A Letter To Local And State Leaders

I wanted to share this letter that I sent on Friday to local and state leaders.  Please take a moment to read it.

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From: Louise Lee [mailto:louise.lee@soswake.com]

Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 7:26 PM

To: dick.sears@hollyspringsnc.us; lmillberg@wcpss.net ; htart@wcpss.net ; coparker@wcpss.net ; rgill@wcpss.net ; skparry@wcpss.net ; bsclark@wcpss.net ; prhead@wcpss.net ; rmargiotta@wcpss.net ; egoettee@wcpss.net ; joe.bryan@co.wake.nc.us ; tgurley@nclegalsolutions.com ; pjeffreys@nc.rr.com ; citizens4kenn@earthlink.net; Harold.Webb@co.wake.nc.us ; herbcouncil@councilfinancial.com ; Bernarda@ncleg.net;  Russellc@ncleg.net ; lindac@ncleg.net ; nelsond@ncleg.net;  Ricke@ncleg.net;  grierm@ncleg.net;  Deborahr@ncleg.net;  Pauls@ncleg.net ; Jenniferw@ncleg.net ; Janetc@ncleg.net ; Richards@ncleg.net ; Vernonm@ncleg.net ; Nealh@ncleg.net;  aburns@wcpss.net ; hschmitt@the-chamber.org
Cc: KCarlson@wral.com ; khui@nando.com

Subject: A County in Crisis

Dear Local and State Leaders:

I would like to share with you excerpts from three emails that were recently sent directly to me. Keep in mind that these are just examples that represent thousands of citizens. Please take a moment to read them carefully. Wake County is on a major crash course which can only be averted by the removal of plans to massively force year-round school attendance. A combination of other options must be explored before it is too late.

The first excerpt is from an email that a teacher friend sent to me. She is a young, energetic, top-notch teacher who will join hundreds of fellow educators and search for employment elsewhere if her school is converted to year-round. These are not idle threats. I personally know many of these teachers, and they mean what they say. The teacher recruitment and retention crisis that currently exists will pale in comparison with what is yet to come. Also, as you can see from the excerpt, the education of our students is already being negatively affected as a result of the plans for 2007. Don't be surprised if test scores drop this year. If teacher morale is low, which it is at many schools, learning will suffer. That's a given. I quote:

"Finally, at least at our school, now our principal totally has her mind on NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. This school [year], it seems, is considered "a wash". She's not getting  us the help we need for THIS school year b/c everyone's "scurrying" to prepare for next year.

It's also set up HORRIBLE TEACHER MORALE. Everyone feels DUMPED on. Not to mention, people are "Pitted against each other" within staffs as to "what side they're on" on this issue. It is being "frowned upon" by OUR principal if we DISAGREE with YR. We aren't really ALLOWED to have our OWN opinions about it. I have already had my "hand slapped" by the principal for e-mailing the school board members about YR. (I guess NO FREE SPEECH for teachers.)

Oh...ALSO...has WCPSS really prepared for ALL of the transfer requests that are going to come from teachers, the EXIT &/or early retirement of lots of teachers, &/or HOW they will FILL these teacher vacancies at the schools [that] are being converted? " 

Next, an email from a father, once again showing how mandatory year-round school plans are already causing hardships. 

"Louise... I will have to move to Durham County mainly because I can't break a court order for visitation for my ex-wife...Pretty much I'm doing the same thing the School Board did...I'm putting a Band Aid on the situation...The sad part is [my son] loves his school, friends, and his hockey team...They really messed up my child's life...You know what really stinks [is] that [my son] is in special speech classes where he is loved and had adapted to...so sad for him... Thank You," -Thomas H.

Last of all, a short note from a grandmother - I include this because it bears witness to the fact that citizens other than parents are 100% opposed to forcing families into year-round schools. I am very concerned about the lack of support for the bond referendum. We need that money badly, and most people I know want to vote "yes" in November. However, with the majority of the bond money slated for construction of and/or conversion to mandatory year-round schools, a "yes" vote would mean a betrayal of their deepest principles. I'm not telling people how to vote, but I certainly can't expect them to stand behind a plan that destroys the very tenets of what they hold most dear. If anyone thinks citizens will compromise on that, then they have no idea how deeply this issue penetrates. Even residents with no direct connection to education are confiding to me that they will not back the bond. With powerful groups lobbying against the bond for reasons of their own, we can't afford to intentionally alienate multiple thousands of voters! In my opinion, the onus lies on the backs of those who insist on following through with an agenda that is destined to failure (according to history). It is not too late to make a change. Take away the mandatory language and allow me to advocate for the bond's passage! Here's the grandmother's note:

"I am the grandmother of five Wake County school students. We live in a senior neighborhood with many other interested grandparents. We vote, and we can vote no in November if our grandchildren are forced into year-round schools."

As always, I appreciate your taking the time to "hear me out." My passion for this issue is based on a grave concern for the well-being of my county - our county. Just the discussion of and early planning stages for massive mandatory year-round school attendance have driven deep wedges between individuals and groups, pitting parents against parents, teachers against teachers, school against school, and on and on. Our teachers and students are already experiencing negative repercussions. Serious wounds have been inflicted, and matters will only get worse unless we unite to come up with a new growth plan that will bind citizens together, not rip them apart.

Respectfully Yours,

Louise Lee

P.S. - The anti-mandatory year-round petition signatures now total 2,825 - an average of about ten per day over the last couple of weeks. I wonder what the increase will be when the petition's existence is widely publicized? I continue to wait for proof that the Administration and the School Board members have, as they have claimed for weeks now, heard a similar number of pro and con comments on the mandatory year-round school issue.