US Schools Chief Criticizes NC Board Over Busing
- Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:02am by
Scott Baker
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The nation‘s top education official on Friday joined a chorus of criticism targeting a decision last year by North Carolina’s largest school district to end its busing for diversity program.
“America’s strength has always been a function of its diversity, so it is troubling to see North Carolina’s Wake County school board take steps to reverse a long-standing policy to promote racial diversity in its schools,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote in a letter to The Washington Post that was also provided to The Associated Press.
The federal education agency‘s Office for Civil Rights is investigating the board’s decision, following a complaint filed with the department last year by the state chapter of the NAACP and other groups.
They allege that ending a policy in which some of the district’s 140,000 or so students were bused to achieve socio-economic balance in the school district amounts to a rollback of civil rights-era changes that integrated the schools.
Duncan’s three-paragraph letter didn’t necessarily endorse that position, but it did urge other school boards to think twice before using Wake County’s new policy as a model.
“I respectfully urge school boards across America to fully consider the consequences before taking such action,” Duncan wrote. “This is no time to go backward.”
John Tedesco, one of the Wake County board members who voted to end the policy in favor of allowing students to attend schools as close as possible to their homes, said he was disappointed by Duncan’s letter.
Tedesco said he supports many of Duncan’s ideas about improving public schools, and that he would have liked to speak with the federal education chief before Duncan went public with his criticism.
“If he actually saw the details of what’s going on in Wake County, or had the opportunity to speak to some of the leaders in Wake County, I think he might have had a different tone, and maybe even been more receptive to the message,” Tedesco said.
Last year’s vote to end the decade-old busing for diversity policy began a round of protests, investigations, and bickering among board members that shows little sign of slowing. Most recently, the board became embroiled in a dispute with AdvancED, a national accreditation agency that’s investigating changes in the school system, including how the board reached its decision to scrap the diversity policy. Board members say the agency is overstepping its bounds.
Duncan‘s letter is the latest sign that Wake’s once-stellar reputation for schools has become tarnished, according to Yevonne Brannon, chairwoman of the Great Schools in Wake Coalition, a citizens’ group that has opposed many of the changes sought by the board.
“It’s kind of a sad moment,” she said. “A school system that used to get press for having the national superintendent of the year and being a stronghold for best practices is now getting written up for dismantling policies that maintained diversity in our school system.”
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Comments (146)
BuckOfama
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:58amAll that busing did was dumb down the curriculum. It hasn’t worked and should be abolished.
Report Post »Carl1
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:56amGood for them! Plus I’m sure they want to cut down on fights on the bus?
Report Post »stmike
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:55amOK why do we have a federal education chief? I don’t see that anywhere in the constitution. That is clearly a state issue. I’m wondering, if the church in school is so bad why isn’t government in schools seen as equally bad? What, only religion in schools is capable of indoctrination? I would say government in the schools is more of a danger and more likely to indoctrinate children to take its side
Report Post »Beckaj
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:53amThis news is not surprising. It just exposes the political nature of what is going on in Wake County. Most schools in the nation do not have bussing, but somehow when Wake decides that bussing isn’t working and the people vote conservatives in to find another way, it meets with every kind of resistance that the liberals can think of. Now, they are escalating it.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:49amHeres the key phrase in the whole article. Read between the lines. Key word “CONSEQUENCES”.
“I respectfully urge school boards across America to fully consider the consequences before taking such action,” Duncan wrote. “This is no time to go backward
Report Post »rtlane28
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:46amFor what it;s worth…….I have never ever heard a single person who was bussed or had others bussed to their school say that it was a good experience.
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:43amCongress should begin to defund all Federal agencies by 20% from 2008 levels and some agencies could be defunded 100%. We must stop Obama’s agenda. He is and will continue with his marxist ideology until he kills this country.
Report Post »SND97
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:39amNot to mention with gas prices where they are at, can you imagine the fuel budget for busing?
