News-Record.com

Allen,

I'll tell you what the missison of the board's redistricting was. It was Dot Kearns and Susan Mendenhall's vendetta against those that voted to kill the High Point lottery. Pure and simple.

Dot Kearns continues to ravage High Point in the interest of her school, Central. Well, she has finally succeeded in her mission. Southwest is now a gerrymandered school district, running the length of the city of High Point, from Business I-85 to I-40. Yes, she has succeeded in putting those poor black souls in the southernmost part of High Point on an 11-mile bus ride to Southwest. He have 1970's style busing all over again in High Point.

I know that you are tired of Southwest school rants, but people are more than equally tired of having to make them. Certain members of the board don't listen to what the people say. They don't care.

If this group truly was concerend about racial and socioeconomic diversity in the county schools, they would be down at Dudley right now drawing up new attendance lines, but you don't hear anything about that, do you?

Allen, based on the omission from your own list am I to assume that a quality education is not the mission?

buckmtn,

Good point. So, what should we call them now? Board of Redistricting? Board of Racial Diversity and Fulfillment? Board of Facilities Utilization? Board of Neighborhood Schools?

Regardless, it's not the Board of Education, that's not a topic that they ever discuss or know anything about. It was four hours into their last meeting that Darlene Garrett raised the question about education of students.

Is it racial diversity? SW is 44% non-white, also look at G-Boro schools.

Is it socio-economic diversity? SW is over one third FRL. Better than some admittedly, but pretty much average for suburban areas anywhere in the country. Again, look at G-Boro

Is it optimum use of facilities? According to Anita Sharpe, the numbers making any argument supporting this are very questionable. Assuming it is true, underachievement could perhaps be best adressed with smaller class size.

What it is, is that in High Point we have decided to institutionalize the stratification of people by color and income and actually making whiteness a commodity. S.W., via nothing more than geography, has white kids, Andrews and Central have less, they want more, even if it involves kidnapping. Dot and her ilk want white kids at their neighborhood school for obvious traditonal reasons. The High Point NAACP is led by somebody who ironically got re-districted away from SW in 1999 to Andrews and has never forgiven the schoolboard for it and with good reason-he got moved for somebody else's politics. Take his and his organization's demanding and constantly pressuring the board, add in a little election quid-pro-quo deal to support Kearns also dovetailing with Dot's school's "white needs', mix in a little complicity or apathy from local political leaders and a little corruption along with moral and leadership bankruptcy on the board itself, and wa-la...the the sacking of SW is complete.

Realizing our inherent insignificance, we would however like to make one small request, and that is; that the editorial board of all local newspapers, members of the schoolboard or local leaders in any capacity, refrain from ever, ever, again, saying; WHAT WE NEED IN GUILFORD CO. IS MORE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS. The sound you will then hear is the deafening roar of laughter of people as they make their out of town.

Stormy, it normally takes Darlene about 4 hours to wiggle out of the straight-jacket they put her in so she can't immediately take the tape off of her mouth.

Because the last thing about 7 of them ever want to hear is Darlene say:

1. EDUCATION.
2. TEACHERS & ASSISTANTS
3. DISCIPLINE
4. LISTENING TO PARENTS

Allen,

Why don't you come write a column on the contradictory, hypocritical motives of the school board?

Dot and Susan are only concerned about Central. They are so very concerned about splitting the Shadybrook Elementary students and then turn around and split Southwest Elementary and Florence Elementary schools.

I'd like to see an article in your paper with interviews from the folks in the Parkview Elementary area. A recent news story showed the outrage that those families have with this decision as well.

The bottom line: if redistricting was done to better utilize facilities, then why is Southwest still overcrowded - with 29 trailers?

If your mission is socioeconomic diversity or even racial diversity - they should have started at Dudley, Smith, and Northwest - the 3 most non-diverse high schools in the district.

Filthy dirty politics - that's what it really was all about.

Numbersgame:
I agree. If diversity isn't a priority throughout the system, that would be unfair, unwise and just plain wrong.

Dennis Miller once said "instead of a moment of silence in the classroom, why don't we have a moment of science in the classroom." It certainly applies here. Somewhere along the way people forgot that the function of the school system was to educate students.

Now let's use common sense. Given the racial makeup of the county, if you want to increase racial diversity, you must do one of the following: 1) increase the number of white students enrolled in the public schools (where will you get them?) or 2) decrease the number of minorities (even thought they are the majority) in the schools. Which will you choose?

If you want to increase the socio-economic diversity of the schools you will have to either 1)take money from the wealthy parents and give it to the poor parents, 2) not allow wealthy students or poor students to attend school so that everyone is middle class, 3) Only allow some poor students to attend schools so the numbers aren't so skewed. Which will you choose?

The recent Leandro decision puts a constitutional requirement that the state provide a sound basic education for each student. That should be the focus. If there is a problem with facilities not being equal and harming education, Leandro should take care of that.

