Filing for three at-large seats on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board opened at noon today. As of 1:30 p.m., five candidates had put their paperwork in: Elyse Dashew, Keith Hurley, DeShauna McLamb, District 6 school board member Tim Morgan and Hans Plotseneder.
They were joined by Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte and most of the Cornelius commissioners in being some of the first folks to file. (That's them in the picture above, bracketing Dashew, who's second from left). In addition to the school board seats, offices in Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews and Mint Hill are also open for filing now through July 15. There was no sign in the initial hour of at-large school board member Kaye McGarry, who holds one of the school board seats on the ballot in the November elections. She has said she's still weighing her options.
The board race shapes up as a crucial one, with a new superintendent to choose and with the departure of two members of the five-vote majority that usually holds sway on crucial policy questions. The three new members could completely change the direction of the school system. Many of the challengers said that's exactly why they're running.
"The cards are going to be dealt a different way" after the election, McLamb said.
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28 comments:
Pay for Performance, high poverty concentrations, not enough money for this and that, equity, diversity, etc, etc.
That's all these people will talk about and two years after whoever is elected, not much will have changed execpt the number of entitlements will increase....
2003/2004 FRL students 44.0%
2009/2010 FRL students 55.5%
2003/2004 % White Students 42%
2010/2011 % White Students 32.8%
From the founder of Bright Beginnings, the tax-dollar-sucking black hole Gorman wanted to shutdown, Eric Smith:
Smith, now the superintendent of the Anne Arundel County, Md., schools, says most black students-whether they attended desegregated schools or not-were not making the grade.
And this from Richard McElrath in the same article, who is now on the BOE:
One founder, Richard A. McElrath, a retired Charlotte teacher, says if the city’s schools continue to become racially isolated, then “the money will follow the white children. That’s just a fact of life.”
More money per pupil is spent on high poverty schools than where the few concentrations of white students are within CMS.
You're right Mr. McElrath, the money IS following white students AND black students - right out of CMS to private schools and surrounding counties.
http://www.amren.com/news/news04/02/20/charlotteseg.html
This line shows you just how rough unemployment and needs for benefits are in this county.
I am willing to do the job for free.
How many of these fine folks are willing to sign a pledge to turn over their salaries and benes. to the system to keep more teachers?
I would rather pay $50,000 each for leadership and competence, rather than get a moron for free.
4:46 Yes you most likely would, but the rest of the public who have been doing the opposite all these years are seeking something new from those running.
Please do not tell me that we are paying these "part timers...$50,000!!! Where were they when sneaky Pete just let go of EC employees yesterday? No warning, no protocol. What did Pete do with THIS money??? Where is the
BOE???? ANYONE?
They get a range of actual cash from 1.300 to about 1,050 or so a month and with the technology and other benefits it comes to a lot of good tax dollars to have them pass the buck to each other the way they do.
Oh wait to make tribes and then fight the other tribe the way they do.
Or at least that is the way they have been doing it for the last few decades while the kids suffer.
But now we can make this the election where no longer is the School Board the jumping on place for those running for higher office. Vote people in who will work for free and work just for the kids while in office.
True Community Service is needed today more than special interests.
Instead of paying for our elected officials can you imagine if we took that extra cash of say close to 10 thousand and paid it out on actual teachers or real needs in our schools?
Then the extra cash for all the perks would divert even more money. Hey the trips they take and the like I know I have a lot of air miles and the like and would use them for my trips.
But that is what you should be willing to do if you are trying to spend other people's money, show them you are not wearing two thousand dollar suits and showing them how to invest right. Instead show them you know what money means.
So come on you others and those on the board let's all donate our salary back to the kids and help them out.
That way no matter who wins, we all know that the kids will win.
So Larry- how will YOU stop the Supers from being sneaky. ie., last minute firings, backroom deals with the legislators, lying to the public? Gorman has set a precedent and lulled the board to sleep. Would you follow like a lemming also?
11:02 When your Child goes to College you and your Child have the full power in your hands.
