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Kami McKay
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:28 pm Posts: 38
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"As for trends in segregation, most of the metropolitan areas showed increases over the six-year period, with Greensboro, Greenville, Wilmington, and Charlotte showing especially large increases. These increases in school segregation are all the more striking in that they occurred during a period of decreasing residential segregation." pg 25 My question is how does this keep on occurring?.. even with redistricting how are our schools increasing in segregation after all we have been through. What can we do to deal with this in our schools?
_________________ Kami McKay
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Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:09 pm |
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Leigh Anne Frye
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:28 pm Posts: 44
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I don't know the answer-but keep in mind there are more private schools in the metropolitan areas, therefore serving many children in the wealthier economic demographic.
Also, the only answer that I can come up with-more money for transportation...but then there is an issue of the amount of time it takes to transport students...longer routes, more money...
Good question...one that can't really be answered on the surface.
_________________ Leigh Anne Frye
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Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:52 pm |
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John Robinson
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:29 pm Posts: 125
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Kami, busing was the answer in Charlotte for years, and it was working. I was talking the other day to a person who taught at West Charlotte in the late 70s. It was a different school then because of integration and busing. Then busing became a bad word, even though it was working. You have segregated schools now because there is no longer busing. These schools are located in areas where minorities live. I am not sure how you can make people integrate the places they live in. I am beginning to think that "school choice" is just another way of saying let's have segregated schools.
_________________ "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." M. Twain
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Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:29 pm |
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Lisa Fortenberry
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:29 pm Posts: 34 Location: Freedom & Patton High School
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I agree with Leigh Anne. The schools are becoming more segregated by private schools, but also by homeschooling. This is becoming more popular than ever before! If something goes wrong in the school, parents homeschool. I know a couple families in my church who are currently homeschooling and others who plan to.
As Transition Coordinator I've been analyzing next year's demographics for Patton High (the new school) and Freedom. There will be a definitely be some demographic racial differences. I've been told that racial demographics were not the center of attention but rather distance to each school was the primary factor in determining the district lines.
Freedom will have most of the minority students - alot of the minority students targeted to attend Patton are requesting to stay at Freedom. Some white students who are in Freedom's district are requesting to attend Patton. I personally hope that every request is denied. We don't need to segregate! Our kids need interaction in order to learn about each other and from each other.
_________________ Lisa Fortenberry
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Wed Feb 21, 2007 3:04 pm |
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Alisa Ferguson
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:37 pm Posts: 32
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Lisa, will Freedom gain any new items, technology, etc when Patton opens its doors? Here the thing, we all know and have studied that our children separate themselves due to many reasons. When integration first occured my mother and another lady within my church often talked about how difficult it was being around "white folks" for the first time. My mother had an opportunity to integrate earlier but refused because of the comfort level and her need to be around people that understood her. There is a difference within our cultures.
Will there be a lack of educational opportunites for the black students at Freedom? Can you survey the parents and teachers to ask the hard questions?-why are you leaving?, what are some positives for staying?, what are the negatives for going?
_________________ Alisa Ferguson
MSA, ASU, summer 2007
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:15 pm |
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Kami McKay
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:28 pm Posts: 38
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John,
I agree this whole "school choice" issue may just become a new way to allow dejure segregation to take place. As educators we see the great advantage that students can have by having a diverse learning experience yet it seems some parents want a cookie cutter school that will only work to segregate their children from the society in which they live.
_________________ Kami McKay
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Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:22 pm |
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Kami McKay
All-star
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:28 pm Posts: 38
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Lisa,
i certainly hope those requests are denied as well, I hope that the school board and central office staff recognizes the injustice they will do to those students if they create Patton as the new school for "white" kids and Freedom becomes the minority school.
_________________ Kami McKay
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Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:25 pm |
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Lisa Fortenberry
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:29 pm Posts: 34 Location: Freedom & Patton High School
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From what I've been told, Alisa, Patton will be gaining new materials (computers, desks, etc...) but that many items will be taken from Freedom. (I don't know if Freedom will gain any new items as a result of the split.)
And I feel that the requests will be denied. There are simply too many of them. If they start granting them, then next year they will have the same issues and resistance. As of right now, only the rising seniors will have the choice of whether they want to graduate from Freedom or Patton.
_________________ Lisa Fortenberry
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:32 pm |
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Jackie Shaw
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:31 pm Posts: 68
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Drawing new lines may not matter. School boards who approve those lines want to get re-elected. The redrew the lines in Lincoln County last year, but all transfer requests were approved. Racial diversity did not change.
_________________ Jackie Shaw
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:16 pm |
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John Robinson
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:29 pm Posts: 125
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Jackie, that political side of the issue leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. A school board member should look out for the interests of children, not elections. But that is dream world stuff.
_________________ "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." M. Twain
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Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:20 pm |
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Billy History
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:33 pm Posts: 36
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John your are right, it is dream world stuff. In some areas, it is all about who you know. As leaders, we must take a stand to ensure "school choice" does not become a new form of segregation.
_________________ BT AP
WIMS
Iredell County
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Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:20 pm |
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Stephanie Williams
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:32 pm Posts: 47
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Billy, It is already happening in my county. How do you think it is possible for 4 identical middle schools that are also schools of choice come up with these statistics? Populations - 350, 450, 550, 850. Subgroups - 17, 17, 17, 33. I bet you can guess which one is mine!!
_________________ Stephanie Williams
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Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:40 am |
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