Report Post »Laurie42
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:38amMy child attends a Wake County school. He is within walking distance to an elementary and a middle school and is not zoned to attend either one. He was supposed to be bussed miles away to another school for diversity reasons. This school is a failing school and I would not send my child there. So instead the district offered us another school, farther away that I have to drive him to myself. This whole system of excess bussing is expensive and I have found no evidence of better test scores as a result. If this system is so wonderful, why isn’t every big city in America using it. Charlotte used the system and they switched back to neighborhood schools. The kids in our neighborhood all go to different schools on different schedules because parents choose to transfer away from the failing schools that they are slated to attend. It is madness!!
Report Post »Beckaj
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:48amSame here. We were fortunate enough to get into an excellent charter school, but our assigned high school is very far (you pass several others on the way) and has one of the highest gang-related instances ratings in the county. I see kids at the bus stop in the dark in the morning (can you say dangerous?) and others who waste a couple of hours a day on the bus. And if they want their kids in after school activities, it is very hard to do so across town. I live in a very diverse neighborhood that is not a poor area by any stretch of the imagination and members of all races in our area are opposed to this ridiculous policy.
Where’s the bipartisanship and need for civility in Wake County?
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:41am@Laurie & Becka
You two didn’t think public schools have anything to do with quality of education, did you? It’s about equality of outcomes. If we all do the same then no one feels badly. Isn’t that wonderful?
Report Post »JCoolman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:37amMan…Arne seems really mad at what this school district did…GOOD! This district needs to make decisions that save money. If the teachers in the school were not in a union and were good in all schools, there would not be a problem. Instead there is the invention of this stupid diversity problem to take kids from the bad teachers to the good teachers. Its all an illusion and Arne knows it. Its redistribution of education and as you know if you redistribute all that happens is nobody gets educated. I hope all districts made to do this ridiculous policy end it. It will save money. Dont be afraid of this nut.
Report Post »SND97
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:34amLouisville, Kentucky has had busing for many years. While the intent of Busing was good and for the most part morally correct, it has all but destroyed the School System in Louisville. Kids sometimes spend 3-4 hours on a bus; some kids get home about 6pm then 3 hours of school work, time for bed then get up and get on a bus again. Family Time is nonexistent. I am not saying the school board in Louisville is bad, they aren’t, they really do care about the Children, but the busing plan they have in Louisville has got to allow more neighborhood attendance. In some ways busing has really helped on racial lines but in all honesty? It hasn’t improved things all that much. And as for family time? That’s been gone for years, that’s why I choose to Homeschool my Daughter, I am her Father, and it’s been the best experience of my life.
Report Post »JCoolman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:43amThe intent was never good.
Its redistribution of education.
A plan hatched (in the guise of diversity) to take students away from the bad teachers the unions created and could not get rid of. Plain and simple.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:29amThe Department of Education is a gift to us by Jimmy Carter and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Education Association union.
It is now a $63 Billion dollar rathole and needs to be abolished.
Local Schools don’t need the federal government telling them how to teach kids.
Report Post »erinbragh
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 1:27pmDidos
Report Post »swega
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:25amDon’t worry about learning or education but the beautiful mosaics we can create. What hogwash. If it is just because of prejudice or discrimination, that’s one thing, but think of the fuel saved. The “greenies” should be cheering this decision. It shouldn’t matter what public school you go to, the education standards should be the same. If they aren‘t that’s real discrimination. You don’t lower the standards bar just to help those disadvantaged. It does not serve them, nor society, well.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:23amBig Brother is watching…
Report Post »ConservativeSteve
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:23amWell Arne is the expert. All you have to do is look at all the shining examples of flawless public schools that have blossomed under Arne’s watchful eye and expertise.
Why should we (yes I live in Wake County) listen to the “expert” who has been watching over a failing system and continues to support failing policies.
I also find it interesting that the Supreme Court ruled that busing for racial diversity needed to be ended which is why they started this stupid work around policy of economic diversity to get at their racial diversity goal. Apparently, Arne is unaware based on this comment, “… Wake County school board take steps to reverse a long-standing policy to promote racial diversity in its schools,”.
