Margiotta calls parents animals

Actually Margiotta gave Randall more than the 2 allotted minutes. A speaker asked for his time to be given to Randall. Disussion ensued while the clock was still counting down. When Randall started talking the clock was still counting down. After Randall had been speaking for about 15-20 seconds Margiotta reset the clock to 2 minutes.

Sums it up, really

did he say here comes the coons who the heck he think he is he needs to be removed off the board racis devil!!!

Is it possible for the Justice Center to post a video showing what happened before the end of Mr. Randall’s time to speak? The way the video is cut now, there is no way to see exactly what Mr. Margiotta was reacting to.

Greetings,

Correction – I’ve just replayed it with the volume up.

… I think he may have said, “…David Boons”.

Kindest regards,

James

Mr. Margiotta comments were ill chosen but there was no racist intention with them. It is clear he was speaking about the hostile crowd who were ready to pounce on the board’s position. If you are against Mr. Margiotta, you are clearly going to define his comment any way you want. Just as bad were the comments made towards him and the board. Mafia, gang, white racist, are even more pointed that what he said. Yet there is not much of an issue on that matter with Progressives. Too bad. Responding in kind is just as bad, if not worse, than the initial comment, no matter how it is perceived.

Hurray for Chairman Margiotta for doing what the voters sent him to do! It is good to see a politician with a backbone.

Mr or Mrs IBMer

You still got a job???

Ever notice that the folks who support Margiotta and the new board majority never post their real names on blogs?

Hi Julie :)

I post my real name. I support the new board’s agenda, but that doesn’t mean I agree with how Margiotta is acting. It is the chair’s job to conduct these meetings in a business-like manner. School board meetings are non pep rallies, they are a time to conduct the people’s business. His first mistake was to allow applause. I live in Cary and have attended many meetings filled with angry people. But the mayor makes it clear up front that we are conducting business and that there is no room for crowd participation unless they are at the podium. He lets people know that the room will be cleared if necessary. Once you allow applause, you then have to allow boos. The boos quickly deteriorate into hurled insults. It is a slippery slope which must be avoided.

I do not at all think that Margiotta’s comment was racist, but it seems that some opportunists who oppose the new board direction are thrilled to play it that way. That said, the chair is expected to set the tone for these meetings, and comments like this one are completely inappropriate.

It breaks my heart that we have young children in these meetings hearing adults call adults “animals,” “white racists” or “mafia members.” This is no example of the proper way to run a democracy.

I also think the heavy-handed tactics in general have been uncalled for. Margiotta has been at the receiving end of this for several years, but that doesn’t make it right. Prior to the last election I was a long time school board dissenter. I worked very hard with a lot of people to drive change in our board leadership. That change was accomplished, a new majority exists, and there is no need for some of the tactics I’m seeing. As a longtime dissenter, I’m reminded of how many times I was told “Just because the board doesn’t do what you want, it doesn’t mean they didn’t listen to you.” It still applies.

The problem is the heavy-handed approach. The “new board,” as it is being called, has a clear majority and a clear minority. I don’t see any evidence of cooperation on either part — perhaps because the “carrots” being offered by the majority are not compromises, but merely opportunities to be part of the process of overhauling the school system to suit the board majority’s agenda. (except of course, for Kevin Hill, who’s been just about shut out of the whole committee process) Why should Keith Sutton want to be part of developing a plan for neighborhood schools? His district will be a zone of high poverty schools. Why should Anne McLaurin vote to support a plan that will drive down housing prices in Raleigh and drive homeowners and the businesses they support outside the beltline? Why should longtime educators Kevin Hill and Carolyn Morrison support a plan to undo the very school system they have spent their careers helping to build? The new Wake order is not going to affect the folks in the suburbs adversely. We may even get some magnet schools closer to home. But those inner city kids who will “get” to go to school closer to home will lose out — when the parents who volunteer in their schools and support their PTAs with their dollars pull out their money and their time to go to neighborhood schools where they live. And I’m tired of hearing that it’s time for the parents of those F&R kids to “step up and be better parents.” Don’t judge someone if you’ve never walked in their shoes. There’s a whole lot more to the story than income.