There is so much more regarding the negative impact all of these number games have caused. Nobody seems to want these constant changes but those sitting in the ivory tower on the school board. Ask the lady who was on Fox8 Tuesday who lives in public housing on the south side of High Point and has no transportation how she feels about her kids being shipped across town to Southwest. Who is really being hurt, or better yet, who are we really helping?

Allen,

How refreshing that you have admitted what many of us have known to be true for some time now.

In all seriousness, are you willing to initate an investigation into this recent decision and the impact it should have on the rest of the county? Will you show the contradiction and hypocrisy of the board in their recent decision?

You can't say you're for socioeconomic diversity and then ignore Smith, Dudley, and Northwest.

quest,

Yes,he can, he's done it for months.

Oh, we've said that before, many times. The litmus test will be in how they handle other redistricting decisions. As for some type of investigation about the High Point decision, I'm not sure there's much to investigate. What do you have in mind?

Allen,

Here are some questions that come to mind:

1. How do the Parkview parents feel about the decision? How do they feel about being bused when many can walk to school today? Did any of the board members make an effort to contact these parents prior to the vote?

2. Dr. Grier's Friday Notes today states that the Map C3 map was created at the request of the board. Why was it not discussed or presented at the previous night's board work session? Who specifically on the board requested it? Each has individually refused to accept responsibility for the map. Either one of the board members is lying or Grier is.

3. Why were some of the board members so concerned about listening to the Shadybrook parents and their wish to keep their elementary school together? These same board members had no interest in listening to the North High Point parents and these same board members in turn voted to split Florence Elementary, Southwest Elementary. Why would a board member feel so passionate about keeping one school together and then splitting 2 others?

4. I would like to see a REAL dialogue with the board about socioeconomic diversity. The 6 members who voted for Map C3 should have to explain why they ignore Smith, Dudley, and Northwest. Heck - even the lines for the new Northern school have no diversity.

How many more do you want? I could go on and on...

Go on. They're good questions.

Allen,

I'll make you a deal: I'll go on if you promise that you'll try to get someone like Lorraine Ahearn to investigate this story - the real story.

Quest, et al.

Let's not forget the fact that Central and Emorywood have wanted Blairwood, ALL of it since 1999. Blairwood is a much larger area than Penny Road. In Map C* Penny Road would have been spared.

It reminds me of that saying "Pigs get Fat and Hogs get slaughtered". They had to have it all. Blairwood. (which is all b.s. because they split 3 elementary school feeder patterns in the process to prevent that at Shadybrook)

Another point. High Point Central always gets money. It is supported by wealthy, white Emorywood and alumni, extremely wealthy furniture people. If they were so concerned about racial balance at Andrews and helping them get more whites with money, why did they have to have ALL of Blairwood at Central?

Also they have their exclusive IB Program. By making SWH and Andrews the lesser of the two schools, they can steal more white middle class kids for the IB Program.

Let's put the IB Program at Andrews if you really want to help Andrews.

And most pathetic of all is what they are doing to the Parkview parents. They have taken away any hopes of them participating in sports, clubs, etc. How would they get there?

quest,

Forget it. Allen just wants toposture about diversity. He's not really about investigating okr anything like that. He talks th etalk, but he doesn't walk the walk. He'll say that diversity is important, but when it comes to his home school, nothing will change. Allen knows that Dudley parents love their neighborhood school and everyone better keep their hands off. And, what's wring with that? It's just High Point where there can;t be neighborhood schools, because Dot kearns says so.

The folly of it is that those people who support "diversity" like Allen are being duped by some of the Emerywood crowd that is using diversity as a cover to keep Central as white as possible. It isn't rocket science that some of the most valuable real estate in High Point is across the street from Central. If it was 1954, some of them would be blocking the doors to Central. You see, they redistrict in the name of diversity, but really they only want it to apply to Andrews and Southwest. To them it IS about race, not about education. Sad that so many liberals are falling for this.

Sam's the Man. Where you been, guy?

Just another observation:

I have made it very clear to Allen that I could support a diversity rationale if someone could show me an improvement in education as a result. However, to date I have seen no such data.

I believe the cost/benefit of diversity versus the cost/benefit of neighborhood schools is much favorable to neighborhood schools.

Consider this- the C3 districting for Andrews and Central is not that far off the mark as far as being "neighborhood schools" as much as possible given geography and capacity, although I would argue that Blairwood would be more logically placed in Andrews district than Central. That part of town has historically been Andrews territory, and it would seem that a larger chunk of central (with a little "c") High Point would more logically fit in the Central (with a big "C") district. That being said, those two districts are not really that badly drawn with the caveat that I will address below.

The real victims here are the people who live on the southeast part of High Point who have been districted into Southwest. This is a largely minority area of town. Ask yourselves, if you want to play football or participate in extra-curricular activities and you live in this area and your only transportation is the bus, how are you going to do it? Won't your inability to participate due to transportation issues hurt your educational experience and ability to participate in school activities? A lot of the parents of my juvenile delinquency clients have difficulty making it to the courtroom because of transportation problems. Often times, it is the child that is arrested for failing to appear when in reality the child has no ability to get to court due to the parents transportation problems.

