Charlotte School Closings Coming: Eliminating Segregation & Failure

Lots of Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Boundaries Changing; 20 Possible Closings

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will post boundary plans affecting more than 20 schools this weekend, but crowded Highland Creek and Torrence Creek elementaries won't be among them.

Boundary changes are part of a complex package of school changes proposed for 2011-12, with a school board vote set for Nov. 9. The changes are designed to save money and boost academic achievement.

CMS planners had originally listed five crowded suburban schools that could be relieved by boundary changes. The board voted to take two southern schools off the list and held off action on two northern schools because the board member representing that area was absent.

Mike Raible, the district's head planner, said Tuesday that his staff has decided it's not practical to move kids out of Highland Creek in northeast Charlotte or Torrence Creek in Huntersville next year.

He also said officials no longer plan to send students from the current Waddell High zone to West Mecklenburg High.

A proposal to close Waddell and turn the southwest Charlotte building into a K-8 foreign-language magnet originally called for dividing the high school students among three schools, including West Meck.

Waddell and West Meck have gotten federal School Improvement Grants, based on high poverty and low academic performance. A state official overseeing the grants said CMS could use some of Waddell's grant money to help those students transition to new schools if Waddell closes, but only if those students go to a higher-performing school.



Boundary changes that will be posted at www.cms.k12.nc.us over the weekend include:

Dividing the current Waddell zone among South Mecklenburg and Harding high schools if the board approves closing Waddell.

Moving some of West Meck's zone into a new neighborhood zone for Harding, which is currently a full magnet.

Creating boundaries for new pre-K-8 schools at Ashley Park, Berryhill, Bruns, Byers, Druid Hills, Reid Park, Thomasboro and Westerly Hills elementaries, which are slated to expand if the board votes to close Spaugh, Wilson and J.T. Williams middle schools. Those schools are in west, central and northern Charlotte.

Reassigning some Wilson students to Whitewater Middle and some Spaugh students to Sedgefield and Alexander Graham middle schools.

Creating boundaries for Winding Springs Elementary in northern Charlotte, which is currently a magnet school but is slated to become a neighborhood school.

Reassigning students from the center-city Irwin Avenue Elementary, which is set to close.



Reassigning neighborhood students from northern Charlotte's Lincoln Heights Elementary, which is proposed to become a full magnet school.

Reassigning neighborhood students from Oakhurst Elementary in east Charlotte, which is slated to close.



Taking the Cochrane Middle School zone out of Garinger High, starting with next year's ninth-graders, if Cochrane becomes a combined middle/high school.

Moving some students out of Community House Middle in the southern Ballantyne area.


View Larger Map


Sources: ABC News, CMS, McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Google Maps

Elaine Marshall "Skipped" NAACP Forum, Cal Cunningham Didn't

Elaine Marshall skipped the NAACP forum event held earlier this year for North Carolina's U.S. Senate Candidates.

She claimed it was due to inclement weather and a scheduling conflict.

However even after the NAACP forum was re-scheduled (due to inclement weather) Elaine Marshall still did NOT show up!

Cal Cunningham and Kenneth Lewis showed up but Elaine Marshall did NOT.

Yet....She recently received the Endorsement from North Carolina's Black Leaders.

How stupid!

This explains why the Black Vote in North Carolina isn't taken seriously and is so often ignored by North Carolina's White Leaders.

Sell-outs!

North Carolina's Black citizens can't continue to blame White Leaders for holding them down when they are doing it to themselves.

Unfortunately North Carolina's racist White establishment and scared Black leaders have already decided to crown Elaine Marshall.

In my opinion Cal Cunningham is the Best choice for the U.S. Senate race that is if I were going to vote for NC Democrats in this fall's General Election.

However I'm not.

Check out a video of the televised NAACP forum event and articles below.






Elaine Marshall A "No Show" At The NC NAACP's Televised Forum On WRAL


At the NAACP's televised forum on WRAL Secretary of State Elaine Marshall was a No Show.

I don't want to come off as if Elaine doesn't support the African American and Minority community or that Elaine isn't sensitive to the issues that African Americans and Minorities face. But to not show up at one of the most important significant events of this years primary season isn't a sign of unwavering support to the NAACP, African Americans or the Minority community to me.

