Surely, Mr. McSurely and the NAACP didn't mean to say that Senator Marc Basnight is unfit to lead the NC Senate? As many folks know, Senator Basnight only holds a high school degree. I would say he's done well for himself.
Hate to think what they think about the 45.8% of Wake County students that don't even get a high school diploma. Of course, they don't dare talk about the naked diversity emperor.
Dallas Woodhouse
March 8, 2010
Americans For Prosperity questions NAACP assertion that a college degree is needed to serve on local school boards
Did statement by NAACP Attorney represent a policy position by NAACP?
Does the NAACP think 74% of North Carolina citizens are not qualified for serving on their local school board?
Raleigh, March 8, 2010—Members of the NAACP hurled charges of racism on Friday, reported the Raleigh News & Observer, and likened the new Wake School board majority to clowns, Communists, dictators and the Mafia.
School board chairman Ron Margiotta's educational background was questioned and he was called "unfit" to keep his post.
"[Margiotta] doesn't even have a college degree," said NAACP attorney Al McSurely. "They've got clowns running this school board."
According to Jane S. Shaw, president of the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, 74 percent of adults in North Carolina do not have a college degree.
"Does this represent a policy statement from the NAACP that 74 percent of North Carolina citizens are not qualified to run and serve on their local school board?” asks Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolina State Director of Americans for Prosperity. "From the statement by NAACP Attorney Al McSurely, it appears the organization believes that no non-degree holders should offer their service to local school boards. Will the NAACP ask the General Assembly to make this the new law of the land? This would represent an enormous step backwards for millions of citizens across North Carolina of all backgrounds."
According to the News and Observer, Wake School Board Chairman Ron Margiotta, enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard after graduating from Weehawken High School in the 1950s. Afterward, he started his own business to support his family. He took some labor relations courses at St. Peter's College.
According to his official bio, a longtime businessman, Ron Margiotta retired in 2000 with 40 years of experience in business. Mr. Margiotta is the founding owner and operator of Reliable Service Company, a warehouse and installation service business. Prior to moving to Wake County, Mr. Margiotta was elected to a school board in the Northeast where he also served as board president for six years.
"Is Mr. McSurely serious?” asks Jane S. Shaw. “Most of the adults in North Carolina do not have college degrees. If they were not allowed to serve on school boards, think about all the talented people whose skills and talents could not be used by their local school systems. Think about all the business owners, parents and talented North Carolina citizens who would be kept off the ballot. I urge the NAACP to consider dropping this complaint."
"I hope the NAACP will clarify their position on whether a college degree should be required for service to local school boards. The organization should encourage more participation in the civic process, and not send the message that people who did not obtain a college degree are not worthy of consideration by the voters," said Woodhouse. "Perhaps more respect from people from different backgrounds and experiences is in order."
The 2010 US Census Bureau statistical abstract says that for 2008, roughly 19.6 percent of African Americans had earned college degrees.
“Does the NAACP really think that eight out of ten African Americans are unqualified to serve the people of this state?” said Woodhouse.
Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina (AFP-NC) is the North Carolina chapter of the nation’s premier grassroots organization of citizen leaders working at the state and local level and committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit
www.afpnc.org
