End of diversity policy draws national attention for Wake County schools
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The Washington Post has an article out today titled, “Republican school board in N.C. backed by tea party abolishes integration policy.” The article recaps the controversial decision to end busing to promote socio-economic diversity in Wake County schools.
Concerning the fears of diversity supporters, Post reporter Stephanie McCrummen writes, “Without a diversity policy in place, they say, the county will inevitably slip into the pattern that defines most districts across the country, where schools in well-off neighborhoods are decent and those in poor, usually minority neighborhoods struggle.”
John Tedesco, the most outspoken member of the Republican majority on the board, told the Post a high concentration of poverty could present opportunities to more easily identify challenged students. “If we had a school that was, like, 80 percent high-poverty, the public would see the challenges, the need to make it successful. Right now, we have diluted the problem, so we can ignore it.”
In a related story the Raleigh News & Observer has an update about the battle between the Wake County School Board and national accreditation agency AdvancED.
Since a review of the school system started last year, the school board has failed to cooperate with the review. Stephen Farmer, director of admissions at UNC-Chapel Hill, said that losing accreditation probably wouldn’t hurt students applying to in state schools, but “I don’t know that any school system in North Carolina can count on colleges and universities outside our state having the same understanding.”
The board will vote Wednesday night on whether or not to allow AdvancED to continue with the review.
The importance of accreditation is vastly overstated. Home school kids don’t go to accredited schools and yet universities know they are likely to be some of the highest performers. Also, admissions departments are under heavy pressure to admit diverse populations. A minority student with good grades coming out of a non-accredited high school won’t have any trouble getting admission and financial help.
Good riddance to a policy that has been, and this is an understatement, VERY counterproductive.
I understand the importance of diversity.
It just seems inefficient to bus kids across town when they can walk to the the school down the street.
What proof is there if a poor black kid sits next a upper class white kid that the black kid going to do better. What if the black kid is atrouble maker and does not pay attendtion. what matters is a kids home life. Is the father in jail? Is the father a drunk is the mother on drugs? etc. How about you have a good parent who makes the kid do his homework and most of the problem is solved. Its not up to the world to pull you out of the ghetto. its up to you. Study, do your homework go to college its up to you to make something with your life. The people who live in nice neighborhoods pay for there big house pay property taxes should have the best schools. Their property taxes are the ones paying for the school. They should get the best schools.
