A political bloodbath in Moore County

grabIf you thought the decision by Pat McCrory, Dan Forest, Thom Tillis, Richard Burr and the rest to endorse Craig Collins for NCGOP chairman was the biggest political miscalculation of the year, you haven’t kept up with the drama around the school board in Moore County.  An early morning coup orchestrated by a faction of the board and some key school administrators — that led to the firing of the Moore County schools superintendent — has brought out the torches and pitchforks like we haven’t seen them since the rise of the Tea Party movement in 2009.

Three of the school board members who voted to fire the superintendent — Kathy Farren, Sue Black, and Ben Cameron — have all resigned their seats on the board.  (Activists are still working on obtaining resignations from the remaining two.)

State Rep. Jamie Boles helped obtain a temporary restraining order keeping the board from hiring an interim superintendent.  Boles is also working with Senator Jerry Tillman to get some legislation passed that addresses the recall of school board members.

mooreOur local media — for far too long — has simply published press releases from the school system, or downplayed a lot of the system’s important work.  Keeping the people in the dark only works for so long.  This issue — arrogant overpaid bureaucrats flexing their muscle to trump the will of the voters — was something people could wrap their heads around.  And boy have they.

The lesson here?  Pay attention BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the election.  The driveby traditional media cannot be counted on to keep watch for you.

Politicians tend to behave and do the right thing when they believe the pitchforks and burning torches crowd is right around the corner.  They — and the bureaucrats — work for US.  We need to ensure they never, never, never again forget this.