You decide on just how well they provide the education and needs for your child's future needs, based how well they have prepared their facilities and treated their employees.
You have this power based on your financial ability and control.
So why are you not in control of your child's most informative and most vulnerable years?
No longer should we allow a monolithic government organization with a one size fits all education in this country. We need to compete in a world wide market and regrow values that may have been treated less than needed lately.
Scholarships or Voucher as some would call them makes even the Public system stronger as they evolve to compete with the alternative schools.
We all know about the increase in Charter School in NC which will help and the new 6k credit for Private School for Children with Disabilities. And these are just the beginning.
But what people do not know about is the fact that African Americans are the fastest growing group of Home Schooled students in the Country. So what we now have is Bright Flight from our Schools.
So why not embrace the new wave of schools such as www.Achievementfirst.org and have them in our area. Charter Schools and the like all taking students that the system say will never learn. Yes you heard that right, just like in NY the school above took students the public system said would never learn and made them exceptional students.
So when you hear the cherry picking of private and charter schools do not listen.
Oh and most people are not aware that a large number of Private School Students get financial aid. In fact we can show a large number in Charlotte currently getting this aid in Charlotte and it is growing.
So yes things can change and it must change.
But if you expect me to be the only one to change it good luck. I will only be one voice. You need to light a fire under the others.
A small stipend is not too much to ask for public service. A large part of the community would be disenfranchised if there were no stipend for putting up with all the wasted time. Let's not forget all those highly educated business people who sent our economy to the dump. I cannot fathom why CMS would look to the business sector to set the school system straight. Does this make sense? Maybe the next Board of Education will find the CMS budget worth an extra meeting or two and not cancel the special budget meetings next year. What CMS needs is a few more education leaders and a few less business followers. In business the worst outcome is bankruptcy. In education the worst outcome is children cheated out of their right to a decent education. What is going on here?
Yes look at the current President and Cabinet, replete with people who have education experience.
On and the stipend, as you like to mention, and the benefits plus travel, which comes up to more than the average Teacher in our system comes up to makes is degrading to the Teachers.
We can help keep a lot of good in the class room since we all are running for only one goal and that is to make the system better, can we not?
By the way the only wasted time you see is fighting the other group.
That and of course the speech on how good they are for the next higher place elected job they are vying for.
PS: Love you outcome in Bankruptcy.
Not sure where you think money comes from for Government? Oh wait we have always rescued public education no matter the costs.
So maybe your ideas of just letting it go on and on is a good one no matter who are who happens it will always be funded.
I guess the public will not mind, they have plenty of money and no choice.
Oh wait I think they are making their own choices. And we will see many coming along www.Deconsolidate.com
But good we have people who want to do it like they have these last sixty seventy or eighty years.
Hmmm Lawrence,
Do you care for kids? Do you buy into the American form of government? I can't find anything in your statements about the education of our youth. You illustrate the problem with the business model very well; it’s all about the profit motive. Education is not about profit, it’s about preparing the next generation to think beyond the failures of our generation not following the losing Wall Street business model. Populist stumping for community members to donate time away from their families to set policy for the $1,000,000,000 community organization known as CMS is somewhat suspect. Do you have any ideas on how to advance our kid’s education? As a tax payer I support investing in the Board of Education as my duly elected representatives.
PS:
Private school has always been a choice for those with means in the USA. This is a luxury not afforded in some other countries even today. The path to more charter schools is through the legislature, not the BOE. It would be great if North Carolina adopted the model where the BOE would govern charter schools that meet all the requirements to establish and operate as in some other states.
Who is Lawrence? I hope he answers you. Sounds like a real stinker from the way you want to paint him.
By the way, if you have time be sure to go to our website or do you just want to dwell in the land of the lost? We all know what is not working and we have offered solutions to fix them so be sure to see the many ideas and what is working www.Deconsolidate.com?
Strangely all we seem to hear from the others running and on the board, is more of the same and cards being shuffled or more sports and games or more money and just more, more more.
