News-Record.com

Allen, how 'bout this one from Dot Kearns and Sue Mendenhall:

"We called this news conference to announce that abusing our political power to boost demographics at our own alma mater thus helping to maintain property value in our own neighborhood by holding a random lottery at another highschool and forcing the "losers" to our school is probably not a viable education policy. That while probably good for us, we have come to realize it just may not be the best thing for them. We also realize that although it helped enlist the aid of pseudo-liberal newspaper editors and other "people of Action", it is indeed reprehensible to try to accomplish this agenda by falsely touting the benefits of such as a boon to the minority community instead of for our express benefit. We also freely admit that mothers of our elite neighborhood would never allow their children to be used as fodder for someone else's politics like we forced on the lottery mothers.

We also take full responsibility for the administrative failure of the High Point schools, and though it was part of the platform that won one of our elections, we announce that; what we consider "rich" parents in North High Point and Jamestown, are NOT responsible for a failure that is ours.

Wouldn't it be great, Allen

What about this one.

Dear Mr Phillips,
we were wrong in assigning your daughter to a school across the otherside of town instead of the school just a few yards from your home. Please accept our opologies and have her start at Southwest for the second semester.

Yours sincerely,
Guilford County School Board.

How about one from you and Robinson.

"We have been such hipocrites for supporting bussing your kids to the Fifth or Seventh school from their home while our kids and neighbors enjoy our Greensboro neighborhood schools."

and this one

"We are so sorry for the past several years in making the parents of the SW students out to be the racists. These are really good parents. We just thought the best defense was a good offense - that this is what PR is all about, b.s. We know this was wrong. The devil made us do it. We are so ashamed. We can't even still mention all our names. It would be hard for you to believe it was us anyway. And darn it, we just didn't think there were so many smart people out there who would catch on to the real agenda."

and this one

"Okay, it's 2006. The past is behind us. We know we screwed up. We want to make peace with the good people of Southwest and Jamestown for stressing out their children for the past two years and screwing up their educations. We made a mistake. We now have our six votes. The IT Plan is history. And besides, we need some more bond money in 2006 and please be kind to us in the elections. We really want to do better this year. We are going to do right by these children. They shall have neighborhood schools like our children and grandchildren. We know this is the only right thing to do. We have seen the light. We love John Lennon too. Let's give Peace a Chance!"

Your Dedicated School Board

Great column. Laugh out loud funny, but it also makes a point.

and this one

"Okay, you win. We are tired and will go away. Our children don't matter to us anymore. We will teach them things to do on the long, long bus ride to the school they have no desire to be. We will just explain that a traditional education and friends they have had since kindergarten are not important. That family time isn't what it is craked up to be. It is only important to the older schools in the City of High Point. They lived here a little longer so it is only good for their kids. They are the chosen ones. You are the newcomers so it is only logical that you shall make these sacrifices. I guess we can always dip into your college fund to get you a private school or counseling to deal with all of this. You will just have to accept you are the only ones not getting a neighborhood school like the rest of the county. 'Life isn't fair and then you die'. You will have to get used to it. No, it doesn't matter that 8th graders were hysterical the night of the vote on Black Tuesday. No one cares.

And besides the North HP people are running out of money for magnets, the elections, displays, etc. They don't want a snowman display for January, a Valentine theme for February, St. Patrick's Day for March, April Fools for April. It just isn't fun for them anymore.

We realize we are the only ones that should sacrifice our children for the the political agendas of some. Someone has to quit. It might as well be us."

---The Southwest parents (NOT!)

This one from Terry Grier;

"What a bunch of Idiots we have on this School Board in Guilford County......As soon as I have taken all the money that I can from this bunch of Bare Foot Rednecks,,,,,I'm Gonna get the HELL OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

How about this one from community members:
"We are alarmed and ashamed that our schools have gotten segregated to levels in some cases that exceed the 1970s. We realize that the concept of neighborhood schools seems quaint and idyllic, probably as much as it did in the Jim Crow era.
"But it didn't work then and it won't work now.
"We are open to more creative solutions to this problem. And we are willing to think not only about the well-being of our kids but about the well-being of all children in Guilford County, as well as the best interests of the entire community."