Imagine how difficult it would be to get to school to participate in after school activities. A great thing about Andrews when I went there is that we all lived within walking or biking distance from the school for the most part. Andrews was very racially and economically balanced at the time, and due to the fact that we all lived pretty close together we were also able to socialize outside of the school environment. This will not be the case for those students in southeast High Point. As a result, this is counterproductive to the "diversity" rationale offered as well as to the educational and extracurricular welfare of these students. Those people that "diversity" is supposed to help are actually being harmed.

Logically, this group of students should be assigned to Central or Andrews because of their geographical proximity to the school. Yes, this might result in Southwest being more white, but again the cost/benefit to the students at each school outweighs the racial component.

I think that a lot of people who are opposed to the diversity plans are improperly being labeled as prejudiced when in fact they simply want their kids to go to the school that is closest to home regardless of the racial makeup. This simply was not a problem when I went to Andrews in the 80's. (For the record, I also went to Griffin Middle school). Sure, there are probably some people who are cloaking actual prejudice in the name of neighborhood schools, but I think they are the exception.

The C3 plan does seem to be intentionally drawn to keep Central as white as possible without being completely laughable (such as if they spot districted). The logical geographic choices would make Central more minority (although with regard to the school district, the minority is apparently the majority in High Point). The power structure in High Point does not want that. As I've stated before, those who believe these people are really interested in diversity for Central are being duped. There is no other way to explain it considering that even with the new map, the minority (majority) makeup of Southwest is very different than Andrews or Central. You can't mathematically even these schools out given capacity without spot districting. That being the case, then why sacrifice the benefits of neighborhood schools if you can't succeed in the "diversity" rationale to begin with?

If it truly is about education and the welfare of the students, then neighborhood schools seem to be the best choice for students.

P.S. - C-boy, I've been here for awhile. Also running for County Commissioner in District 3 (free plug).

Sam,

Everything you have said is true and then some.

Nothing has changed since 1999 in what the people of Central/Emorywood want. When redistricting was done then, our mapping rep from Florence asked one simple final question at Weaver Center to the Central rep: "How many of your children are being bused? Just give me an estimate?" Slowly she replied, "ZERO". The crowd stood and applauded. It was a moment of TRUTH in the redistricting history of High Point.

The politics have not changed. People of old High Point have lain in wait - still moving everyone's kids but their own to make their school lilly white - still shipping the projects all around town as the wheels on the bus go round and round. I sat in a few mapping meetings back then. Didn't know the area at all as I am not from here. I remember hearing "Leonard Street" over and over again - getting them out. I am still hearing "Leonard Street". Now I know what they mean.

Ironically, money that was given back for TA's was voted on by the school board to be used for "Sports". Those kids in Parkview will never benefit from these "sports". They can't get to practice. For them and many other children sports is the "carrot" to make decent grades and stay in school. It keeps kids off the street. It is an escape. It is having a positive male role model in their lives. It is a way up and out.

They have FAILED these children. They are still failing these children.

I believe it was the Guilford Education Alliance, the cheerleaders for the School Board (in their long suggestion list for kids in poverty)who said it was important for children to be in sports, clubs, etc. - to ever LOWER the academic requirement so these kids could be in clubs in school, that it was so important, blah, blah, and double blah. What does that matter now because they have no way to get home from the clubs? They have no way to get to any sports. All very ironic. They could have been in sports. Now, however, as fate might have it because of the same backroom politics, they will spend their time on a bus and God only know what else when they get home.

It was sad and embarrassing in this day and time to watch these black parents on Fox 8 news begging not to be bused. The 6 who voted for this should be ashamed. Where were the black leaders in their community - NAACP? their ministers? the black school board reps? to speak for these children?

Has anyone noticed how allen starts a strand on diversity and schools, and then when things get hot, he just drifts off and starts a new strand?

Allen's last post said tell me more, and we did, but allen is no where to be seen now. Allen, when you start a strand on diversity and schools, please stay with your ideas and debate them, if you can.

You've never actually said what you are wiling to do to desegregate Dudley. You strongly state that neighborhood schools result in segregation, and that is bad, but when someone mentions Dudley's near 100% black status, you disappear. Now, help me understand..Dudley being 100% black means that it is a segregated school, and segregated schools are bad, right? If so, what are you going to do about it? Allen........

Great editorial today, Allen /Doug. Didn't your journalism instuctor tell you you should end your editorial with maybe a suggestion of some useful future action supporting your viewpoint, in your case maybe something like: "so, lets get started on de-constucting Page and Grimsley and doing the "right thing" for Dudley and Smith. If you would have suggested this, nobody would ever bother you again, you would be respected, and not thought to be just another puppett protecting the divine rule of the Greensboro / High Point oligarchs, which is exactly what you look like now, while pretending to have liberal integrity at some distant town's expense. You guys are nauseating.

Great post John. I have to get out my dictionary again and look up "ogliarchs". You really need to go into writing. I have learned more words from you. We could all co-author a book on local corruption. Maybe Jerry Bledsoe could give us some tipps too.

