Re: Fw: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks Julie Henry to: John Tedesco

03/11/201005:30 PM

History:

This message has been replied to.

her name is at the bottom of the chain, as is her mom's.

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 5:05 PM, John Tedesco <jtedesco@wcpss.net> wrote: > This is an email chain with a young lady upset from Enloe This was sent

> between her and the Board (mostly her and I). While it is public record as > part of our emails I would consider this a private matter and ask you not

> share it out of respect for the young girl. I also went through and deleted > her name with XXXXX where ever I saw it.

>

> I share this with you for a reason. First let me encourage you to read it

> from the bottom to the top. Next let me ask you to seek to understand who I > am and what I care about when making my decisions.

>

> There are a few of you who I am sending this to along with the research and > data I just sent in hopes that we can start to work together for these

> kids and stop doing to them what this note reflects. This is a reflection of > me sort of raw so forgive typos or errors in my email to the girl, but you

> will see who I am.

>

> I am asking for your help. I look forward to working with each of you as we > move forward.

>

> John Tedesco

> Board of Education

> Wake County Public School System

>

> District 2 >

>

>

>

>

> "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." > - Jackie Robinson

>

> -----Forwarded by John Tedesco/Superintendent/WCPSS on 03/11/2010 04:55PM

> -----

>

> To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

> From: John Tedesco/Superintendent/WCPSS > Date: 03/06/2010 03:52PM

> Subject: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks

>

> It's no problem xxxxxx, >

> Sorry if we missed your first email as we do get literally thousands. And

> while this are tough issues I think we can figure them out together. So hang > in there and tell all your friends that we are working our best at figuring > all this out together. While it is certainly not my place, if your mom or

> principal give you too much grief about the first email, tell them I

> encourage them to give you a "get out of jail free pass" (lol) on this one. >

> Let me know if you have any other concerns or questions in the future and > bare with me if we don't get back to you right away with all the emails.

>

> Have a good weekend. >

> John Tedesco

> Board of Education

> Wake County Public School System >

> District 2 >

>

>

>

>

> "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." > - Jackie Robinson

>

> -----xxxxxxx@yahoo.com> wrote: -----

> >

> From: John Tedesco <jtedesco@wcpss.net> > To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

> Cc: Deborah Prickett <dprickett@wcpss.net>; Anne McLaurin

> <amclaurin@wcpss.net>; Debra Goldman <dgoldman@wcpss.net>; Ron Margiotta > <rmargiotta@wcpss.net>; Kevin Hill <klhill@wcpss.net>; Carolyn Morrison > <cbmorrison@wcpss.net>; Chris Malone <cmalone2@wcpss.net>; Alice Cochran > <bcochran@wcpss.net>

> Sent: Sat, March 6, 2010 1:36:45 PM

> Subject: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks >

> xxxxx(and xxxxxxx), >

> First let me say that while I was hurt by your email, I assure you I can

> appreciate your frustrations. We all say things in the heat of a moment so I > do not hold it against you. I am sure you are a wonderful young woman who

> will go on to do great things. However, I do think you may have been

> confused about me in your note. You quoted an "animals and cages" comment - > I got the impression from your note that you felt those words were from.

> They were not. I did not and would not say such things. As for the member of

>

> To: John Tedesco/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff > From: xxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

> Date: 03/06/2010 03:36PM

> Subject: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks

>

> I apologize that I hurt you, I was just very annoyed at the whole situation. > I know you weren't the one who made the animal comment, that was a typo.

> Thank you for your response and explanation. The reason I wrote such a

> radical email the second time was because my first email which was much more > respectful and eloquent was completely ignored, and I felt like I had to do > something rash to gain your attention. I have looked at the links and I

> understand more where you are coming from. I appreciate your background and > I agree that it is hard to please everyone. Although I think most of us

> agree on the basis of the issue: diversity, it is just a matter of how we > plan to fix it.

> Thank you for your service and I wish you the best of luck in making hard > decisions,

>

> - xxxxxxxx

> our Board who did say that comment he has expressed his apologies for things > said in the heat of a moment. I believe him to be sincere in those regrets

> and forgive him also. We all make mistakes.

>

> Next, I think you deserve to know the people serving your community and be

> talked to like an adult about the issues of the day. And despite the tone of > your email you deserve to have your questions answered.

>

> My whole life has been spent dedicated to the at-risk kids who grew up like > me, thousands of them. I moved from project to shelter to low income

> apartments dozens of times as a kid as we struggled to get by on food stamps > and with 6 kids. I went on to put myself through college and work in jobs

> dedicated to helping other at-risk youth. Because I believe they deserve a

> shot.

