"I would like to know why our tax money is being spent on overseas trips to recruit foreign teachers instead of teachers out of work right here in Wake County. They will not hire a qualified lateral entry teacher in this county, rather, they will find a fully certified teacher not only outside of Wake County but also outside of the USA. Certified does not always mean qualified."
- Oct 1 3:02 pm

"please let us know OUT--LOUD how we can rebuttal the democrats whore want more money from us who support SCHOOOL VOUCHERS"
- Oct 1 5:10 pm

"Quick question - I read about your efforts regarding the defeat of the latest WCPSS bond issue - do you have any data as to the current WCPSS expenditure per student? I'd heard that it was something like $12,000 per student, but I have been unable to confirm that number. If that's true, then advertising that fact might be an effective eye-opener for Wake taxpayers - most private schools don't cost that much!"
- Oct 2 6:47 pm

" I agree with your assertion that the Wake County Public School System is not living up to its promise to create enough new year-round schools. I cannot believe that Superintendent McNeal contends that you have no data, while his administration's own web site (wcpss.net) does indeed provide that data. By 2000, 12 year-round schools were in operation. Board of Education-approved PLAN 2000 provided for 4 additional Y-E schools. How many Y-E schools are in existence for the 2003-2004 school year? 12! That is not an increase. The WCPSS web site claims Heritage Elementary Y-E stemmed from PLAN 2000. In actuality, Heritage Elementary consists of the student body of Jones Dairy, a Y-E school in existence since 1997. In the News & Observer today, Mr. McNeal is quoted as saying, ''The public has not given any indication that they want a large number of schools to go year-round''. In 2002, 4000 families applied for 1800 slots in Y-E schools. I feel that is an ''indication'' that ''they'' want Y-E schools! He also cited ''several recent examples where efforts to convert traditional ..to year-round... have failed''. The most recent example of which I am aware - Hodge Road and Olive Chapel Elementarys - lost the ability to go Y-E by a margin of only 2% at each school! The Hodge Road decision lost by only 3 votes!"
- Oct 2 10:09 pm

" Several months ago, one of the TV station (WTVD ??) had a news article on the spending of the school administration. It was noted that at that time they spent over $600,000 in cell phone charges in less than a year. The previous year was the same. Yes there is a need for cell phone but it looks like they lacks the control & accountibility in this area of controlling spending. If this happens with the cell phone, could this be a tip of the iceberg for other areas? why has anyone expanded on this issue? "

" WCPSS has a problem obeying the law
So, my son comes home from school a couple of days ago and casually remarks that a TV news team came into one of his classes today. I thought this was rather odd. I asked him which class and why. It happened in his band class and they were there to film the the overcrowded/aged facility. I asked him some more about it and heard some things that disturbed me even further.
First off, I am not saying the physical plant at Cary HS isn't crowded, antiquated, etc... etc..
But, band sections that normally aren't in the main room were brought in, the pit crew, and instruments normally stored in the marching band's trailer were dragged into the room as well. The news team came in and videotaped the class with the extra students and extra equipment in it. Keep this in mind when you read the letter from the WCPSS insisting they weren't using my kid, and the rest, as propoganda pieces.
I am going to post my letter to the releveant parties, then the response. I did get one additional response from Bill Fletcher which said merely ''Thank you for your note. At this time a defer to Dr. Coley and his supervisor Donna Hargens.'' as he ducked and ran from this one.

See Messages In This Thread "

"The Wake County Schools Bond that is being voted on is very important. It should be approved and pass so that there can be more schools which will lower class sizes. If class sizes are smaller then students will learn more, and eventually be more productive citizens for this great American nation. It is never bad to give more money to education."
- Oct 1 6:30 pm

"How stupid to have your ''rally'' (read whine-fest) at a Wake County school facility. Isn't that building designed as a professional development facility to make teachers better educators? Is that wasteful? Or is this just a ''we want it all but we don't want to pay for it'' stunt? Don't use the school bond issue as a way of forcing your hidden libertarian agenda down the throats of reasonable citizens. Your demands are ridiculous -- convert schools to year-round. I read in the newspaper that every time the school board tries to convert a school to year-round there is an uproar from parents. Try getting a clue about how education works. Maybe if you weren't pinching pennies so tightly, some blood would flow to your brains and you'd see how foolish you looked on TV today. I think WCTA stands for Wake County Tightwad Association"
- Oct 1 8:46 pm

"Your mail propaganda misrepresents the bond issue. Bonds are NOT a tax. You should not call it a bond tax.

We need to build new schools and new libraries to remain competitive business-wise, and help our children learn. You must all be a bunch of old people without kids. "
- Oct 7 12:50 pm