You know the same thing Government always says about failing programs.
Yes it is scary putting the county in the hands of people who expect no pay but the best for everyone. Why back in 1776 those brave people did just that.
In fact that kind of thing is just what our kids need right now, thanks for bringing that up.
All the best for our kids.
Why would the BOE govern the Charter Schools?
In fact you are aware Charter Schools are now allowed to grow at fifty percent a year from now on due to the outstanding success and demand they now have in NC? Oh and the funding of these schools is only about sixty percent of the public schools. Yet the waiting list and educational values eclipse any public school.
And and they are Governed by volunteer boards.
And by the way a large percentage of Private School students get Financial Aid.
CMS BOE couldn't manage their way out of a wet paper sack.
Even after the next election, nothing will change.
They shirked their responsibility on Bright Beginnings to the County because they were too ball-less to make the hard decision themselves.
Then you have some BOE members running around trying to "save middle school sports" and STILL demand the few left in the system that "can afford to pay", to cough up money.
As far as I am concerned, all but McGarry can take a hike.
Larry- Let's pretend...YOU are a BOE memember. What are some of your "Objectives/Benchmarks" for CMS??? What is YOUR platform? This is a great forum to state your goals rather than be a "cyber activist". Go!!!
Sorry I do not pretend.
Read my website and just like we want our Children to do so much more of, do the homework needed to make a great decision. That way you will understand the ideas I will use on the board.
Do the same research with the others, do not let the one source of the Observer, or a sound bite be your only hope for the children.
We have had too much of that over these last few decades and see where we are.
Best of luck whomever you vote for.
Remember my only one vote will not be a game changer, but one vote and you getting changes behind the others running, and changing those on the board will make a difference.
Google each person running. Get to know all about them. Why are they running, can they afford to run, is this a personal reason, or are they just getting in to control the purse strings?
Have they volunteered in the Schools, how about in the Inner-City Communities? Have they volunteered with the a Teachers Group and do they know them? Or have they just worked for a Teachers Group for pay?
Yes get to know what all they are passionate about. Have they gone to Raleigh years ago and spoke to the Education Leaders about this and have been fighting this decline for last fifteen years, and not supporting it?
Do they have contacts in Raleigh and the area here? Who are the contacts? Have they ever been asked by their friends to do something like www.ThankYouTeachers.com or have they helped a teachers group with their own television show?
How about outside interests, have they done other things like helped people get jobs as a volunteer www.LetsGetGoing.com or raised funds for Officers families. Hey the wonderful things just go on and on.
http://charlotte.news14.com/content/search/560892/deconsolidation-bill-voted-down-again/
But why should I try to sell you I am just an internet activist. Or so the Observer wants you to remember.
Peter Gorman is one of those education "leaders" who had very, very limited teaching experience himself. Because of that, he had no real philosophy of education other than what he learned at the Broad Academy, a conservative training ground that routinely misrepresents research, and that focuses on test scores, merit pay, competition in public schools.
Gorman, a Broad Academy alum, recently told the Charlotte Area Board of Realtors that standardized tests were, in fact, "scientific." Apparently he doesn't know very much about assessment.
He also told the Board of Realtors that "The teachers from Teach for America – a program that puts recent college graduates who didn’t major in education into the classroom for two years – is one of our best sources of energetic, effective teachers." Apparently he hasn't read very much of the research on Teach for America teachers.
Gorman is one of those suck-ups who applauded Arne Duncan at every opportunity. He praised Race to the Top. He drooled over Bill Gates and he lauded the Broad Foundation. And he sought and took their money.
Gorman is a guy who fancies himself a "leader" but who simply follows the corporate business-model "reform" crowd. He has stated that in the Charlotte schools, "We will link pay to performance and create standards that are rigorous and explicit to measure effectiveness. " And, continued Gorman, "we will consider their [teacher] input ." That’s part of why people like Gorman and Michelle Rhee, the disgraced former chancellor of the D.C. schools, fail.
