Dear Editor,

I began this letter with "Dear Editor" but actually it is a "Dear John" letter.

Dear John Tedesco, you say you are listening to the parents in Wake County, but are you really? Your own survey showed that over 80 percent of the parents were satisfied with year round schools. Yet even before your survey, you voted to do away with mandatory year round. School board meeting after school board meeting I hear parents and employees tell you what they are most concerned about is quality education in Wake County. I haven't seen any new policies talking about that.

Wake County teachers are buying their own copying paper not to mention other supplies this year. Next year, the county faces even more cut backs and short falls. It has already been announced that hundreds of support jobs will be lost and that may not be enough to make up the difference in what we will be losing in county and state funding. Students are going to be asked to continue to use textbooks that are falling apart and teachers are going to ask to give even more of their own money in supplies. Remember these are the same teachers who didn't get a raise.

Yet, you and your gang, and yes I used gang the word gang on purpose. Because that is how you have acted - like a gang, bullying and intimidating people to get what you what. Yet, you and your gang have voted to postpone the building of a high school because of budget overruns when in reality postponing this project will cost much more.

You are seeking to dismiss Dr. Burns just four months short of his planned departure, which I am sure will cost the system some money. But he dared criticize you so of course he must go. You haven't even taken any time to consider the cost involved in creating your neighborhood plan…why worry about cost though you are speaking for the people, right?

Oh, by the way, I am sure once you have made this a policy there is some group waiting in the wings to sue WCPSS over it. How much will we be giving the lawyers to defend that policy that could have gone to our students? I will say we do need to look at the 26 individual schools that went year round and evaluate how it is working. Take Rand Road Elementary, they had to collapse a track due to lack of student population. Maybe it isn't necessary or economically sound to keep it year round. I do think it is time we start looking more closely at individual school, what is working and what isn't.

But these blanket mandates, your arrogant attitude and disregard for those who have years of experience - John, you don't speak for me. When your actions threaten to run off quality teachers, increase my child's classroom and making bullying an acceptable example to our students, no thank you John, you don't speak for me.

With much frustration,

Marilu Tulis

Raleigh, N.C.