support at-large elections. School board members should be accountable to all voters.

Amen to that.

And, might I add, follow the Golden Rule.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

School Board members should be accountable to ALL STUDENTS, the second Golden Rule! I like it Doug and Quest. Careful, you could both be on the next ballot!

Doug, et. al: Board members should be accountable to all children, parents and taxpayers. They should not be politicians and ideally should not have political agendas. I'm running for the at-large position in 2008 because my only agenda are those children who have no voice and this Board clearly is not putting them first in everything they do. That has to change.

E.C. Huey
candidate, 2008 Guilford Co. Brd. of Ed. (at-large)
www.hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org

Curious, why would we think a politician or a businessman (or woman), or groups made up of a majority of them, know a darn thing about what's best for educating children? Granted, they have a right to an equal say as parents and taxpayers, but why would having an MBA or law degree qualify one to override as a majority and controlling voice, those with, say, education degrees, or actual teaching experience?

In China and Japan, and many other cultures, teachers are revered. They are often paid substantially better relative to other professions than here in the US. I suspect here they are just more cogs in the wheels...or are treated as such...and often then become just that. The law of expectations. That then is passed on to the mass-movement of students prodded and poked through the system like cattle, numbers branded on them from day one of preschool.

These were the comments I was prepared to deliver tonight. These are on my website. As you now know, Deena didn't and wouldn't apologize. I'll have a response on my blog tomorrow.
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E.C. HUEY’S PREPARED REMARKS TO BE DELIVERED TUESDAY, 9 JANUARY 2007 TO THE GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Good evening Mr. Chairman, Dr. Grier, members of the Board. Happy New Year. E.C. Huey, 6213 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro.

Racism equals ignorance. And ignorance is sin.

Instead of me commenting this evening with regards to the ongoing situation involving Eastern Guilford H.S., or student achievement or the ongoing lack of supplies at many of our high schools, I am forced to come to you this evening with a plea for an explanation, or a clarification or better yet, an apology.

During a discussion and debate of the Very Strong Needs program at the last meeting, a Board member used several racially insensitive and derogatory statements that, in my opinion, were uncalled for and were a poor choice of words. Speaking on behalf of right-minded, right-thinking citizens and taxpayers who always have the children’s best interest at heart, we feel an apology is in order.

Specifically, these said comments were used in context in discussing what parents do to help their son or daughter achieve their full potential. Whether these children are advanced learners or not, I agree with the premise that all parents have the responsibility to do everything humanly possible to ensure that their child does in fact achieve their full potential.

I’m sorry if I disagree, but this is not promoting a “derogatory ideology” as was inferred by a certain board member.

In addition, as a father and an educator, I find myself constantly teaching and preaching the value of respect and diversity to my daughter and my students, respectively. We are supposed to be the adults. We’re the grown folks. You are supposed to be the ones setting the example for those students, those children you represent.
And as an elected official, you took an oath to faithfully execute the office to which you serve. As such, you, as an elected body, have a duty to maintain and uphold the respect to which you are given.

Both myself, the parents of Guilford County School children, the citizens and taxpayers across this county, eagerly await both your response and apology.

Thank you, God bless you and may God bless the children of Guilford County.