Apparently Gorman was also not well-acquainted with the research on pay for performance (merit pay) either. Indeed, if a school system or organization were going to implement such a pay system the very first critical requirement is that it be designed and administered with the direct cooperation and consent of those it will affect.
Gorman has cited the conservative canard (think Eric Hanushek) that having a "great teacher" three or four years in a row eliminates the "achievement gap." You don't have to do anything about poverty or motivation or parenting or any other social problems...the teacher can and will fix it all. But it just isn't true.
Gorman was a "leader" who slobbered when he talked about Teach for America. He's been criticized for laying off veteran teachers in the Charlotte schools while hiring TFA teachers, and he vowed to continue that policy. Gorman called his administrators his "boots on the ground for identifying and rewarding excellence." and while he said teachers will be involved in developing value-added evaluations, it appears that the work came mostly from the Gates Foundation and a small in-house group of top aides.
Gorman was a self-aggrandizer who claimed that he would "lead the way" to education "reform." But he seems to have "led" from behind. Gorman, like many “reformers” really never understood the history of public education nor did he grasp that in a democratic society public schooling has a special and unique place.
He created a culture of distrust and low morale in the school system. When news of Gorman’s departure was released, the head of the local teachers association said “"My phone has lit up like a Christmas tree with people who are shouting with glee.” But a local Chamber of Commerce spokesperson said, “We encourage the board of education to seek a replacement who will take the same business-minded approach to the running of our schools and who can continue on the path of public school reform." Uh-huh.
If the board hires another superintendent like Gorman, with “the same business-minded approach” and the same ideas about “the path of public school reform,” then they’ll get a repeat performance of the Peter Gorman “show.”
The students, teachers, the school system and the community don’t need another rendition of that.
Larry, Your website is now defunct. Could not get a hit. But, I did read the article which was dated 2005. I have been to your site. Rather vague and spotty. Which seems NOT to have generated too many comments. So I am not being sarcastic. This might be "A" forum for us to hear more of your views then count on the readers here to "carry" your message. Break it down for us. Since no one is visiting your site. AND many people banter with you here.
I will bet you disagree with me. Not that I am a mind reader, but something just tells me you are not a core voter for somebody innovative and wanting to see such a great ideas for our Children. Change is scary. But that is what we teach to handle, and why we have higher education.
Also it is strange my site is the only one of the candidates which allows comments, and you find the few comments generated on my site, so early in the game, to be a negative?
But hey I would hope you are giving the others the same scrutiny.
And be sure to note everyone my site is www.Deconsolidate.com
Maybe you might have better luck with the other Candidates. They seem to have a very single minded agenda and can tell you just what they want.
That seems to be the way of Elected Officials now, not getting to complicated and therefore bogged down.
The only difference is we know what is not working. So why are we even bothering to defend it.
Nope...I am an innovator and am not being sarcastic but (I hate this word now) Hopeful that you WILL deliver. I like that you are PROACTIVE. You should realize that by going to your site I am interested. Toughen up. I am just saying that you sent me to that URL which does not work! You seem like a great candidate. Don't shy away from THIS as your forum. Keep plugging. But be MORE specific here so that OTHERS will WANT to check out your website. GET IT?
@democracy 8:21 a.m.
This veteran teacher thanks you your eloquent and insightful post that accurately describes the situation in CMS.
Please, PLEASE note that Tim Morgan is running at large. He is already on the school board. This is an attempt to ensure that his and Davis' viewpoint remain the majority. You see, if he wins at large then Davis, as Chair, gets to name the person to fill the seat 'vacated' by Morgan.
Voters, do not let this election slip by without paying attention. Voters, make your thoughts count. We have suffered enough under this school board on which the majority are fans of Pete and the Broad plans for the schools. Speak up at the polls. Don't let this effort to get two people on the board for the price of one at large seat be a successful effort.
Eric Davis does not get to select a replacement for Tim Morgan if he wins. Interested candidates apply and the entire board votes on the replacement.
Eric and Ann--you need to keep an eye on this board and refute obviously incorrect information.
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