Oak Ridge. You are right. Where are the answers back from Allen????

Maybe he's busy getting that Loraine lady on the real SCOOP. I always thought newspapers were for report the truth.

Where would be be without Deep Throat and Watergate for starters. What about all these movies like Norma Ray, North Country, Erin B? Must be like the fictional drama "A Few Good Men". May favorite line "You can't handle the truth!" Too bad Stormy couldn't throw his movie collection sounds bytes in here.

Where would we all be without the courage of journalists to tell the TRUTH?

Maybe if some of the truth about the violence, lack of discipline, real reasons for the bogus redistricting came out, we could all fight for positive change in our schools.

Allen, I don't know if you or Doug wrote today's editorial. (That's a sad statement in and of itself-but I guess if you're supporting the same corrupt officals and not thinking for yourselves any individuality will be leached away. ) I vote for Allen, since Doug seems to have washed his hands of this, which any person with half a brain would if they had to defend what's gone on this town this last week. No matter. I just ask that either of you tell us with a straight face that Dot Kearns, Sue Mendenhall, or anybody who lives in Emerywood, doesn't beleive in and consider Central their neighborhood school. Is that too much to ask?

Bus stops here
Redistricting creates transportation dilemma for students

BY KATISHA HAYES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
GUILFORD COUNTY – A local high school coach says the newest school lines will present a challenge for kids participating in sports and other after-school programs.
Dana Conte, former girls’ basketball coach at T. Wingate Andrews High School, says after-school transportation is a serious issue for some kids, but it’s something most families will be able to work through. “I certainly don’t have the day-to-day challenges or struggles some families face ... but kids are pretty resourceful.” If they want to participate, they’ll find a way, Conte added.
A transportation dilemma faces families whose children will have to trek from southeast High Point to the north under newredistricting lines. Families that have relied on public transportation for school purposes may no longer have that access.
The city’s Hi tran bus service currently does not serve the north High Point area. Angela Wynes, the city’s assistant transit manager, said routes are only expanded “on a needed basis to meet the needs of ridership.” With upcoming budget cuts, Wynes said, expansion of the Hi tran service is not likely.
The only other transportation option, the PART regional bus system, only offers express service for commuters across the Triad. In High Point, the service extends from downtown High Point to its regional hub near N.C. 68 and I-40. The service does not accommodate area schools, said David Morris, PART operations manager.
Morris said the current PART route will remain as is for the near future.
“But we are always looking at different options,” he said.
A district spokesman said this week the school system may review how it can potentially work with the public transportation system to accommodate families.

I went to the Providence place forum and heard one parent ask to not split up Shadybrook. I didnt hear anymore ask at another forum or at any Board meeting.
The SB really took that to their heart didn't they? SUCH A CARING BUNCH.
To please that one parent, they did the opposite to what hundreds of other parents asked for. We even asked them several times to check on what Parkview parents wanted. I personally told them of the difficulties I experienced with my child going to a school ten miles away. In the end they only listen to the comments that fit their agenda.

My money is on Allen. It doesn't sound like Doug. In any case, the editorial actually said nothing. It can be summarized as follows: 1) The school board made the right decision, but we really can't explain why. 2) It's supposed to improve education, but we really can't say how. 3) Oh yeah, and we're not going to mention the adverse effects it will have on the kids being bused. It's just a good idea. 4) It wasn't about diversity, it was about magnet schools- even though if that was the case, we wouldn't need to redistrict in the first place.

I'm actually disappointed that a more reasoned and defensible position was not taken one or the other. It is a thesis without thought.

It was the worst slanted editorial I have ever read in the history of this newspaper. I have been at this for several years now. Many of us are aware of what really goes on. It's funny to present the opinion of what the school board wanted, but not the TRUTH about the High Point Parents.

Never once did any High Point parents say they didn't believe in the value of diversity. Black and white parents throughout this county and since at least 1999 have said they wanted neighborhood schools to be the priority. Also SWH is already the epitome of diversity, unlike DUDLEY, SMITH, ETC. High Point parents have repeatedly said if DIVERSITY is the goal of GCS then it must be pursued COUNTYWIDE. They do have a "goal" of ONE COUNTY MOVEMENT. What a political farce to do this to High Point ONLY.

I heard Alan Duncan repeatedly tell all school board members at the meeting before last to let Eric know of any other numbers/plans they want to see. He wanted to give Eric ample time before their work session on Monday, February 20th where they would all discuss all the maps in OPEN on televised TV. This was a clear attempt to establish some degree of transparency.

Nothing was brought up at the board meeting before 2/20 when Alan REPEATEDLY asked to let Eric know then or call him the NEXT DAY. When parents left that room the evening of 2/20 the words was out that they had agreed on a map, most of them. Map C*. Magically, a new map appeared on 2/20. No one seems to be taking credit for it. If it was so "great" why can't someone step forward. (see Quest's previous post)

Central/Emorywood just happens not to get ALL of Blairwood, leaving Andrews the short end of the stick AGAIN. They also have managed to BUS OUT the project kids they have been trying to get rid of since 1999. Another hilarious aspect they kept "Clara Cox" housing in Central. THERE IS NO CLARA COX. It has been torn down. Funds have been denied.