This would have been the perfect opportunity for Elaine to show her support and communicate to the African American Community and Minorities that if elected she work towards issues that we care about.

At this point we can assume that maybe she had something better to do. Or maybe she took this opportunity to just relax an take a break from the campaign trail.

Well this wasn't the right Event NOT TO show up for. Under any circumstances. You can't just right off voters or assume that you got things locked down. You have to fight for every vote.

Not showing up for this event is very telling. It tells me an many other people in the African American and Minority Community that maybe our vote isn't as important to her as we thought. Maybe she thinks she can win without us.

I happen to have a lot of respect for Elaine for her years of service to this State but in my opinion to not show up at a Signature NAACP event is a severe blow if not out right slap in the face of the NAACP, African Americans and the entire Minority Community.

Anthony D. Hall,

Fighting for Truth, Justice, Freedom and the American Way!





NAACP Sponsors Forum For U.S. Senate candidates


A forum for Senate candidates was held Saturday during the North Carolina NAACP’s Mid-Winter Conference in Raleigh.

State Sen. Cal Cunningham, of Lexington, Chapel Hill attorney Ken Lewis and Lumberton lawyer Marcus Williams attended the forum at the Hilton North Raleigh Midtown, 3415 Wake Forest Road. The Democrats are seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Richard Burr in November.

Libertarian candidate Michael Beitler of Oak Ridge, who will also be on the fall ballot, attended the event as well.

The candidates shared their views on education, jobs, health care and the economy.

The state NAACP and 90 partner organizations that make up the Historic Thousands on Jones Street Coalition sponsored the forum.


View Larger Map


Sources: Daily Kos, Hall Style's Blog, McClatchy Newspapers, My Blue NC.com, NAACP, WRAL, Google Maps

Chicago's Black Agenda Forum: Obama Threw Loyal Black Voters Under The Bus

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Panel Criticizes Obama's Handling Of Black Agenda


In the words of Princeton Professor Cornel West, it was about "a black face in a high place.''

President Obama was the target of slings and arrows Saturday from some of the nation's most quoted African-American leaders -- but, they said repeatedly, it was all done "in love."

The rollicking "black agenda" debate at Chicago State University focused on African-American concerns, including jobs and education -- and whether Obama is doing enough. Organized by talk show host Tavis Smiley, it was part revival and all theater.

"I'm very proud," Minister Louis Farrakhan said with timing that drew laughter, "that a black man sits in the White" -- he paused -- "House."

But Obama received mass support from African-American voters, the Nation of Islam leader said, and "we have a right to expect something of the brother."

Georgetown Professor Michael Eric Dyson likened Obama to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line in baseball. Robinson may not have been the most gifted black ballplayer of all time, Dyson said, but his temperament enabled him to withstand racist abuse. Then, superstar Willie Mays followed.

As for Obama, Dyson said: "I'm waiting for Willie Mays to come behind him."

At one point, Farrakhan, who has been accused of being anti-Semitic, said Obama is not loved in Israel because of his "chutzpah."

"That's a Jewish term that meant testicular fortitude," Farrakhan said.

Then Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux urged him not to "genderize."

So Dyson suggested the term "ovarian audacity" -- to laughter.

West, who jumped up often to hug the 11 other panelists, said Obama has surrounded himself with too many people from Wall Street.

"You can bail banks out," Malveaux said, "But you can't put people back to work."

"Too many of us are just happy to have a black president," said Michael Fauntroy, an assistant professor at George Mason University.

"The black agenda is the humane agenda," said the Rev. Jesse Jackson.



Several times, panelists said the Obama administration has been more active on Mideast politics and Latino and gay concerns than on issues that specifically affect African Americans.

But after the criticism and jokes, the participants seemed to scale back the rhetoric, saying they appreciate Obama's challenges.

Farrakhan said he was saddened by "demonizing" of Obama, including renderings of the president with a Hitler mustache, and of Michelle Obama, "the most beautiful black woman to be by his side," as a monkey. "Oh, man," he said, trailing off.

After discussing fears of an assassination attempt on Obama, Farrakhan said, "We need to pray for the brother and his family, and warn America: Leave that brother alone.''

"We love you," Dyson said, speaking of Obama. "We just want some love back."

Some black leaders have accused Smiley of Obama-bashing. He said Saturday's event was scheduled before anyone knew it would come on the eve of a key congressional vote on Obama's health-care reform bill.


