AdvancED report lectures Wake school board; but retains accreditation

Board members joined forces with current Board member, Ron Margiotta, to launch a premeditated act  that resulted in destabilizing the school system and community

That’s the sentence that hit my eye as I scanned the AdvancED report  issued yesterday on  the accreditation status of the Wake County Public Schools.

Premeditated act?  Destabilizing?   My question: Is a duly-held election — where school reassignment was without question the major issue –  an election that resulted in the installation of four Republicans  — all of whom opposed the current school reassignment policy — and a new majority,  NOT a mandate for change in policy?

In AdvancED’s world, school administrators set policy and it’s the school board’s responsibility not to interfere. Such an understanding doesn’t square with our statutes which give school boards “general control and supervision of all matters pertaining to the public schools” (G.S. 115-C36). That includes setting policy.  

Destabilizing is a loaded term and I’d be very careful about using it.  I’ll reserve judgment until I see the names of all those interviewed by the board who claimed to be supportive of the new majority’s policy on school reassignment.

 The bottom-line is Wake County schools remain accredited, albeit with an “accreditation warning” status.  The allegations of those  who filed claims were insufficient to revoke that status. Hopefully this episode will conclude in November when AdvancED officials return to WCPSS and issue a report.