Wake County Schools will pay Rodney Trice a base salary of $125,000 to be, as the school board evidently put it, “a conscience for the organization.”
While the tasks being put on his shoulders look very daunting and can’t be done by one person, Trice said he knows he’s not doing it alone. He wants to bring the community together to problem solve. Trice said he’s committed to community engagement and becoming full partners with the community. Trice said he’s already gotten off to a start by contacting local pastors and community organizations. He said he was attending local events on the weekends even before he officially started his job in Wake on July 1.
Which groups and pastors has Mr. Trice met with? Let’s hope he will reach out beyond the elitist inside-the-beltline cadre of Leftists/Democrats who believe the answer to any problem — real or perceived — is more government and more power for school bureaucrats over parents. Will he meet, for example, with parents who are not being served by the traditional system and therefore are seeking other options?
Will he meet with low-income parents who are desperate to receive one of the legislature’s opportunity scholarships — a program that progressives are seeking to stamp out? Will he meet with those who believe we must reward the effective teachers and show the door to those who simply hide behind tenure? Will he seek to empower children to achieve their potential by nurturing their individual talents even if that means they are better served outside of a traditional public classroom?
Traditional public schools serve many families well. That’s great. But they do not serve all families and all children well. It’s an impossible expectation. We’ll see if Mr. Trice’s definition of “fairness” and “social justice” extends to those who want and need other options.
