In a speech at a 2015 Morehead-Cain Alumni forum, Kushner declared:
What I see as the crisis in public education is viewing it as an economic zero-sum game, which is creating a shift toward exclusion—so-called “individual choice” is being used to segment our children, to create “have” and “have not” schools. These dynamics are undermining the overall health of public education and of our community.
The real crisis, in my view, is a growing imbalance between individual choice and community.
We need to push against the growing segmentation of exclusive schooling—whether through vouchers or charter schools or segregated schools—which undermines that balance between the individual and community.
Kushner's remarks drew the praise of Public School's First and Great Schools in Wake Chairwoman (and what other group she decides to create and throw a leadership label with) Yevonne Brannon, who remarked:
“If you didn’t get a chance to see her article about the importance of our school system
and how school systems should operate to be fair, to offer diversity and to advocate
matters and to care about every child and every school,” Brannon said Monday of
Kushner’s speech. “So she’s been living and walking that walk.”
(News & Observer - November 25, 2015)
"she's been living and walking that walk."
So let's take a look at Kushner's living and walking that walk.
As Keung Hui with the News & Observer pointed out:
But Kushner’s remarks have drawn crticism from those who’ve pointed to how her children attended magnet schools and her son graduated from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, a statewide public boarding school in Durham for gifted high school students.
In an interview Wednesday, Kushner said sending her children to magnet schools and the School of Science and Math did balance choice and community. Her daughter now attends the School of Science and Math.
(News & Observer - November 25, 2015)
In an interview Wednesday, Kushner said sending her children to magnet schools and the School of Science and Math did balance choice and community. Her daughter now attends the School of Science and Math.
(News & Observer - November 25, 2015)
The annual tuition at St. David's - an elite within the Raleigh beltline private school runs $18,650 for students grades 7-12.
So not only did Christine Kushner's children benefit from the forced busing of African-American students so they could partake of magnet goodies, but Kushner also took her children out of the Wake County Public School System so they could finish high school in Durham County - at what is arguably the most elite North Carolina high school. The Wake County Public School System wasn't good enough for her children.
The cost annually to educate a NC School of Science and Math student?
Theoretically, North Carolina taxpayers spent $112,000 educating Christine Kushner's children for their final two years of high school.
Nothing exclusive about that is it?
The racial makeup of the the NC School of Science and Math?
If this were a WakeUp Wake County Public School, Kushner's progressive friends would likely label this as an exclusive segregated school.
Worth noting also, Christine Kushner's home lists at $715,000 in the well-healed Ridge Road area inside Raleigh's beltline.
Nothing exclusive there also.
But as we know:
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.
Allison Backhouse, on her My 3 Minutes blog, sums it up well:
So, it is a little surprising to find out that Ms. Kushner chose to send her child to one of the most exclusive publicly-funded high schools in NC. That's right. She made an "individual choice" for her child's education. A choice that was made, I would assume, based on what was best her family and her child - because I don't see how sending her child to a limited enrollment high school with a highly competitive admission process that is fully funded by the state (including tuition, room and board) helps the rest of us.
Apparently, the common good is your problem to solve...with your children - not hers.
What a patronizing hypocrite.
Let's also not forget Christine Kushner's vehement denials of any involvement with WakeUp Wake County:
Evans and Kushner both fired back later Saturday, saying they haven't been involved with Great Schools in Wake since they were elected to the school board last fall. They took offense to his accusations and said he should have discussed the matter with them privately instead of in a mass email.
(WRAL-TV - February 21, 2012)
Unless, of course, she's appearing in promotional videos for WakeUp Wake County - the "parent" organization for Great Schools (not students) in Wake.
Or attending all three of Great Schools in Wake's community forums this fall on how to continue to create "healthy" schools (not students) by moving students across the county still:
Or attending all three of Great Schools in Wake's community forums this fall on how to continue to create "healthy" schools (not students) by moving students across the county still:
Kushner received applause at this week’s student assignment forum sponsored by the Great Schools in Wake Coalition. She has attended all three forums held since September as the group works on a vision statement and action steps for helping promote diverse schools through means other than busing for diversity.
(News and Observer - November 25, 2015)
So congratulations Christine Kushner. You're our Great Hypocrite in Wake of the Year. You've earned it.
Hispanic/Latino 12 3.5%
White 167 49.1%
Unknown 1 0.3%
Two or More Races 19 5.6%
