Jesus wants your help keeping little black children in their place
Submitted by James on Mon, 12/14/2009 - 10:48am
Just when you think the takeover of public schools in Wake County by free-market fundamentalists can't get any more bizarre, it turns out that the new chair of the school board is a card-carrying Christianist, a founding director of Called2Action, a zealot set on remaking public education in his own arrogant image. NC Policy Watch digs up the sad story.
Comprised of a diverse group of like-minded people, Called2Action exists to empower ordinary people to become effective in the defense of our shared family and social values, and remain true to the Judeo-Christian foundation of our great state and country. Most importantly, Called2Action humbly acknowledges the sovereignty of God, seeking to do His will in a prayerful, loving and compassionate way.
By the "sovereignty of god," they mean of course that Judeo-Christian genius, that master of miracles whose glorious works include this bright spot in history, these new laws, this blessed orgy, and even the sacred foundation of our country.
I know it's not really god who did all that damage, it was just the humble, fallible servants he chose to carry out his will, people working desperately in his name to fulfill whatever they imagine the big guy wants them to do. The history of the world has been full of such zealots, and it's not a pretty sight.
Bigger fish to fry
While I know that this could be an issue in the future, the board has much more pressing matters to attend to at the current time. If the
oppositionpeople who represent the other side but don't even bother to put up a candidate against Ron at election time would actually get their heads of their collective asses and focus on what is meaningful to parents, then maybe, just maybe, this sort of association would actually raise some eyebrows. But at this point, ever parent I talk to (and I am in the very heart of Ron's district) is aware of this affiliation but don't care because it has never been an issue before and Ron has consistently been in line with the majority view on most other issues.This isn't to say that Apex is a haven for progressive thought, because it isn't, or that there aren't some who are attracted to Ron because of this affiliation, but for most, this isn't what is on their mind.
As with most things, the track record of the previous board is far from spotless:
http://www.wcpss.net/podcast/2008_aug20_brentwood/index.mp3
http://www.wcpss.net/announcements/archives/2008/08/youth_empowerme.html
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:LV0uUFyR2u4J:www.wcpss.net/isd/preve...
http://www.asfministries.org/docs/asf-wcpss-brochure.pdf
Aug 20, 2008. Faith based initiatives in public schools. Met with deafening silence from those who are now screaming about Ron's affiliation. Where was NC Policy Watch then? Maybe I missed it, but I am regular reader over there, the WCPSS is (in case you couldn't tell) my big thing politically and I recall nothing being said.
Fishy
Comparing the faith-based "Adopt-a-School" initiative with Called2Action is absurd. The initiative is for communities of all faiths, to engage in secular acts to help schools. It is not evangelical. Called2Action is anti-gay, anti-muslim, anti-secular.
Bigger fish indeed
You might be right about the practical impacts of a Christianist takeover in Wake County Schools. Perhaps that's what the good citizens actually want. If I were a parent with a student in the system, however, there'd be hell to pay.
For what it's worth, I don't see any reason to conflate Margiotta's evangelical agenda with the issues of competence (or lack thereof) previous boards may or may not have had. They're entirely separable issues.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Fish in the fryer
I wasn't say they were inseparable, I was pointing out the political realities of what goes on in this situation.
The previous board enacts an evangelical agenda item but those who likely disagree with it yet support their stance on other, more pressing issues ignore it.
Ron is affiliated with a group that supports an evangelical but those who likely disagree with it yet support his stance on other, more pressing issues ignore it.
That is really my point on the matter. This kind of stuff just isn't anywhere near the top of the list when it comes to concerns about the schools. Parents are much more concerned about having their child in three different schools in four years.
If you really think that this board will aggressively push that agenda, you are also likely the type that completely underestimated the candidates who won, thought that there was no way this could ever happen and probably still believe that there is this "sleeping giant" of voters in Wake County who support the old board. Again, I understand that we Wake County isn't San Francisco in terms of its political leanings, but 57% voted for Obama in 2008, higher than the state and national average, so this county obviously isn't a Republican stronghold.
I have been involved with the political side of this stuff for half a decade. In my blog on WCPSS you identified fear of the alternative "avalanche" of right wing policies that made progressives support a demonstrably anti-progressive status quo. I somehow doubt that they will feed that fear until they have established some political capital with voters by hitting the big issue changes that carried them into office.
Please note, I make absolutely no claim that they won't eventually get around to hitting those issues, but at this point, I just don't see them being that foolish. Despite what the supporters of the old board have been claiming since the election, this was not a social issue vote, IMO. This was simply a case where parents felt completely out of touch with the school system and wanted to regain some sense of control.
Thanks
Always good to have your perspective from the front lines.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Front Lines
I wish I weren't on the political front lines of this at times. I wish that there were a viable, progressive education group rather than the current choice of looking at the lesser of two evils. With 57% voting for Obama, a high percentage of households having children, great higher education options in the area and amazingly high level of education in the general populace, Wake County is one card short of full house for what it takes to have a truly world class and progressive education system. That one card is leadership that can capitalize on and collaborate with the community rather than confront it. Instead we have the evangelical agenda with free-marketer support versus corporate apologist masquerading as progressives. Ugh.
Correction
The previous board did not enact an evangelical agenda item.
Once again, the facts elude you
Go look up who brought the idea to the board and which groups have used it. Then tell me that it isn't evangelical or anti-secular. You can argue degree and I will likely agree with you, but your steadfast refusal to see any ill in the previous board without factual basis is getting tiresome.
Can I hire you?
Your ability to
mis-characterize me is just amazing. I never knew these things about myself.Ability
Your ability to consistently ignore calls for factual back up is no less amazing.
Just Curious
Were Senate Democrats also conspiring to keep little black children in their place when they killed the D.C. voucher program that took many of them out of dangerous and failing schools?
Carolina Politics Online
Yes
n/t
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.