Are we to take every empty proposed parcel of land in High Point, or empty site where a housing project once stood and "pretend" we are sending student that don't even exist???

What a joke.

CORRECTION: CENTRAL/EMORYWOOD JUST HAPPENS TO GET ALL OF BLAIRWOOD - their intention since 1999.

Barbara Ann, you and I rarely disagree on anything; but the worse editorial out of the N&R over the last two years would have been when they endorsed Dot Kearns and Kris Cooke in November of 2004.

And there have been others, their presidential endorsements over the past 20 years or so come to mind, followed closely by however many times they endorsed Erskine Bowles, etc, etc....

Barbara Ann,

The attack on North High Point began two years ago with an editorial in January 2004. You will recall that editorial when Dot, Susan, Alan, and Terry began taling their dog and pony show around to county newspapers and businesses promoting the lottery. That editorial was the first salvo by the News-Record when it accused North High Point parents of being racist and being whiney, white people. Yes, that editorial was the beginning of the joint campaign between the News-Record and our friends on the school board. It was the beginning of Dot's campaign to save Grand Ole Central High.

Today's editorial is just another continuing salvo to smear those same people that have been smeared for the past two years. Dot and Terry have gotten their revenge for killing the lottery, no doubt. Doug Clark has not laid claim to the editorial, so we now know that Allen was the author. There will never be a lottery in Greensboro, nor redistricting. Dudley will remain segregated.

Okay, Buck and Stormy, there have been worse or at least equally bad editorials. But today's was definitely filled with a bunch of b.s. about what really happened here. Anyone who has followed the truth for the past 2 years knows it is b.s.

Stormy, one battle one; one lost; the war for righteousness wages on. I think we will all be witnessing the repercussions of this recent redistricting in many ways for a long time. It was a bad move for many of the children in High Point. It was certainly a bad move for the city leader of HP.

To answer Allen's original question "is it optimal use of facilities?" The answer is: NO

There have been empty facilities in this county before and for long periods of time. Gillespie at one time. Does the forever "Craven" ring a bell? is a few empty seats that have never been proven to exist, worth all this turmoil, disruption, and busing costs?

If anyone knows anything about accounting there is and asset called "good will" when you sell a company. Look what this has cost in good will. It is now heavily on the red side of the balance sheet. This all over politics.

Back to Andrews....High Point high schools received a $847,000 grant in fall of 04. These were supposed to be used for SLC. Where are the smaller classrooms at Andrews? Labs took up some of the classroom space. What is the "real" facility use there? Anita S acknowledges, even as of last board meeting, she STILL has not received that answer. Six board members redistricted anyway.

This thread may have run its course, but I challenge those who keep raising the question of Dudley's racial imbalance: Do you do it because you sincerely believe diversity is a good thing?
(Sam, I already know how you feel.)

I don't think I understand, even after reading the editorial twice, what point it is trying to make. It doesn't state what the priorities should be, but it does seem to seem to criticize the board for not making a more unified decision against the position taken by High Point parents.

The tone of the piece is oddly undemocratic, seeming to say that involvement by the general public is divisive when it runs counter to what 'right thinking' elites believe.

If the News & Record believes the principles of the High Point plan should apply across the county then it is a simple thing to write an editorial that says that and publish it. But, since that view would be wildly unpopular, you stop at advocating the plan only for a group of people who don't have great civic, financial, or political capital to bring to bear against it. Better to have said nothing at all.

The question Allen is not if we beleive diversity would be good for Dudley, but do you?

The thread will never run it's course Allen, not as long as a single child gets taken from their school for somebody else's politcs and not theirs, or as long as some moron sitting at a distance, after seeing it happen, says the people who did it "did the right thing".

Allen,

Is diversity good for Dudley? We'll never know, because it won't happen. People keep raising that question because there seems to be a double standard here. Diversity is needed and good in High Point, but don't even suggest it in Greesboro. You keep dodging the question, Allen, because you are a hypocrit.

Allen, I thought that you might find the High Point Enterprise's editorial today enlightening for you. You are one of the ones it mentions that is stuck in the 70's. You are one of those that thinks that diversity is more important than education, at least in High Point. Let's move into the 21st Century and let education become the most important thing. Let's move beyond race being the most important thing in our lives.

Education takes back seat to diversity

The Guilford County Board of Education went back in time last week when it adopted new attendance zones for High Point’s three high schools. No, not just back to the pre­ High Point School Choice Plan days, but back to around the early 1970s.

That’s when many school systems across North Carolina instituted court-ordered student busing plans to transport black students into previously all white, or nearly all-white, public schools. That’s when the walls of school segregation in North Carolina began falling in earnest.

But, now, some people are concerned that High Point’s schools are becoming resegregated. Other people, however, both black and white, disagree. And still others don’t see any danger even if the phenomenon is occurring.

