NCSSM chief's column filled with misrepresentations
HSB2161
hsb2161 at yahoo.com
Fri Apr 7 15:00:07 EDT 2006
Attached below is a column from the April 6
Durham Herald-Sun by Gus Beck, president of the Watts
Hospital-Hillandale Neighborhood Association. Mr.
Beck points out there that Gerald Boarman, president
of the North Carolina School of Science and
Mathematics repeatedly misrepresented the way the
school has treated its neighbors in connection with
its moves to develop a stadium on its Durham campus.
Mr. Boarman made these misrepresentations in a column
printed in the Herald-Sun on March 26. Mr. Boarman's
column is also copied below.
In his column, Mr. Boarman attempted to respond
to several charges that I made in a March 17 column in
the Herald-Sun. Mr. Boarman did NOT disagree with
several other points that I made in my March 17
column: That he repeatedly violated the Public
Records law in thwarting my efforts to find out about
the school's stadium plans. That he broke a promise
he made to neighbors that was material to securing
their acceptance of lights on the school's new tennis
courts. That he apparently misled alumni leaders by
telling them that he had been consulting regularly
with neighbors about neighbors' concerns regarding the
stadium when that was not true. This March 17 column
titled "What happened to moral values at NCSSM?" is
also copied below.
Ned Kennington
1415 Pennsylvania Avenue
Durham, NC 27705
919-286-9519
**********************************************************************************************
NCSSM chief's column filled with misrepresentations
The Herald-Sun, Durham, North Carolina
Thursday, April 6, 2006
By Gus Beck
Guest Columnist
In a March 26 column in The Herald-Sun, Gerald
Boarman, president of the North Carolina School of
Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), distorted the nature
of the recent relationship between the school and the
Watts Hospital-Hillandale Neighborhood Association.
WHHNA supports the stadium that the school proposes to
build at the corner of Broad Street and Sprunt Avenue,
but we oppose the planned high-intensity lighting and
public address system.
WHHNA would like the opportunity to work with
NCSSM to find solutions to the problems posed by the
stadium. We believe that together we can find win-win
solutions that meet the needs of both the neighbors
and the school, if neither side insists on getting
everything it wants without compromise. The
neighborhood has always been ready to find middle
ground. Unfortunately, the school, under Boarman's
leadership, has not.
In his column Boarman misrepresented the
character of our discussions of the stadium in so many
ways that it is impossible to correct them all in the
space available here. For example, in his first
sentence Boarman writes that "The North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics has been working
diligently with the Watts Hospital-Hillandale
neighborhood association for more than a decade on its
plan for a lighted track and soccer field."
In truth, the school spent most of that time
refusing to discuss the stadium with WHHNA after a
brief period of discussion at the end of 1997 and the
beginning of 1998. In the slightly less than nine
years since the school's plans for a stadium were
discovered in 1997, WHHNA has initiated four major
efforts to work with NCSSM to find solutions to the
problems posed by the stadium. NCSSM has unilaterally
terminated every one of those discussions over the
protests of the neighborhood association. Boarman's
characterization does not reflect the truth of the
situation.
Next Boarman writes, "Earlier this year, WHHNA
approached city officials about re-zoning the school
to meet eligibility requirements for a university,
which NCSSM understood would mean mandatory adherence
to a regulation requiring a larger buffer zone between
new development and area residences."
If the school really believed that it could be
re-zoned into a University-College district against
its wishes, a call to the city/county planning
department would have revealed that NCSSM is not
eligible for inclusion in a U-C district; that, even
if it were, it could only be placed in a U-C district
if NCSSM itself requested the change; and that even if
it were somehow placed in a U-C district, that would
not in itself inhibit construction of a lighted
stadium at NCSSM.
Next Boarman writes, "Thus, NCSSM temporarily
halted discussions. While it is natural for a
concerned citizen group to mobilize in that fashion,
WHHNA breached an implied environment of open
discussion and cooperation."
