Wake County Schools Nc

NAACP march on Charlotte criticizes schools

(08.13.11) Reverend William Barber, the President of the North Carolina NAACP, speaks on the the steps of the Government Center during the NAACP's March Against Educational Genocide. Rev. Barber urged listeners to vote and be involved in their children's education. The NAACP organized the march to bring attention to inequalities in Charlotte area schools. MAUREEN A. COYLE - mcoyle@charlotteobserver.com

Chanting "Segregation has to go" and "No justice, no peace," more than 30 people marched uptown Saturday to protest inequities they see in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Led by Kojo Nantambu, president of the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the group marched from Marshall Park to the Government Center to voice concerns about school closings, teacher training and other issues.

"We want everybody in Charlotte to know that even though (former Superintendent) Peter Gorman may be gone, there's still racism and discrimination in the school system in Charlotte," Nantambu told the crowd.

In an interview before the march, Nantambu cited the closing of about a dozen schools with high minority populations and the use of Teach for America teachers in high-poverty schools as the products of racist policies.

Teach for America teachers are college graduates recruited to work in challenging public schools to boost achievement among low-income and minority students. They do not have teaching degrees or teacher certification.

School board vice chairman Tom Tate, who did not attend the march, said Saturday that while the Teach for America program does not require teaching degrees, it "brings some very bright and motivated college graduates into teaching, and they have had good results overall in terms of being able to help students."

Tate said recent school closings were not based on race, but "on what would make better opportunities for the students who were attending those schools."

As Nantambu and others spoke on the steps of the Government Center, the crowd grew to more than 50.

"Separate has always been unequal," said state NAACP President William Barber.

Barber decried what he called the re-segregation and under-funding of schools. He also quoted Wake County Judge Howard Manning, who, while presiding over a lawsuit on state spending and education quality, accused CMS of committing "academic genocide."

Barber encouraged activists for education to join with activists for civil rights, labor, voting rights and other causes to help make the world a better place for children.

NC: Learning to drive gets costlier in N.C. :: Transport News

In North Carolina, drivers under 18 must complete driver education courses through a school system or a private company. They must spend 30 hours in a classroom setting and six hours behind the wheel.

State money has historically funded those courses in public high schools.

But this year, lawmakers had to overcome a shortfall estimated at $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion. Among the cuts: About $5.2 million, or 16 percent, from a $32 million appropriation for driver education classes across North Carolina.

Lawmakers then allowed school systems to charge students up to $45 to make up the gap in state funding.

Last school year, Wake schools got $3.3 million from the state to teach about 11,000 students to drive. About $14,000 was unspent, said Bobby Guthrie, Wake County Public Schools’ senior administrator for driver education.

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