Even if thechange results in racially and economically imbalanced schools.
The new sheriffs are in town. Tuesday’s overwhelming victoryby John Tedesco in a Wake County school board runoff means busing fordiversity and other established policies will be squarely in thecrosshairs of a new majority taking the reins of the 140,000-studentWake system Dec. 1.
Tedesco, a New York-born executive of BigBrothers Big Sisters of the Triangle, outpolled educator Cathy Truittby more than three to one in District 2, which includes Garner,Fuquay-Varina and Willow Spring. The win solidifies the prospect of aturnaround for the Wake County school system, which has attractednational attention and, in the eyes of its supporters, had helped buildthe reputation of Raleigh and Wake County as an attractive place tolive.
Tedesco and three other recently elected members of the newmajority withstood opposition from a coalition of traditional Raleighpower brokers as they promised to discard forced busing for diversityin favor of a system of neighborhood schools. The successful candidatesquestioned the effectiveness of the diversity policy and promotedallowing children to go to schools in their communities, even if thechange results in racially and economically imbalanced schools.
“Werespect the diversity of the community,” said Tedesco, 34. “Now we needto look at educating all the children in the community who are leftbehind. A 54 percent graduation rate for economically disadvantagedchildren is simply not good enough.”