In fact, the school destroyed open discussion six
months earlier when it refused to continue to discuss
neighbors' concerns about the stadium. More
importantly, the school's claim to have felt betrayed
because WHHNA sought the help of local officials is
disingenuous, because when NCSSM cut off discussion
six months earlier, WHHNA informed them both orally
and in writing that WHHNA would seek assistance from
government bodies. Again, Boarman's characterization
does not reflect the truth of the situation.
Next Boarman writes, "Discussions have since
resumed."
What he does not say is that when the discussions
resumed, the school continued its unwillingness to
discuss neighbors' concerns about the stadium, WHHNA's
major interest.
Next Boarman writes, "Durham officials recently
corrected both parties' misunderstanding of the zoning
process. Unfortunately, WHHNA had decried the school's
misunderstanding of that zoning ordinance as a
deliberate attempt to mislead those backing the
project. Both sides learned something."
Here Boarman tries to justify misleading the
school's major donors on the grounds that the school
misunderstood an issue that Durham officials later
corrected to the enlightenment of both parties. In
fact Durham officials clarified the issue before
Boarman misled project backers, and they did so
directly to the NCSSM official principally responsible
for developing the stadium. On March 14, newspaper
articles reported the Durham Planning Director's
outrage at this deception by Boarman. Once more,
Boarman's characterization does not reflect the truth
of the situation.
This is only the beginning. Boarman's column
continues in this way with numerous additional
misrepresentations. I felt I needed to point out the
nature of these misrepresentations so people do not
get the wrong impression of our neighborhood and our
association.
The Watts-Hillandale neighborhood provides a safe
and stable environment for the NCSSM. The nearby
neighbors lead quiet lives. They maintain their
modest homes and yards. They treat each other and the
school with consideration. They engage in no activity
which harms the school or interferes with its mission
or operations in any way. All the neighbors seek is
the same consideration from NCSSM. We want the school
to have its playing field. We just want it to be
built with consideration for everyone involved,
including us.
In his next-to-last sentence Boarman writes, "Our
classrooms and residence halls demonstrate
responsibility, impeccable moral character and
open-mindedness -- and we stress the same in our
dealings with the WHHNA."
This is his chance to make that statement come
true. We urge the school to talk to us about our
concerns in an open-minded way and to be willing to
give a little bit, like any good and responsible
neighbor would.
Gus Beck is president of the Watts Hospital-Hillandale
Neighborhood Association.
*************************************************************************************************
NCSSM puts students first, values neighbors
The Herald-Sun, Durham, North Carolina
Sunday, March 26, 2006
By Dr. Gerald L. Boarman
Guest columnist
The North Carolina School of Science and
Mathematics has been working diligently with the Watts
Hospital-Hillandale neighborhood association for more
than a decade on its plan for a lighted track and
soccer field.
Earlier this year, WHHNA approached city
officials about re-zoning the school to meet
eligibility requirements for a university, which NCSSM
understood would mean mandatory adherence to a
regulation requiring a larger buffer zone between new
development and area residences. Thus, NCSSM
temporarily halted discussions. While it is natural
for a concerned citizen group to mobilize in that
fashion, WHHNA breached an implied environment of open
discussion and cooperation. Discussions have since
resumed.
Durham officials recently corrected both parties'
misunderstanding of the zoning process. Unfortunately,
WHHNA had decried the school's misunderstanding of
that zoning ordinance as a deliberate attempt to
mislead those backing the project. Both sides learned
something.
School labeled a developer
In other instances of reaching out, NCSSM has
asked to attend association board meetings and
inquired about board membership. This effort was
characterized by WHHNA as a conflict of interest. The
school was told it is considered a developer, not a
homeowner, and thus does not share the same concerns
for the value of the neighborhood. This exclusion
doesn't reflect the positive and mutual community
service projects currently underway.
