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Newly-elected Wake School Board members came out swinging, but this week, they've been put on the defensive. The latest critic? Clay Aiken.
One of Leesville High School's most famous graduates had harsh words for school board members in a Thursday post on his blog. Aiken wrote:
"What happened to Wake County Schools?!? Now that i have a kid i am so much more invested and I am EXTREMELY disappointed that so many selfish idiots ran and won seats on the school board. i hope we can get rid of them as soon as possible before they ruin my school system. Idiots."
New board members who spent Friday in a Wake County Schools orientation session took time to read the blog, but said Aiken's criticism is the least of their concerns.
"My first reaction was... Clay who?" said Chris Malone, District 1 board member-elect. "And then, of course, it hit me...I knew who he was."
But the harsh words don't stop with Aiken. Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake County chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators, criticized new board members' plans to do away with Wake Wednesdays, the weekly early release for teacher and staff development.
"If you cut off a program because you don't understand it, then you've done a disservice to the children of Wake County," said Lanane. "If you understand it, and you don't think it's valuable and you have concerns, then let's sit down and talk about that."
But an angry email draft of a call-to-action that Lanane said was mistakenly released to her membership made its way to new board members, who took issue with the way they were characterized.
"We have not begun to govern, we have not taken our seats yet," said Debra Goldman, District 9 board member-elect. "We have not done any of these things. And so being accusatory to any of us is completely unacceptable."
Lanane, along with the Wake County PTA Council and area principals, has extended an invitation to the new board members, other elected officials and parents to visit schools on Wednesday, Nov. 18 to see Wake Wednesdays in action. For more information, contact Wake NCAE at 919-782-8908 or contact your own school's principal.
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By Just an Educator on 11/16 09:00 PM
sofia, if the following link works you can clearly see he last voted under his mother's address 10/09. If the link doesn't work, just check out the Wake County Voter site. His records can be found by searching "Clayton Aiken." http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I2ImrmQ--rk/Sv7CH8KQt6I/AAAAAAAAFTw/2_9KS3zzcNc/s1600-h/2.jpg I hope that puts to rest any idea of my "wild accusations" and your requested need for facts. Matter of FACT, he voted in Wake for the presidential election as well. Yes, he was a resident of Chatham at that time. Being that his place of residence was outside Wake, he was not eligible to vote.
By nikkotg on 11/16 01:35 AM
Who gives a rats behind about what Clay Aiken thinks?!! He's proven himself time and time again to be a "selfish and clueless idiot" every time he opens his mouth! "Ruin his school system?" News alert Clay, the Wake County School system is already ruined, probably the biggest cesspool of an education system on the planet earth. The only idiots to speak of were the previous school board members who were thrown to the curb by fed up intelligent and educated parents who voted their sorry butts out on the street. Thank god for the new school board members! Lets hope they quickly move ahead with their promises to overide the asinine policies put into place by all the previous IDIOTS that held those seats!!
By sofia on 11/16 12:19 AM
To Educator....Voter fraud? Can you back up that statement with real facts? I have read several of your comments and they seem to be getting wilder each time.
By Hannah on 11/15 11:20 PM
The article said Clay graduated from Leesville HS.From his book and various articles thru the years,there are references of the public schools he attended in Raleigh,two being York and Stough.Its likely Clay moved to Chatham County for cheaper land and more privacy.
By Just an Educator on 11/15 10:40 PM
Allie, I never tried to take anything "back." I said what I meant and I meant what I said. Actually, I find that we are bickering about Clay a bit entertaining. While we're on Clay (and the two of you are so close) could you please tell me why he voted in Wake's election, but doesn't even reside in Wake County? Matter of fact, he lives in Chatham. This being so, wouldn't that make him guilty of voter fraud? Furthermore, I don't see why he's even griping. Didn't Clay attend a neighborhood school?
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