John Tedesco is a ROCK STAR! He wants every kid in Wake to get a great education. He doesn’t care if they are black, white or green or what their household income is. He wants equal treatment and quality education for all kids …… the way it is supposed to be. GO JOHN!
Report Post »Americanbeliever
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 10:39amWe live next too Wake County. You are correct on all counts. If they want to nationalize this issue, lets make sure all the facts are out there. The NAACP is the most racist,bigoted organization in the country and is only interested in obstructionism and extortion. Barbour ( I will not call him Reverend) is a joke. The board just recently was voted in as a conservative majority to end the liberal nonsense that has permeated this state and Wake County in particular for far too long. Keep telling the truth. It is the best weapon there is.
Report Post »rbennet
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:21amYevonne Brannon, chairwoman of the Great Schools in Wake Coalition- “A school system that used to get press for having the national superintendent of the year and being a stronghold for best practices”
Notice anything missing from what she’s proud of?
Report Post »Beckaj
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:55amExactly! Our schools have mediocre scores all around and that is what they like. It‘s just another way to spread the wealth to make it look like the underachievers aren’t that bad.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:18amIt is time to get the Federal Government out of the LOCAL school system. The best government is a smaller one.
Report Post »diesel49
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:16amIt seems the great dictators in Washington are at it again, who cares if the state makes rules to govern themselve the nazis of ed will tell you what you can o. The status quo is the minorites have the rights, and screw the rest.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:01amAgree with you, Isn’t it funny he has to post his comments in the Washington Post. Mr Duncan to scared to show his progressive driven azz here in NC. They spout there trash in newspapers and other media outlets to get there base all fired up. Discusting!!!!
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 11:16amdiesel49, I agree. Abolish the Department of Education. That would be a great first step in cutting spending rather than raising taxes. ED was another of Carter’s failed “brilliant” ideas along with the Department of Energy, which was supposed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:15amHere’s a great place to start cutting. Get rid of the Department of Education. If Mr. Duncan wants to be a bus monitor at the county level in North Carolina give him the chance to realize his dream. That is the American way. Fire the whole department and then Mr. Duncan will be free to pursue his passion. If he can meet the minimum qualifications….
Report Post »Liberty7
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:31amI wish more media outlets would focus on Duncan’s tenure while head of the Chicage public school system. What a disaster. Chicago public schools are war zones and now this guy is in charge of the U. S. Dept. of Education. How sad. I guess playing pick up basketball games with a high school bench warmer has its privileges when the bench warmer becomes POTUS. It sure would be interesting to find out what the percentage of Chicago public school teachers who send their children to private schools is. I bet it is higher than the national average.
Report Post »DLG1956
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:15amCourt ordered bussing destroyed the inner cities all accross America. Those in the middle class just took their wealth and moved as a protest to this insane policy which has acheived nothing but dumbing down education standards. Cities have been destroyed, their productive citizens have left for the suburbs, but diversity is acheived! The wake of progressives is a path of destruction that tears the very soul of a city or nation asunder.
Report Post »lori in Texas
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 1:47pmIs anyone asking that “reverend” how many minority students he and his cohorts are teaching to read and do math?? If you really want to solve a problem you work on the problem. If you are out for publicity and donations you make the problem bigger than it needs to be.
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:14amsimple solution.school vouchers.let the parents send the kids to school of they’re choosing.they’re the ones paying for it anyway,not some arbitrary dictum that your child has to go here or there because “,we the wise ones like it that way”.
Report Post »awizard
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:52pmHow ’bout local control?.. I live where I live partly because we have a very good school system and active parents that keep “The State/Feds” out of the system, most of the teachers are from here, live here and know the parents … I thought that busing stuff was discredited and dumped years ago.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:13amGood for Raleigh. I bet they are saving a ton of money on gasoline, kids can actually ride their bikes (or walk) to school, parents don’t have to drive across town if they need to p/u their kids from school and we are back to real neighborhoods where parents look out for each other’s kids. Challange the level of education in all schools with good teachers (get rid of the mediocre ones, tenure or not) and the kids will rise to the challange. They are not as dumb as the government wishes they were.