The WHHNA has published that it does not oppose
the track and field itself, but discussions about
lighting have not gone well. The school is planning to
stress that low-impact lighting be the primary concern
of all vendors eventually asked to consider the
project and will spend money to ensure it happens. We
have traveled with WHHNA members to area high schools
to explore lighting alternatives and frequently
discussed the matter in regular monthly meetings.
No compromises
Unfortunately, WHHNA has made it clear it is not
as willing to compromise, per their official stance,
published March 18:
"The association is continuing to make strong
efforts to convince the school not to include athletic
lights and amplified sound systems in its planned
stadium. It is also making efforts to find ways to
block the school's plans for athletic lights through
political channels, including the School's governance
structure, the City and County zoning ordinances, and
the state legislature.
"Finally, the association also endorses all
efforts by individual neighbors, so long as they are
within the bounds of common sense and decency, to
convince the school and its governors not to include
athletic lights and amplified sound in its stadium, as
well as to convince government officials to do
whatever would be effective in blocking the school's
plans for athletic lighting."
NCSSM is very open about its plans to include
lighting on the track and soccer field. Amplified
sound is not a concern, as the school sees very little
use for it. If an event requires sound, a portable
system will be used. NCSSM feels that a recent WHHNA
idea to change the academic calendar to begin classes
as early as 6 a.m. is unreasonable and also places
athletics above academics.
Physical outlet needed
NCSSM is a residential school where the majority
of our students do not finish a class day until well
after 4 p.m. Still, that is rarely the end of their
day. Students leave campus to attend mentorships and
conduct research; they participate in campus
committees and leadership groups; they take night
classes; they serve as ambassadors to visiting
families and speakers; and they serve the campus
through work service requirements. It is these
challenges -- academic and social -- that make NCSSM
the life-changing experience that it is.
Through the addition of an on-campus track and
soccer field, with adequate lighting, we will be able
to provide our students with a much-needed physical
outlet. Volumes of research have been conducted on the
value of health and wellness for teenagers today and
NCSSM has substantially increased its initiatives in
these arenas by creating programs to encourage
consistent exercise, sleep and nutrition. A track and
additional playing field is very much a part of these
initiatives and will provide an attractive addition to
the Watts-Hillandale and Walltown neighborhoods.
Students and neighbors
NCSSM is devoted to providing its students with
the best possible learning and living experiences. A
lighted track and soccer field is a necessity in doing
so. Students are bused each day during the season to
another school's track to practice. Therefore, if the
NCSSM Foundation (a separate 501c3 entity) is willing
to provide funding, as its five-year old Odyssey
Campaign case-statement clearly includes as a goal,
then it is reasonable for the school to act on that
generosity.
Again, the school very much wants to preserve the
value of its neighboring homes, whether rented or
owned, and respects the position of the WHHNA. Of
equal importance is our concern for the project's
impact on our Walltown neighbors, with whom the school
has worked for years.
NCSSM is confident its community -- students,
parents, and alumni -- understand that its educational
mission comes first. Our classrooms and residence
halls demonstrate responsibility, impeccable moral
character and open-mindedness -- and we stress the
same in our dealings with the WHHNA.
When all is said and done, the school hopes to
see both students and neighbors walking and jogging
under the lights of the community's newest athletic
facility.
Gerald L. Boarman is president of the North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics.
****************************************************************************************************
What happened to moral values at NCSSM?
The Herald-Sun, Durham, North Carolina
Friday, March 17, 2006
By Ned Kennington
Guest Columnist
Apparently Gerald Boarman, President of N.C.
School of Science and Mathematics, has offered to
light the stadium the school plans to build at the
corner of Broad and Sprunt with only three lights
shining away from the adjacent neighborhood. I and
other neighbors would gladly accept this solution,
however, I doubt that the school would ever commit to
limiting the lighting in this way.
Instead, I think this lighting proposal is a
temporary measure designed merely to win public
acceptance of the first stage of construction of a
fully lighted stadium. (Except for lighting and sound
systems, neighbors support the stadium as it was last
described to us in 1998.)