By a 6-5 margin last week, members of the Guilford County school board who fear resegregation or who want to achieve certain levels of racial and socioeconomic balance in schools got what they wanted. Board members Walter Childs, Dot Kearns, Susan Mendenhall, Marti Sykes, Kris Cooke and Deena Hayes voted to approve a redistricting plan for High Point that will bus several hundred students out of their community school areas and transport them to other schools to achieve the racial and socioeconomic balance they want.

Once again, as was the case 35 years ago, education has taken a back seat to the desire for diversity. Certainly, 35 years ago, such action to promote integration after the nation’s decades of segregation was justifiable. But today, efforts that place anything above providing a sound education in as close as possible to a community school setting are wrongheaded.

Proponents of this plan that shifts students between T.W. Andrews, High Point Central and Southwest Guilford highs will cite studies that say minority students perform better in schools that have a more diverse student population. But what about the notion that students of any race, ethnicity or economic status perform better when schools, no matter what the level of diversity, simply provide the resources and intensive instruction that students need to achieve?

The examples are growing here and across the state where low-performing, low-wealth, low-diversity schools are making tremendous progress after state and local authorities pump additional resources into those schools. The key to student achievement is not diversity. Achievement results when students are given all the resources necessary to succeed and are challenged to use them in seeking excellence.

And working toward these results in community school settings, instead of tearing communities apart by busing students here and yon, is the better way to proceed.

Allen,

I'll give you a direct answer to your question. Yes, diversity for Dudley would be a good thing, but a better thing would be education. You've advocated the studies that show that learning is enhanced by diversity, so if that is true and you believe it, then why are you not beating the drum to desegregate Dudley? Desegregation of Dudley would not be a difficult thing to do, as long as you are to committed to providing neighborhood schools. The only answer is that you don't really believe it yourself, or that you are one of the wolrd's biggest hypocrits.

Allen, that's a total evasion of the question Stormy has been asking.

Why don't go ahead and post a few more threads so you can archive a topic that you have no answer for.

Or better yet give a direct answer to Stormy's question.

Allen, thanks for confirming with your column today what we've all suspected, all along. YOU ARE A FLASHER!

Allen, just so there is no misunderstanding- I have never said diversity was a bad thing.

I think all involved should read the majority opinion and the dissent in California v. Bakke which can be found here: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=438&invol=265

They should also read the opinions in the recent decision Grutter v. Bollinger which can be found here: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=02-241

Although these are affirmative action cases, they provide much of the prominent legal analysis regarding diversity from both sides.

Where were guys when I wrote several columns --BEFORE there ever was a High Point plan --advocating diversity at Dudley among other schools?
Or when we wrote two editorials earlier this year lamenting resegregation in the school system. In fact, we've chosen resegregation as a major community agenda item for 2006. Tha was in our lead editorial on New Year's Day, by the way.
I am open to honest disagreement but you're ignoring documented editorials now. I can give you specific dates -- again -- for all of these articles if you'd like.

So Allen, when is the editorial coming out about the "great G-Boro re-assignment" coming? Seriously, not an unreasonable question, or are you going remain the "Bode Miller" Guiflord Co. journalists, talking big but delievering
zilch-o (You're right, I shouldn't say zilch-o since you did help get some people in another town screwed.) Time to step up!

Its a comin.

Allen,
I would like to read them. Please post e-mail link or whatever.

You are right, Allen, but it was always in an abstract, non-threatening way. There was never any substance. Get in there and say Grimsley has to go to Smith and Page to Dudley. Let's get it done, the education of hundreds of children is at stake here. As long as every school in the county is not as diverse as possible some child somewhere is getting shortchanged. I'm not sure how, but this it not for me to question.

re: Dudley and Allen "Do you do it because you sincerely believe diversity is a good thing?"

Allen, Allen, Allen,

Have you not learned after the past two plus years IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT THE PARENTS IN NORTH HIGH POINT THINK, so it is a moot point by now. They have talked, written, e-mailed, talked, spoken, etc. etc. etc. The School Board does what they want.

Apparently the school board thinks busing is the magic bullet, the "cure-all" because they have pushed this on everyone in High Point as being so wonderful, even busing poor kids 11 miles to a school where they have no transporation for the parents. The kids cannot participate in sports, clubs, etc at SW because they can't get there. If this discontent, turmoil and choas is worth all this "diversity" and it's done in High Point at these high costs, then it is only logical that the SB must believe so strongly this is IT. So therefore it must come to Dudley. Dudley really needs the cure.

Parent after parent for the past year have spoken on what they want on other issues. They have been listened to. Sometimes it has been ONE parent with one speech not thousands like we have had who spoke, wrote and spoke some more.

This goes back to the city leaders of High Point, the original natives, old money in High Point, and lots of it, and not what the new kids on the block, North High Point and Jamestown areas want.

For the record, High Point and Jamestown parents have NEVER said they don't believe in diversity. Heck SWH IS ALREADY DIVERSE. They just want neighborhood schools, a common sense approach, like the majority of people in this county, both black and white, yellow, purple and green with spots. The people have spoken. They were ignored.