Report Post »Beckaj
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:43amUnfortunately they haven’t been able to implement much yet because of all the ridiculous resistance to what people voted for. We have our own Al Sharpton named Reverend Barber who keeps causing chaos at meetings, etc. and this is just their latest stunt. It‘s sad because they really do not seem to care about working to improve the children’s education and be proactive to prevent the dire consequences that they predict.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:07amBECKAJ, that is sad. I had three kids go through public schools in FL so I know first hand the negatives, I also volunteered at their schools. In elementary school very few black parents could come to school activities because they had no transportation or the kids couldn’t participate for the same reason (that singled them out as poor). In middle school my kids were bussed 30 or so miles away into a predominately black neighborhood (didn’t have a problem with that) but drove that distance just to turn around and go back to our neighborhood for sickness/apts, etc. White parents showed up for after school activities (singled them out again). In high school parents of both races seem too busy or working to attend after school activities so there were a number of student, black and white, who became like our own and we represented them if necessary. If the kids had stayed in their neighborhoods from Kindergarten thru 12th, they would have had a support system already in place. That a child gets a better education if they are in a predominately white school is bunk, it’s all about the administration and teachers. Unions again are the root of the evil and they need to go, along with tenure. Good luck and God bless those trying to do what is best for the children.
Report Post »LadyLiberty
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:22am@ BeckAJ
Report Post »I am glad I am not the only one revolted by that man and his tactics. It’s seriously embarrassing for this county and city.
MAULEMALL
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 10:50amIf he,s a reverend then why aren’t you people picketing his church??
Why aren’t you petitioning to have his tax exempt status removed…
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:13amAnd a Governor that does not suck.
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:12amDont Need Busing.We Need vouchers.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 10:55amyes
Report Post »kadiatu
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 2:37pmSmokey-bojangles….Amen to that! Vouchers are the answer, at least to start with. Eventually, we need to get the government totally out of education…it should be a local matter. Not federal, not state…local people making decisions about the education of their children.
Neofan…not so fast. One need not homeschool. My kids attend a private school of my choosing. We could not afford it if I did not work there enabling my kids to go at a discount. Every parent makes the choice that is right for their children. Mine were homeschooled, and our current choice is private. It is our choice, and we leave the option open each year. Be careful in saying that one way is the only way.
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 6:54pmditto, we can pay for them by shutting down the department of ed. No capital letters for them!
Report Post »Edward
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:10amAm I reading this right? The Chief of US Schools is upset because the NC school district is going to stop going out of its way to specifically pick up kids of different races and bring them to school just to have a socially diverse school? This is silly, what happened to the days of going to the school that was closest to your house, unless you were going to a private school,
Report Post »not funny
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:09amYesterday I saw Marion Wright Edelmann on television discussing the important role of parents‘ involvement in their children’s success in education. According to her, 85% of black children cannot read or do math at 4th grade level today–that is actually shocking. Considering that busing has been going on for 40+ years, what does this say about it’s role in achieving real progress for the student? Why not try something else.
Report Post »dmforman
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:18amMany children of all ethnic backgrounds cannot read. I quit teaching to stay at home with my son, but go back and volunteer and teach children how to read in 4th and 5th grade. Yes, most of the children I teach are black, but there are some Latinos as well.
Poor teacher training, teachers who care about pay check and not about student achievement (yes this goes for black teachers in black schools not caring if children learn-I am white and have worked in mostly if not all black schools in several states.), and families who allow much time in front of the the tv and playing video games.
I wish the politicians would address the true issues in education and stop leaving every child in a public school behind.
Report Post »Sheepdog911
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 10:17amWhy is a federal official inserting herself into a local issue. If the local school board is doing a lousy job and going against the will of their community, they won’t be re-elected. That’s why there are local school boards. If the feds have authority on such issues, they should make all the decisions and bear all the expense. It’s time to tell the spoiled child (the feds) “NO”.
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