Readers following the upheaval in Wake County over the change of direction a newly-elected majority of the Wake Board of Education is taking may have missed a short item by News & Observer reporter Tommy Goldsmith: a conservative think tank financed by businessman and former legislator Art Pope, and closely associated with the John Locke Foundation and other non-profits that favor limited government, will provide training for the new board. (Update: This sentence should have said "will be on the list of those who can provide training for the new board members," as a commentor points out below.)
Goldsmith writes:
"Wake County school board members agreed Tuesday to accept the Civitas Institute, a conservative think tank, as a provider of annual training for school board members.
"Under state law, members must receive at least 12 hours of training annually. Previously, they have received it from the N.C. School Boards Association or the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill.
"The Civitas Institute, founded by Raleigh businessman Art Pope, says its mission is to "facilitate the implementation of conservative policy solutions to improve the lives of all North Carolinians."
Pope is a smart fellow and so are those who run the various non-profits his business funds. There's little question about where they stand on a number of education issues, and they must be happy with the board's direction.
And the new school board majority clearly is happy, too. There's little pretense about what the board is doing as it moves to dismantle a diversity program and bring about more neighborhood schools starting in 2011. The board may have only a 5-4 majority, but it's sending a pointed message in its recent dealings that it is closely allied with the conservative goals and policies of the Pope-supported foundations and other nonprofits.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
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6 comments:
Good for Wake. Here's the TRUTH about poor and minority students, Jack:
http://www.carolinajournal.com/jhdailyjournal/display_jhdailyjournal.html?id=6161
Here's the Summary For Observer Staff And Other Dummies:
“Minority students in CMS outperform their counterparts in Wake County”
That's right, bad ol' CMS with its neighborhood schools and other "evil conservative" tactics is BETTER than Wake's "make 'em get up at 4:30AM to catch a bus to B.F.E." system.
So stick THAT in your bowtie and choke on it.
Mr. Betts, You should make it clear in your blog that Civitas is being added to the list of providers of school board training. No one on the board is being forced to use it. According to the News Observer "The school district doesn't pay Civitas by naming it an approved provider. Instead, board members are responsible for pay for their individual training, which costs about $50.
But school board member Kevin Hill, who is not among the board majority, said he'll stick with the N.C. School Boards Association to get his training."
This is not quite the same thing as your comment that "a conservative think tank.....will provide trianing for the new board."
Smart move. Neighborhood schools work much better.
6:28 - You expected Betts and his pointy-headed ilk to report the truth? HAHAHAAHAHAH
Ever nation which has become to racially/ethnically diverse has eventually collapsed from within due to that diversity. The USA is heading in that direction.
Ever nation which has become to racially/ethnically diverse has eventually collapsed from within due to that diversity.
LOL - the United States of America is a country of and founded by immigrants. Immigrants, like my ancestors, came here and fought in our civil war, they came here and built up our cities, our canals, railroads, etc. Diversity is what makes us the United States of America - people come here because of our diversity of religious beliefs, diversity of race, origin and culture. If you think diversity is the problem then I think it's time you opened up your mind and maybe even a book our two on our nation's history.
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