Consent Order - Strike Two?

A desegregation case is only supposed to be used to overcome discrimination against African-American students. When the issue of the desegregation case heated up earlier this year, I made one statement that I will not take back. I said then, and I say now, that to claim that Bertie County is still discriminating is ridiculous and an insult to anyone's intelligence. And yet yesterday morning, 3 of the Board of Education (BOE) members, voted to support a "Consent Order" that claims they are still discriminating against African-Americans. The essence of this order seems to be "we are discriminating, we can't help it, please Judge, stop us before we discriminate again."

The BOE not only does not dispute this, they are so eager to get the Judges signature on the order condemning them for their acts of discrimination and ordering them to rectify it (conveniently the things they are being ordered to do are the things they have wanted to do all along), that we have heard they are rushing the order to the Department of Justice (DOJ) overnight, so that it can get to the Judge as soon as possible.

When you read the "Consent Order", the claims of discrimination are as follows:

1. African-American students in Askewville are being discriminated against by "creating classrooms that exceeded the maximum number of students permitted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction". Of course since Askewville is being closed because it is so much better than J.P. Law, this claim seems bizarre to say the least.

2. Class assignments in West Bertie Elementary and Aulander Elementary are intentionally "taking race into account" and "resulting in racially identifiable classrooms". This is alleged but no evidence is provided and no acts are traced to any specific individual. It is merely conceded by the BOE that they condoned it for the purpose of discriminating, and somehow this contributes to the need to close J.P. Law and Askewville.

3. African-American students in Merry Hill (J.P. Law) are being discriminated against by some vague thing called "facilities concerns", and thus their school is being closed even though the basis for this was a claim in an earlier report that Askewville students were getting a much better education because of the superior school facility. So much better that the J.P. Law students were being discriminated against. However the Heery report claims that J.P. Law is better than Askewville. That the BOE has never brought this obvious conflict in reality to the attention of the DOJ, or challenged the "facilities concerns" hypocrisy, proves that they have much more duplicitous reasons for closing J.P. Law. No surprise there. It also ignores that BOTH schools are now black majority schools.

The things for which the BOE must be condemned are:

The schools being closed are the highest performing schools in the district.

Much of the "Consent Order" talks about creating a new school, but provides no evidence that it is justified by any act of discrimination. It is merely the desire of the BOE and is supported by the DOJ, probably to entice the BOE to admit to discrimination that has not really occurred. These claims of discrimination are a constantly shifting justification to always do what has already been decided. How seriously can you take people who constantly change their story?

The key to the real goal of the "Consent Order" is contained in one sentence, "the board is committed to closing these three schools (J.P. Law, Askewville and Aulander) and building a new elementary school when funding for that facility can be secured."

I could argue their commitment to closing schools is the only truth in the "consent order". It seems clear to me that the BOE is still trying to arrange a situation where the Judge orders a new school to be built. Southwestern will be empty, C.G. White will be empty, Askewville will be empty, J.P. Law will be empty, and (it is clear that if the BOE has anything to say about it) Aulander will be empty. Only NEW CONSTRUCTION will satisfy the BOE and Bertie County Public School Central Administration though. With FIVE empty schools I think it ridiculous that the BOE actually has the temerity to argue that we need to build a new school. It will be a total waste of money.

This order is ridiculous, an insult to Bertie County . . . . and its people. Community Schools SOS is dedicated to taking a convoy of cars to Elizabeth City on Thursday to deliver the currently signed petitions and currently signed letters of opposition from African-American parents to Judge Terrence Boyle. Contact your SOS representative if you would like to go on the convoy.

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS

The departure times for the convoy will be 12:00 Noon from Harrisons Grocery in Askewville, and 1:00 PM from Oxley Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Merry Hill.