How about this one from community members:
"We are alarmed and ashamed that our schools have gotten segregated to levels in some cases that exceed the 1970s. We realize that the concept of neighborhood schools seems quaint and idyllic, probably as much as it did in the Jim Crow era.
"But it didn't work then and it won't work now.
"We are open to more creative solutions to this problem. And we are willing to think not only about the well-being of our kids but about the well-being of all children in Guilford County, as well as the best interests of the entire community."

Followed by:

"We the editors of the News and Record strongly recommend that the High Point Choice plan be implemented county wide".

"After all that's fair isnt it"?

Amen, Joe.

Allen, I presume (although probably a big mistake) the designation "more creative" would imply something other than holding a raffle exclusive to a single highschool to see who gets selected as tokens to assuage the guilt of the "progressives" over the "re-segregation" of schools, which has taken place due to macro-economic factors which the parents of the tokens had not a g.d. thing to do with.

Or how about

"We the Greensboro Order of Knights and Editors For Political Correctness hereby swear and resolve that we will fight for equal educational rights for all, until the last drop of...ah...High Point people's blood"! so help us God!

How about this from the editorial staff at the N&R:

We are all just Jockey Boys for the Great and Wonderful Dr. Grier......One day we would like to grow enough balls to write our own articles,,,, , instead of the ones that Action Greensboro or Dr. Grier sends us.

Whew! What a relief. I'd feared that some of you would take that column personally.

Allen, of course we take it personally just like you!!!

You mention segregation. I assume you mean “racially”, correct?

Did you know that Dudley HS is 96% Black?
Northwest is 90+% White?

Those poor guys at Dudley have improved their passing rates by 20+% over the last couple of years but I think we should be bussing them to NW to comply with your recommendation.

Interestingly enough,

Central is 44% Black and 40% white.

Allen, I smell something. Don’t you?

Actually, I mean racially and socioeconomically, and you're right, the problem is not High Point's. It's the whole system's.

Allen,
my daughter was forced to go to central this year.
She tells me that at lunchtime one group sits on their own and another sits on their own (if you know what I mean). You cannot force people to sit together.
So my daughter and alike will help the less privelidged improve right? Why does my daughter have to help grown adults who are paid to do exactly that!
In fact all she will do is dilute the less privelidged away as Deenha Hayes suspected. A school report on a bus. Taking the focus away from the real problem and hiding it. The real problem is that Terry Grier, his educators and the board need to do the job they are paid to do!
Educate all children!

Bright children take Honours, IB and AP classes. Not so bright take CP classes.

What more can I say.

School reports on busses....

Allen,

It was a good column you wrote. Did you foresee its intense provocation of the crazies? I didn't, until I read these comments.

If these are the parents, then all my questions about Guilford County Schools' problems are answered.

Ready... set... GO, nutjobs!

Bored,
you are probably one of the lucky majority that have not had their children messed around with.

Lucky you.

Do you have any children at all. Probably not! If you do they will grow up ignorant as well! Just like their Dad!

Before this discussion degenerates any further, imagine if your children were reading them, folks. Please. Is this the example you want to set for them?

For those of you who worked long hours to bring about an end to this mess I say congratulations. For those of you who did little but write demeaning personal attacks on anyone who might disagree with you , no matter how small the detail, I say Thank God it's over. Perhaps you can move on and find something to be happy about but I have my doubts. It seems that there are always some who will find something to complain about and attack persons who disagree with them. My suggestion is to put this behind you, be happy for the children, and move on. You and your children will be much more healthy (mentally and physically) if you do.

For those of you who have contributed in a postive manner on this school mess, I can now wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

The column was a hoot Allen but don't hold your breath until any of those you replied for give such an answer. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours also Allen and may you have a blessed NEW YEAR.

