Big Education in Johnston County

My mama, and I bet your mama, taught you that when someone gives you a gift that you say "thank you".  Certainly not to go out and talk about the person behind their back with something like "yeah the gift was nice, but they should have given us more"  That is precisely what is going on with the "Stand up for Students Johnston County" rally at the Johnston County Court House this week.  Why do I call it a rally, or more honestly a political rally?  Well here is the visitor list, former Democratic Rep. Bob Etheridge, current Democratic Superintendent of Schools June Atkinson and several other Big Education big wigs, all liberal democratic leaning.  One of the people there is strongly anti-charter school as well. Not a Republican in the bunch and certainly not some of the local legislators or commissioners who have helped with funding the local school system. Seriously Mr. Etheridge seems to think the state can not live without his continued "wisdom" and does not realize his time on stage is up. Statesmen bridge the gap between two sides in a quiet dignified manner and has the trust of both sides. Elder statesman Mr. Etheridge is not. 

The sad thing is that two Johnston County officials have decided to attend.  Johnston County Superintendent Ed Croom and Johnston Community College President David Johnston.  Now I like both of these men, but so help me can they not see this is a political rally best left to politicians?  Both I bet are smarter than me and certainly more accomplished and that means if I can see this they should be able to do so too. 

Let's set the stage here.  The Johnston County Commissioners just added a nice teacher supplement to the local teachers pay that local taxpayers will be pay from now until forever each year.   We are headed into a bond issue that includes $57 million to build public schools and buy some technology in this county and $7 million to build some infrastructure at Johnston Community College.  Guys I go to tone deafness here.  Are you so eat up with your ivory tower jobs you do not see how this comes across to the taxpayers of Johnston County?  How about thanks for the pay raise, but kiss my butt because it was not enough.  Add in the taxpayers you are flipping off will be voters for the bond issue shortly and you can not get more lousy timing. 

Maybe Mr Croom forgot but the Johnston County Public Schools just got a black eye from being tone deaf for not inviting the Neuse Charter Schools seniors to their college fair.  I mean he and the SSS principal passed off responsibility to each other and then to the fair administrator when they realized it did not look good.   Surely that lesson woke up some of the highly paid minds in the administration building down on US 70 East, but apparently not.  

Personally as a voter and taxpayer I just might decide to vote against the bond and work to get others to do so as well if these gentlemen do not come to grips with the situation here and stay home.  With the expected small turnout of voters it would not take many to vote NO to put an end to this bond issue either.  Might be time for some real elder Johnston County statesman or stateswoman to come forward and counsel our two school leaders here.  Any adults out there?  Either that are our two education leaders in Johnston County might want to come down with 24 hour viruses or maybe need to schedule a haircut about the time the event is going on.