We can't afford all this busing. It is senseless and irresponsible to not put resources into struggling schools and educate children where they live. This will come back to haunt them. This is far from over.

Another point we have heard SW is the "great school". It is average. If your child is in honors or AP they will do better. We have good teachers and bad teachers like any other school. The point is too if you are busing kids in to SWH who can't read or write, they will sit in the same CP classes at SW as they would at Andrews. They won't be able to take AP Calculus, or AP Chemistry or AP English for example. A CP class is a CP class is a CP class. A kid that can't read at Andrews now will not be able to read when they get to Southwest.

Guilford County School is failing the kids that need it most by all this busing. Are they providing these kids reading tutors on the bus? Are they going to play reading tapes for them to listen to or closed circuit TV with remedial courses. This is all a facade.

I am blessed my daughter is a junior and will be out of this nightmare soon. This is the most backward place I have ever seen in my life. I have traveled much and have many friends in the military. When you try to explain the situation, they just don't believe it. People think we are making this up.

I swear one day I am writing a book on this.

Mr. Gehris:
I presume you're asking the News & Record to come up with its own redistricting plan.
We are not equipped to do that. But we stand in principle for the broad goals of ...
1. placing resources where they are most needed.
2. coming up with the means to attract more top-notch teachers to low-achieving schools;
3. increased parental and community involvement in schools;
4. greater community ownership of the entire school system, not just your children's schools;
5. and, of course, greater racial and socio-economic diversity in the schools.

Allen,

I know you addressed John he will probably be back some time, but as to your points, I will respond.

1. We have always said we are for placing resources where they are needed most. One problem does happen if you cut other schools to the bone by not giving them a budget for office supplies, for example, or taking away all their TA's, then can they not become the next "struggling school"? It is happening as I type.

2. The means is there. Get rid of the violence; get rid of the gangs; provide alternatives for kids who CHOOSE not to learn but just disrupt; make our schools SAFE. The administration needs to support our teachers and watch their backs. They need to show they care when they are hit, kicked, spat at, cussed at, knocked down, etc. and a kid is not back in school in 3 days, no matter what color the offender is. The handbook needs to go back to where it was 3 years ago and rules needs to be followed. We had mentioned bonuses and incentives to attract teachers. We have stressed SMALLER classrooms. They had the space at Andrews. They ignored this.

3. GCS has just totally angered and lost the support of parents they had. They are going private, moving, or homeschooling. High Point parents are tired of being treated differently. They have had enough. GCS has just chased the parent volunteers, their time and money to private schools. They are lobbying for vouchers.

4. Two years ago we had about 20 volunteers lined up to go and tutor at Andrews. 3 years ago at least 5 parents called the school to go and tutor. Cassandra B Carr turned them away. Some of these people were Florence moms and didn't even have a kid in high school. They called several times and their help was refused. So what do you suggest - invade their school and go anyway?

5. Racial and socio economic diversity at what cost? and for whom? Let's start in Greensboro at Smith and Dudley first then we can take a look at Southwest wish is already 44/56 and growing now that folks are moving.

and 6. - our own. Parents of all colors have spoken out for neighborhood schools OVER diversity since 1999. The problems that existed in the 70's in our schools do not exist now. Tell number 5. to the parents at Parkview when their kids are hanging out on street corners because they took their sports away.

Barbara Ann

After lobbying for the displacement of parents and families from the schools they have supported for the last twenty five years, for you to mention in any way "community" and "parental" invlovement in schools is ludicrous to the point of absurdity. (In fact it goes beyond ludicrious and goes into the realm of Walter Childs' "disingenuous".)

Amen John Gehris. THAT SAYS IT ALL!

and John - as always - follow the money trail - remind me to email you something I have. THANKS

Allen, some of the five goals you mentioned above may not be mutually attainable- I.E., you may not be able to increase parental involvement and have broader socio-economic diversity if bussing is involved. It's hard to become more involved if the school is far away.

If you are going to complain about something for which you have no solution (such as stating that the N&R is "not equipped" to draw their own districts), perhaps you shouldn't complain. If you believe that we can "have it all", perhaps you should show us how. I'm willing to listen.

Sam:
There is no perfect solution, I agree. But there are ways to foster parental involvement in even physically distant schools.
But there has to be some sense of community will to make it happen.
Frankly, I'm not hearing a lot of support for diversity from black or white folks.
Meanwhile, it's easy to find reasons not to do something ... why something won't work.
People for years certainly found the means in the segregation era.
Funny how nobody complained about "busing" then.
In fact, the word didn't even exist until buses began to be used for desegregation instead of segregation.

Well, I think there is a substantive difference between "riding the bus" and "busing". If there are better ways to foster parental involvement in any school, I would "love to see the plan" (John Lennon, Revolution, 1968). I agree that there probably are ways, but the focus has not been on that.

I think that is what some people are saying- focus on the parents first. If that is a problem in neighborhood schools, it is compounded when cross-town busing is involved.