In another case of lighting for athletic
facilities, Boarman promised in October 2004 to turn
off the lights for the proposed tennis courts at 9
p.m. in return for neighbors dropping their
opposition. The promise was made twice in front of
numerous witnesses and documented in writing.
In a March 30, 2005, Herald-Sun article, the
school again assured neighbors that play on the courts
would stop at 9 p.m. When the school recently
violated this promise by posting a policy of allowing
lights until 9:45 p.m., school representatives
acknowledged that Boarman had made the promise, but
stated that he could not be held to his promise.
Of course, people without scruples cannot be held
to their promises, but honorable people keep their
promises. This is why neighbors want firm commitments
from NCSSM instead of vague promises.
To sell the stadium to the public, Boarman has
started referring to it as a mere "soccer field and
track." However, that is not how he described the
facility in the minutes of the school's Executive
Committee last month:
"He strongly reaffirmed the school's plans to
establish the project in stages, the first of which
will be a soccer field with appropriate lights.
Natural progression will include an appropriate sound
system, seating and other necessary items to complete
a proper stadium."
I cannot be more precise about Boarman's proposal
for three lights facing away from the neighborhood,
because we neighbors can only read about such
"concessions to neighbors" in the press, since Boarman
refuses to talk to us about the stadium.
For the last year, a committee of the
neighborhood association has sought to work with the
school to find solutions to the need for lights and
sound that both the school and the neighborhood could
live with. In this time, the school has refused to
discuss the stadium, saying that it was too far in the
future to be worth discussing.
Now that the school proposes to begin
construction in April, there is suddenly no time to
discuss solutions. They try to justify this crash
construction schedule by the curious claims that a
change in athletic conference requires a stadium, and
apparently this change of conference was unforeseen
and must be accomplished as quickly as possible.
Our neighborhood association has launched four
different initiatives to talk to NCSSM about the
stadium in the last nine years, and the school has
unilaterally cut them all off.
Boarman has apparently misled the school's alumni
in order to persuade them to fund this stadium. On
March 10, two different alumni leaders told me in two
separate conversations that Boarman had assured them
that the school was regularly consulting the neighbors
regarding neighbors' concerns about the stadium. This
is not true.
Boarman has apparently misled the board of the
NCSSM Foundation, the school's fund-raising arm, in
order to stampede them into building the stadium on a
fast track. In a letter to the foundation quoted in
a March 11 newspaper article, Boarman is quoted as
saying, "If we do not move forward in our current
status, zoning regulations would, therefore, limit our
construction options."
Frank Duke, the Durham planning director, has
stated that this is not true and that Boarman's staff
knows that it is not true.
For months, NCSSM has thwarted my efforts to
find out about its plans for the stadium through its
numerous, flagrant and long-standing violations of the
Public Records law, N.C.G.S. 132.
In response to my Sept. 14, 2005, request to
examine minutes of the NCSSM Board of Trustees and
three committees of the board, the school has denied
access to a majority of the records requested; they
have not allowed access to the custodian of the
records; they have not allowed oral requests for
records; and access has been restricted to only a few
hours per week. All of these actions violate the
Public Records law.
The current administration of NCSSM has no
respect for its promises, no respect for the truth and
no respect for the law. That would not be so
important if we were dealing with a Las Vegas casino
or an energy trader like Enron, but this is the
institution that North Carolina has entrusted with
teaching the best and brightest of its youth.
What this administration is teaching by example is
that the way to get things done is to
do whatever you can get away with: Ignore your
promises. Ignore the truth. Ignore the law.
Maybe those are the lessons we want to teach our
students to get ahead in today's world, but I pray
that it not be so.
Ned Kennington is a member of the Watts
Hospital-Hillandale Neighborhood Association.
****************************************************************************************************
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
More information about the alumni
mailing list