>

> You asked who needs Diversity - WE ALL DO! I fundamentally believed it has > helped shape who I am and what makes us a great nation. Every aspect of my > life is integrated from where I live to where I work and where I worship as > you noted. My family and even my personal dating life has always been

> integrated and if my African American Godson, Tyler, heard some of the lies > people are saying about me, I think I would cry. If one of my personal

> heroes Mr. Elzie Moon heard these thinks he would cry. Mr. Moon was a

> retired African American factory worker from J&L Steel in Pittsburgh. He > used to take me for candy every payday (his social security /

> pension check), and he bought me school shoes every August. So all this > public discourse that has degenerated to such ugliness breaks my heart.

>

> So where is the strong disconnect from the current debate to my views on the > issues? I will share with you my views - we don't have to agree, but you

> deserve to know where I am coming from. This is not about anyone not liking > or wanting diversity - it's not even, as you put it about "BS - Cost less

> excuses". This is a student assignment policy - it has several goals and

> diversity is one. This is an attempt to correct for the failure of our City > Zoning laws that do not integrate for low-income housing - these City

> leaders segregate us and this is an outrage. They spend more on their side > of town with more Art buildings and less on the poor side of town with

> resources to raise people up and out of poverty.

>

> For some time the policy of the school board managed to keep the issues at > bay for these City officials who were so tied to their development agenda. > But as the extreme growth of the region continued to push the envelope it

> pressured the Student Assignment policy to the point where it no longer met > the goals of the policy (including the diversity goal as more and more

> schools grew to high poverty). In the interim our achievement gap for

> low-income kids broadened and the graduation rate declined every year.

>

> I started to study all aspects of the issue. There is a school of emerging

> research (lots of it - dozens of studies by people far smarter than me) that > highlights tracking and profiling students by income sets up a class based

> system and a culture of low expectations for those who are poor. So this

> kids then get tracked down and out of our system. People begin to think

> these kids can't learn as well or see them different in how they recommend > them for certain classes or consideration of Advanced Placement's.

>

> Thousands of kids are getting pushed aside just cause their poor. A recent > report from SAS highlighted this and was presented to our Board and the

> County Commissioners - I have copied a link below. But there are several

> studies that show this and I can send you more if you like. A subsequent

> report showed that approximately 80% of the low income kids who actually

> placed level 4 (they were smart) were denied admission to the Advanced

> classes while less than 20% of NED (non-economically disadvantaged) kids

> experienced that treatment. This is not right, and that is thousands of kids > who are being pushed aside in a way that wont give them a chance to go to

> college and thus leave them trapped to poverty. I will fight for these kids > no matter what names people call me.

>

> Further I saw the policy unfairly rigged against poorer families. Families > who have greater reliance on public transportation can not go to their

> child's school if they are sent to the other side of the county. Low income > families are forced away from their community to help integrate (most

> without a choice or say), while affluent families are lured with all kinds > of extra perks and choices. I simply see this as not right - this is a

> social justice issue for me. When these mom's are crying to me that they

> just want a school near their house so they can get their and participate in > their child's education, and when the city bus lines don't run to Apex or

> Wake Forrest or different ends of the county - I believe they deserve a shot > to be involved in their child's education. Just because they can't afford a > house in the burbs with a mini-van doesnt mean they should have less access > to their children, their schools, or the programs those kids get a chance to > partake in.

>

>

> So for me, I will never support an income rigged system that sets up

> classicism and challenges our most vulnerable already. However, I am smart > enough to realize our Cities have (let's use your colorful word again)

> "screwed" us in an attempt to segregate for the rich power brokers. So what > do we do? Our current assignment plan expires in 2012 and we will be in a

> lot of trouble if we do not have a plan by then. So I proposed a reasoned

> and balanced approach that can let us a get a WIN/WIN. Below is a link to a > video that explains my approach in more detail and I encourage you to watch > it.

>

> The problem is that none of this is as easy as it looks or is as cut and dry > (for or against) as the media or people might make it seem. That can gets

> misrepresented and distorts the debate; it further allows for emotions and > anger to build up.

>

> Highlight video discussion about proposed plan

> http://www.news14.com/charlotte-news-104-content/top_stories/622801/in-depth-tedesco-details-plan-for-wake-county-schools

> Private emails about me that were published to see more of who I am.

> http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/cccaac-releases-john-tedesco-e-mail-excha nge?storylink=misearch

> A link talking about the SAS report and a link in that directly to it.

> http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/sas-and-wakes-achievement-gap?storylink=m isearch

>

> I hope this might answer some of your questions and I look forward to > hearing about you doing wonderful things in your time at Enloe. I am

> confidant that with the fight you have displayed it is in you to take on the > world and help others. Best wishes in that endeavor.