I don't think that it is fair to say the their is little support for diversity. Rather, I believe the sentiment is that diversity is being sold as some panacea without regard to the adverse consequences- at least in regards to using busing to achieve it. Like I have said before, I went to a very diverse school at a time when busing wasn't necessary to achieve diversity. It was pretty much diverse because the neighborhoods were pretty diverse. Yes it was a good experience for me, but not for the reasons you probably believe. I already had exposure to other races, economic backgrounds, etc. The fact is that none of it really mattered that much. I don't think many of us viewed our experience or colleagues in terms of race. But just like any other school, I don't think that diversity made anyone's grades any better or worse. We still had winners and losers, rebels and conformists. This is why I don't believe the rationale for diversity in and of itself has been justified.

I further believe that the diversity that you speak of is based on stereotypes of people, and does not have a cause=effect link. I don't know how it is supposed to help anyones education by itself. I suggest again that you read the cases I linked to before. Some of the data presented in those opinions may suprise you, particularly in the Gutter opinions.

I think that at the end of the day, each school is likely to have a fairly equal number of success stories and failures regardless of the school make up. Which leads us back to parents. If you want things to change- in education or socially- you have to start at home. Nobody seems to be willing to confront that reality because they don't want to examine some of the ugly truths about the root causes of success and failure in schools and in life.

Allen, I am interested your view of the final outcome of the HP redistricting.
DO you know the Whites Mill area? It is a travesty that this area has been stripped away from SW. Those people there are devastated.
In regards the Parkview area many parents were interviewed on TV and were just as livid. Are they right? Do they deserve consideration or do you think them so stupid they dont know what is good for them?

Allen, we can give this whole issue the burial it deserves, all you have to do is without batting an eye, tell us you would be okay with the following:

You've worked hard, you've saved, can finally swing a mortagage on a 250 K house in a nice part of town. You shop around, look at the schools, decide on a place etc. You and your family settle in, your wife and yourself get active in the schools, you're a highschool sports fan, you volunteer as class parents, desk duty etc. Your school is diverse by any standards. One day you get a knock at the door, there's somebody there telling you; "guess what, this is all gone, Jack, your kids are coming with me to a highschool across town, recently rated the second worst highschool in the state by an independent ratings entity. The police calls and criminal activity is four times what it is at your school now, By the way, you don't have a thing to say about it. It's already been decided, however, we would like to invite you to some fake forums, if you're not busy these nights.

Now if you can tell me you would say "fine", we can put this whole thing to a quick merciful death because you are either lying or you're insane in which case there is nowhere for us to go.

The whole problem here, like I said before, is you are looking at this from a distant abstract academic angle and saying it's good. We're parents looking from the very real direct reality and obviously it's drastically different. No child should ever be moved from a school for somebody else's ideas or politics without parental consent. There are not polticians or educators anywhere with enough wisdom or integrity to usurp this right. END OF STORY.

John,
what a great story. I am sure the school board would love to hear it.

Send it NOW!

Samuel and John,

Kudos to both of you!

Do you know in states like Wisconsin, they have "Open Choice". Jim Kirkpatrick had touched on this concept when he was campaigning. In Wisconsin, for example, if you do not like your school for any reason, you can choose another school as long as there you provide the transportation, and I would imagine it may depend on the space.

We have a dear friend whose son was in a high school that was just too big. He chose a smaller school (where his girlfriend just happened to be). No problem, he drove himself there.

Could you imagine that concept in Guilford County? Make all the schools good and you won't have to steal people's kids against their will.

Barb, I think they have this right in Winston not as far as Wisconsin

Send It, It's been sent...over and over again. You have to remember, we're not dealing with rationality here. We are dealing with rogue insane people, including one who see's herself at the twilight of her carreer. She looks back and see's she's done NOTHING except run the schools under her charge into the ground. She's on a last chance power drive, all or nothing, she no longer cares who or what gets hurt, she is going to have a monument erected to her or she is going to die trying. You can't get in the way of this by using rationality. Add into the mix some looney tunes from other special interest groups who want to sock it to certain people they see as priviledged who can exploit this insane person, and you have a situation that is out of control. Ask Alan Duncan.

John,

You are correct. The Forsyth County Schools assign high school students to a base or neighborhood school. Any student can attend that school or they can apply to attend "any" other hgh school in the district or a magnet school. Isn't that an easy example of school choice? It's intersting how a school district can accomplish that 20 miles away, but it is an impossible task in Guilford County. I suspect that the difference comes down to leadership.

Incidentally, that is where many of our educators are going when they flee GCS. Barbara Zwadek recently was named Asst. Superintendent there. We lose and lose to Forsyth everyday. How many ex-GCS teachers are teaching there now? I understand that they actually feel appreciated and respected there. No wonder GCS is always having to recruit new teachers. I know of many that leave in the middle of the school year and go to Forsyth. For a teacher to commit a cardinal sin such as that, they really have to want to go.

Allen, still ducking the above, huh? Yeah, I agree, let's break away and talk about the favorite diversion south of the Mason-Dixon line when things get too hot- Barney Fife, or are you away somewhere studying the teachings of your favorite patron saint, ST "THOMAS" Aquinas?