Cary Mayor Keeps Low Profile in Reassignment Fight

Cary, N.C. — Local parents have pulled out just about every weapon in their battle against annual student reassignments by the Wake County school system.

They have rallied, packed school board meetings and built a coalition of support. One thing they haven't been able to do is pull out Cary's biggest hammer – Mayor Harold Weinbrecht – to put some force behind their cause.

Parent Karen Carter said repeated reassignments are destroying her son's neighborhood school. She said she's seen Apex Mayor Keith Weatherly, Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears and Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams speaking out against Wake County Board of Education policies and doesn't understand why Weinbrecht hasn't joined in the chorus.

"There's only so much as parents we can do," Carter said. "We've got to have that support. He has to be willing to be vocal."

Weinbrecht said he has been working with school board members individually.

"I'm all for change. I'm not for show," he said. "Standing up and protesting, while it may make (parents) feel good, it's not going to give them a solution or even help in the long run."

The mayor said he doesn't want to give families "false hope" by being vocal about reassignment. He was the only member of the Cary Town Council to vote against the idea of a roundtable discussion with school board members on the student shifts.

"We tried this in 2003 and didn't see much of any change," he said.

Local parents said having the Cary mayor out front on the issue would help their effort.

"I understand his concerns about giving us false hope, but at the same time, if he doesn't do anything, then we're going to get nothing out of it," Michelle Henderson said.

Town Council members haven't set a date for the meeting with school board members. They said they hope to share concerns and find solutions.

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The Mayor needs to get in there for the sake of the children and parents in his city. I get a kick out of these people who think change is good, change is good, change is good. People shouldn't be against change. Our three girls where reassigned 4 times in 5 years. They had no stability. Teachers had to back track as different kids from different schools where at different levels. It was a cluster. To there credit Wake has some of the best teachers working under the worst handicap. After WCPSS came up with the multi track year round experiment we bailed. We moved from Wake county to a area with traditional schools, no busing all over, no reassignments, even though Phoenix is growing much faster than Cary/Apex and the girls grades are up, way up. They have the same friends after summer break. The teacher knows where they left off the year before. We are all much happier. Thanks WCPSS you taught us a lesson we will not forget.

Escaped ftom Wake
February 21, 2008 6:53 p.m.

If as he said the citizen's are the CEO's of Cary...then why is he ignoring the demands of the citizens to address the business of Cary Government....typical, he gets voted out for supporting too much growth..then runs on slow growth and gets voted back in..then won't address growth?.....what?

MajorLeagueinfidel
February 21, 2008 6:10 p.m.

Mayor doesn't want to change anything or take a stand. He will not vote for a separate district. He will only vote to soak the rich developers. That's his whole platform and why he was voted in. If you would ever talk to him you would see how out of touch with the issues he really is.

Those parents that were educated under the old system have done pretty good for themselves, huh?

lizard
February 21, 2008 1:12 p.m.

cartman, you said it. The school district is one of the most self-serving social engineer wannabees I've ever seen. I really feel for the students who are pawns in all this. Either break away or vote the bums out, except for Ron Margiotta. He's one of the few who's got his head on straight.