>

> John Tedesco

> Board of Education

> Wake County Public School System

> District 2 >

> > > >

> "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." > - Jackie Robinson

>

wrote:

> ----

> > To: > From: > Date: > Cc: Anne McLaurin/Superintendent/WCPSS@STAFF, Debra

> Goldman/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Ron

> Margiotta/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Kevin Hill/Superintendent/WCPSS@STAFF, > John Tedesco/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Carolyn

> Morrison/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Chris

> Malone/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Alice Cochran/EnloeHS/WCPSS@Staff > Subject: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks

f

> If you, Ms. Cochran, her counselor > discuss this issue further with > certainly do so. In the meanti > What will you and the others > That is the bigger question.

>

>

>

> I

anyone else would like to meet to me, and her father, we will

still plans to offer her apology. to make things right with her?

>

> Dear MS~' ett,

> This i Mother responding to your email, and I do hope that all you

> CC'd wi rea, understand, and if necessary, respond to my communication . ••••• showed me the email she sent to the school board last evening and the > response she received from Chris Malone. She, as many other students, has

> been very upset and concerned about the school board's actions.

> Unfortunately, the school board chair set a very bad adult example for > her.

> That being said, she and I discussed her email, and she understands the > inappropriateness of a slang cuss word and of her reference to people as

> animals. We have taught our children, and she does understand this lesson, > that one wrong as in the case of your Chair does not allow her to stoop to > bad behavior.

> As we talked last night, she concluded that she would offer an email of

> apology and set down at her computer to do so this morning, when your email > arrived. Your hard line response has only increased her belief that people > are in control of her school system that do not have her best interest at

> heart.

>

>

> From: Deborah Prickett <dprickett@wcpss.net> > To: xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

> Cc: Anne McLaurin <amclaurin@wcpss.net>i Debra Goldman <dgoldman@wcpss.net>i > Ron Margiotta <rmargiotta@wcpss.net>i Kevin Hill <klhill@wcpss.net>i John

> Tedesco <jtedesco@wcpss.net>i Carolyn Morrison <cbmorrison@wcpss.net>i Chris > Malone <cmalone2@wcpss.net>i Alice Cochran <bcochran@wcpss.net>

> Sent: Fri, March 5, 2010 9:57:13 PM

> Subject: Re: Diversity Meeting: Thanks >

> I realize that you are feeling very upset at this time. We all have a right > to express our opinions, but your reference to Mr. Tedesco like this in a

> public email or otherwise is inappropriate and not acceptable. Please do

> not include me in your future email. In addition, I will copy Ms. Cochran,

> Enloe Principal, on this correspondence so she is aware and can share with

> your parents and/or counselor.

>

> Mrs. Prickett

> > >

> Deborah Prickett, M.A. >

> Board of Education, District 7 >

> Wake County Public School System

>

> Raleigh, NC

>

> dprickett@wcpss.net

>

> -----xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com> wrote: -----

>

> To: Anne McLaurin/Superintendent/WCPSS@STAFF, Debra > Goldman/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Debra

> Goldman/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Ron

> Margiotta/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Kevin Hill/Superintendent/WCPSS@STAFF, > Deborah Prickett/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, John

> Tedesco/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Carolyn

> Morrison/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff, Chris Malone/Superintendent/WCPSS@Staff > From: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

> Date: 03/05/2010 04:22PM

> Subject: Diversity Meeting: Thanks

>

> I just wanted to thank you guys for ending our diversity policy. Who needs > diversity? Not me. I can look out of my window and see plenty of colors, I > know what the rainbow looks like. I can go to school with people just like > myself and be fine, right? Or will I turn out to be another ignorant pig

> like your own John Tedesco?

> You may have voted out on the policy for now, but you will never take away

> diversity. I just want an explanation. Why? Not a bull shit "it costs less" > explanation, but a legit, well thought out reason on why we are segregating > our schools. Once you can give me that, I'll be satisfied. But you can't.

> Wherever you live, appreciate the diversity. Not just of races, but of the

> different types of people. Different political preferences, religious views, > and sexual orientation. Diversity is everywhere, you can't take that away.

> Whenever I think about this past meeting, I get furious. It makes no sense. > As a public member of the board, it is your job to make decisions FOR OUR

> COMMUNITY. And when the community is confused, it's your job to explain it. > For the brave ones who stood up for the diversity policy, the thanks in the > subject line was for you. For the others, you have screwed yourselves over. > Mr. Tedesco, yeah, I'm one of those 'animals' being released from their

> 'cage'. You attend Victory Fellowship, correct? I hope you ask God for

> forgiveness on this one, because you are not acting upon Christian values. > You're an embarrassment.

> To the rest of the board: I am sorry you have to deal with that man. I > shiver at the thought of even having to come in close contact with him. > Thanks,

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

r at Enloe High School