Mr. Produce,

Thanks for your positive comments, but I might suggest that stating that this "school" mess is over is slightly premature. A battle was won last night, in part to the persisent and relentness of a few of the people that you just disparaged. But, like all wars, that battle did not end the war, it merely represented a retreat by one of the parties to ground easier to defend. In essence, the war hasn't changed at all. The war is over the minds and education of all of the students of the county. This school district's focus is still about peripheral issues, not about actually educating. So, some warriors will be laying down their arms in truce to celebrate the Christmas season, but most combatants know that they will be taken up again after the New Year.

But, peace to you up on the mountain. Merry Chsitmas and Happy Holiday. Feel thanks that you are not an active combatant in this war, but merely an observer.

STORMY

WELL SAID!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

SAME TO YOU MR. P!

THE NEW YEAR APPROACHES AND WAR WAGES ON.

UNTIL THEN, PEACE.

Stormy I disparaged no one on here. I stated facts but then occassionaly facts have a way of stepping on toes. I always learned that if one wished not to have their toes stepped on, then keep them under the chair and out of traffic.
There will always be a war over the way children are educated. Some will never like the way their kids are taught, some will perhaps have questions, and others , well there is always the ones who just don't care.
I have watched issues on education come and go in about 17 different states that I have lived in with a child and without but still taking a strong interest. You have to pick your battles.
This was one that was fought long and hard and was deserving of a victory. There are others to come but choose carefully.
Continue to fight in a postive manner and the victory will come sooner and will be sweeter.

Sometimes when some attack personalities, it comes back to bite them. I have been around long enough to see that happen many times.

PEACE ON EARTH TO ALL.

Mr. P.

I don't understand why you are so patronising here?

It's simple. Mess around with your blood (your children) and things are going to get nasty. All we in this case have is blog pressure and a few other things. We can't actually implement change and we did not have the press on our side either!

IT IS A HUGE VICTORY!!!!!!

All is fair in love an war. The opponents of this did not commit any crimes. After yesterday it is openly questionable if the SB did or not.
Maybe they didn't but if they were to to continue it would be.

Just as we thought!

Here is the one I wanna hear:

"Well, that task force I talked about was a joke. I did not really think we should do anything to combat crack. You know as long as it stays on the "Bad side of town" I dont really care. Hey, how am I supposed to be responsible for everyone. Only 12% of you voted. I did the mosiac thing....That was good enuff. Now, you folks stay outta my neighborhood. There is no crack over here. However, head on down to the MLK area or McConnell Road...shucks, I hear you can buy a crack rock for $10 in some of those places. If you don't have any money, prostitute yourself or just rob somebody. But, do it in the "Bad side of town."

The Mosiac mayor Keith "Happy" Holliday

Ben,
you make no sense.

DO you think that Barrow road should be a place to sell drugs too?

Things are much more civil, I notice, when people try to speak through the voice of someone else. Great experiment, Mr. Johnson. Too bad a few bloggers don't quite get the spirit of this. In a way, it's the ultimate proof of a well-balanced intellect. With a touch of devil's advocate.

"I am a High Point reassignment supporter. I can see now our ideals of tolerance and spreading intellectual wealth and hope across economic and social barriers ran afoul of the true religion of America: property values. Whether racism was a factor, I will not judge. I will concede now that my own hopes for diversity and improved social harmony eally don't amount to a hill of beans. Why, would I really want to lower some well-meaning, hard-working white family's home's appreciation? I would want my own home to go through the roof, after all! NIMBY and all that jazz.

Instead, let's let bygones be bygones. As long as we all stop lying about 'traditional educations' and 'neighborhood schools'. The point is neighborhood wealth and we can all agree the real American dream is to go get me some; you get your own."

Well-put, Freddy. Sadly, there's lot of painful truth to that quote.

I have given up on the Chalkboard blog: so many High-and Mighty High Pointers offering pointers on how to hoist the collective school board on their own petards, plus a few of their choosing. You asked on another topic about where all the bloggers are: I think the best have lost all conviction, and the worst are full of passionate intensity (and little else).

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