Defending the indefensible

Over the last couple of days, I've been the subject of attacks on the News & Record's Chalkboard, specifically over this posting I made:

I too am a supporter of local public education. It was the hallmark of my recent school board campaign. However, the ongoing difficulties that GCS endures from both the front office and the school board as a whole, and to see my daughter continuously struggle to grasp the third grade curriculum and to see her frustrated with the amount of testing she has to face this year, private school is looking very attractive at this point. She's discouraged, there are days that she doesn't want to go to school...third grade! What are we doing to our children?
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And then the comments started pouring in:

Anonymous said:
Are you sure that she will want to go to PS too?

E.C. Huey said:

I have to do what's best for my child. I will wait to see how she does through the remainder of this year. But right now, I'm not holding my breath. GCS is headed in the wrong direction right now. And that's not conjecture, that's fact.

Anonymous said:

And what direction would that be?
You want no testing? No accountability?
Come on. Seems like your daughter cant cut it so you are taking her out.

Garth said:

As much testing and stress as occurs in these key grades, I understand, it has little to nothing to do with not cutting it. We no longer teach kids to learn, we teach them to test well. We do little to encourage real teaching and incite true scholarship.
Garth

E.C. Huey said:

Garth's right. It doesn't even have anything to my daughter cutting it...or not cutting it, and I'm frankly offended at even the suggestion otherwise. When my wife and I spend time extra teaching her concepts that she should be learning in the classroom (not test-taking tips), there's a disconnect somewhere. I do want accountability from our public schools, but I don't want test-prep factories. And quite frankly, I'm merely exploring my options at this point, which could even include a magnet school. But it is my choice and my decision to do what's best for my daughter.

Anonymous said:

Huey,

I am very suprised to hear you say you may go private. I am now glad that you did not get on to the School Board. My vote was really wasted on you.
Mychildren have been through our school system. It hasnt been a perfect ride but we have stayed with it and on top of it and we now have wonderfully educated children!

E.C. Huey said:

You wrote:
It hasnt been a perfect ride but we have stayed with it and on top of it and we now have wonderfully educated children!

And that's what I'm doing at home...and don't think for a minute that we're not doing what we need to do at home; for we go above and beyond what we've been doing at home.

I'm actually surprised at the negative comments here today, considering I am months away from even making a decision as to where my daughter will be next year. I'm committed to public education in this county, but I will not fail my daughter, and I will not let GCS fail my daughter.

Disappointed2 said:

I agree with the poster above you EC. I dont know how you could try and get elected to the School Board and the next minute think about putting your kid in private school.
Doesnt make sense.

Anonymous said:

EC,

So you are the only one that can be negative?

You whole campaign was negative and now you are going private?

Strange.

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To clarify, I never said I was outright taking my daughter out of public school; I merely said I was exploring my options as it relates to how she does the rest of this year. She may stay right where she is next year. She may go to a GCS magnet school.

But some chose to twist my remarks.

And I'd like to know what aspects of my recent campaign were negative? I spoke the truth about the conditions in our schools.

But that's besides the point. After seeing these comments, maybe some people are okay with the status quo as it relates to public education in Guilford County. Maybe people don't want change.

Maybe people are okay with vital supply money not reaching the schools and classrooms.

Maybe people are okay with the culture of fear that continues to permeate GCS teachers and staff; maybe they're okay with them not being able to speak out about working conditions without fear of reprisals.

Maybe some are okay with rampant discipline problems at many of our schools.

Maybe people are okay with our community colleges (and even our local public four year universities) spending precious time and money teaching remedial classes to college freshman because they spent too much time doing test-prep in school and not enough time learning concepts. "College Prep" classes in high school is not real preparation for college and beyond.

Maybe people are okay with the fact that our children, should they choose to stay here beyond college, may not get good jobs. Maybe people are okay with our so-called elected officials in Raleigh continuing to tout textiles, tobacco, apparel and furniture as our benchmark industries...even as so many of these jobs flee the area (and even the country).

Maybe people are okay with schools being average. Maybe some are okay with principals declaring victory when their schools makes AYP...because our kids passed an exam, but have they learned?

Maybe some are okay with agenda-driven politicians who contribute nothing to the education of our children.

Maybe some are okay with this.

I'm not. That's why I ran.

And if people were unsatisfied with my views or what I thought about our schools or if some were unsatisfied about me, then 2010 is around the corner. Please run. Why did Amos have to run unopposed? Or Kris Cooke? Will there be any challengers for Alan Duncan or Deena Hayes this coming time around?

Anyone can run. Go downtown, pay the fee and launch your campaign. And when you are grilled on the hot seat before Simkins and the High Point PAC and other local special interest groups that have absolutely nothing to do with local public education, come hunt me down.

I may not have been the best candidate, but I did my best. I may not have been "the peoples choice" or the local media's darling, but over 7,000 thought I was progressive enough to make a difference downtown.

And I thank Garth and Darlene and Mike Stone and Paul Daniels and others who continue publicly and privately to support better schools...because we should ALL want better for our schools and our children.

E.C. :)