View Larger Map


Sources: Chicago Sun Times, MSNBC, Fox News, Youtube, Google Maps

Pres. Obama Holds Health Care Reform Round Table With Governors

Whitehouse.gov----



Today the President met with Governors Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Jim Douglas (R-VT), Jim Doyle (D-WI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Christine Gregoire (D-WA), all of whom helped co-host forums in their regions. Speaking to the press afterwards, he explained why he wanted to revisit that profoundly enlightening tour as Health Care Reform heads into yet another pivotal period in Congress:

THE PRESIDENT: …And so they've reported back to me. There's no perfect unanimity across the table in terms of every single aspect of reform. I think everybody here wants to make sure that governors have flexibility, that they have input into how legislation is being shaped on the Hill.

But they have done my administration and I think the American people a terrific service in bringing some of these individual stories to us. And we're committed to working with them in the weeks and months to come to make sure that when we get health reform done, it is in partnership with the states where the rubber so often hits the road.

And one of the advantages they have, as Joe Biden put it, they've planted a mole inside our administration. (Laughter.) Kathleen Sebelius, very recently a governor, knows exactly what all of them are struggling with, and she and Nancy-Ann are going to be interacting with them on a regular basis as we move this agenda forward.
So I want to thank them publicly. And I look forward to working with them to get this done for the American people and for the people of their respective states in the weeks to come.

Thank you.

Q: Is there any give in your deadline, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: We need to get it done.

Q: This year?

THE PRESIDENT: We need to get it done this year.

Those forums were also led by working people in their respective regions who could give a snapshot of the problems people were facing there. Joyce Shilakes took that role in the Michigan forum. As the wife of a General Motors employee who knows his future is uncertain, and whose own health care coverage is uncertain as a result, one of her central motivations for supporting comprehensive reform is as fundamental as it is ubiquitous in America: the desire for peace of mind.

It is worth reading the remarks she gave in Michigan back in the spring as a reminder of what the fight here is really about:

Hello. As you have heard, my name is Joyce Shilakes and I am very honored to be here with you today and to be asked to share my personal experiences that lead me to form a health care discussion group with my family and colleagues last December.

As a clinical social worker, every day I work with individuals who are struggling with mental and physical illness. One of the most frustrating and disheartening aspects of my job is watching my clients struggle to pay for treatments and medications that would stabilize their illness and help them to maintain productive lives. All too often, they are forced to choose between buying the expensive medications they need or paying for the basic needs of survival such as food, shelter and gas for themselves and their families.

This is a choice that no person should have to make. I have watched as they place their healthcare on hold only to have their symptoms worsen, their lives placed at risk, their jobs and families suffer – all because they have no insurance or were unable to afford the co-pays.

But my desire for a changed health care policy does not arise from my professional experiences alone. On a personal basis, my husband and I live with the very real threat of falling into the ranks of the uninsured if my husband’s job with General Motors were to be eliminated. This is especially anxiety provoking considering the fact that we are both Cancer survivors and under the current system we would be unlikely to find affordable medical coverage.

While I'm sure you can imagine, Cancer is a difficult disease to face under the best of circumstances. Facing it without insurance would be a horrendous burden. My breast cancer treatment alone ran over $100,000 eight years ago. Someone without insurance and faced with this disease today would likely be forced to choose between a chance at life bought by bankrupting themselves and their family, or choosing to die.
But speaking to a much larger issue, as someone who lives in the Detroit area and whose community, life and livelihood and benefited by the success of the Big 3, I have watched as our struggling automakers lose ground to foreign manufacturers who are not faced with the same health care responsibilities. The health care issue is now beginning to undermine the very fabric of our nation as our automaker and large businesses employing thousands are forced to close their doors and lay off employees, in part due to the lack of sustainable health system.

These are some of the reasons that I, and my colleagues, jumped at the chance to become involved in last December’s health care discussion. For the first time, we felt that we had a president who was receptive and encouraging of input from all Americans. We wanted to lend our voices to the chorus of others who have been clamoring for change. Today, I must admit to having more than a glimmer of hope that we can work together to bring about a comprehensive American system of health care that will provide high quality health services for all citizens of our nation. I look forward to participating with you in that endeavor.

Sources: Whitehouse.gov