Wake school board member's dumbassery goes national (02-19-2025--Hour1)

[00:00:04] What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to 3 on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepetekalendershow.com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button, get every episode for free, right to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for your support.

[00:00:28] Nary a flake in the skies, at least here in West Charlotte. That will probably change, but it's probably not going to be very bad. There may be ice, Satan slushy, if you will, the wintry mix. We don't really get a ton of snow. We get snow and then we get ice. It freezes overnight.

[00:00:56] I'm more worried about tomorrow morning. You know, tonight when everything starts freezing and then into tomorrow morning, that's really what I'm more concerned about. Yeah. And so I had a question as to whether or not we would be initiating Operation Snowman on the street. I do not intend to do so today just because, well, see previous comments about Nary a snowflake.

[00:01:25] And so I feel like, you know, I don't want to unnecessarily alarm people. I know, even though I'm in the media, but I don't want to unnecessarily alarm people. I mean, the schools are already remote and that really stinks just because they're all remote. And so they still have to go to school, but they got to do it on their smartphones. And I don't know if they have to keep wearing the mask at home while they're on the smartphone.

[00:01:54] But regardless, I feel bad for the kids. They don't get snow days anymore. You know, I mean, not that this is a snow day. I mean, it's I think you got to have snow for it to be a snow day. And so I don't really feel comfortable calling it that. By the way, we're going to get into some of the the renaming of all things in the third hour. Stacey Matthews will join us. But first, I want to start at a speaking of schools.

[00:02:21] I want to start with the woke count. Sorry, Wake County Board of Education. All right. So there's a bit of a chronology that is important here. First off. The school board up there had a meeting on February 4th, I believe.

[00:02:43] And it was at this meeting that the board members discussed, you know, all of the terribleness of one Elon Musk and his and his efforts to root out the waste, fraud and abuse. How dare he? This was all part of the doge and still is ongoing, still is ongoing. And so there is a school board member in woke count.

[00:03:13] Sorry, Wake County. And his name is Sam Hershey. As and as I understand it, he does not make chocolate. I don't know if he is related to the chocolatier, but that's his name, Sam Hershey. And he is a board member on the woke county school board. Sorry, Wake County School Board. I don't know why I keep saying that, but actually I do.

[00:03:42] So Sam Hershey. Got a bit of national publicity. After he made the following comments at this school board meeting back on February 4th. Lastly, because it's Black History Month, I think it's a good time to talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. And I really want to highlight, as Dr. N. mentioned, we're celebrating 250 next year, that for 250 years,

[00:04:10] I think it's really important to talk about people being hired based on their skin color. And for 250 years, it has been mediocre white men who have been hired based on their skin color. And those are facts. I mean, that's, you know, I've heard people say DEI is racist. If that's what you believe, you know nothing about diversity, equity and inclusion, and you know nothing about racism, and that speaks to you as a human being.

[00:04:40] You know, within Wake County, how does that impact a school system? It's ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion ensures that our kids who need more help get more help. It ensures that kids, our black and brown kids who have not had the same educational opportunities over the course of the 249 years of this country, get those opportunities. And it's without lowering standards. That's the thing that drives me nuts the most.

[00:05:09] That's being real, and I've said this before, people who throw around DEI hire is they're just replacing the N-word with DEI hire. That's what they want to say. We get it. You guys are all losers. Sorry. No, no, not anybody in here. I'm not talking about anybody in here. It's what I hear on TV when we had the plane crash and you had people on TV questioning, should I see a black pilot? Do I think they're a DEI hire?

[00:05:37] No, that's racism, you know, to think that way. And I have to edit my language real quick. I was about to get in trouble with the chair. Oh, my goodness. Calm down, Sam. My goodness. So passionate. So first off, he says there that those are the facts, mediocre white men.

[00:06:00] He called them facts, that mediocre white men have been hired based on their skin color for 250 years. I'm not exactly sure. I think he may have been referring to himself to some degree. I'm not kidding about that. I've got a quote in here where he kind of says that. So I'm not really sure what he's talking about, but mediocre white men. I'm not really sure what mediocre means either.

[00:06:27] I'm not really sure why you'd be like lumping this into a discussion about Elon Musk and Doge and Black History Month and such. But he also said, you know nothing about DEI. And it's basically just, you know, when you say DEI hire that that is a stand in for the N word. And that's what you really want to say. And you're a loser.

[00:06:56] You're a racist and a loser. This is a school board member. And then he says, the biggest lie, that DEI does all that it does without lowering standards. But that is precisely the problem. It does. That's why people oppose it, is that you've swapped out a merit-based system for a system that waits,

[00:07:26] that gives, you know, preferential treatment to certain protected classes, certain categories, certain characteristics of a person that they have no control over, particularly race, right? And what's more, they're illegal. These laws or DEI policies, I should say, are illegal. Because you are, in fact, not hiring people or, you know, hiring people.

[00:07:53] You're discriminating against them based on their race and their sex. So you are, in fact, violating the law. And that's the problem. It's no different. And this is, see, embedded in this argument is what Ibram X. Kendi, who was the celebrated, you know, intellectual leader, and I do use that term very loosely,

[00:08:18] the intellectual leader of the anti-racism fever that spread right around the COVID time period. Ibram X. Kendi wrote the book, How to Be Anti-Racist, but could never really define what anti-racist meant. He just said anti-racism is like when you behave in an anti-racist way. It's just stupid. He has no intellectual heft.

[00:08:45] But he did get a whole bunch of money, tens of thousands of dollars, for doing a Zoom call with Charlotte Mecklenburg School's leaders. And at the heart of Kendi's argument has been that the way to solve past discrimination is current discrimination.

[00:09:08] In other words, it's a reparations type of argument that because discrimination occurred before, the only way to fix it or to correct it is to discriminate now, even though he says that really won't actually correct it either, because there really isn't anything that you could ever do to make up for the discrimination that somebody not related to you 50, 60, 70, 100, 200 years ago did. See, it's all very intellectual.

[00:09:39] And the point is that it does lower the standards, and that's the concern that people have. And it also damages the very people who get hired. And he makes a reference to that. I'll pick it up there in a minute. And then, of course, the fallout that occurred. Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina, just a quick drive up the mountain? And Cabins of Asheville is your connection. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon,

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[00:11:06] and make memories that'll last a lifetime. I am getting some pushback about the lack of the snowman on the street segment here. I'm not turning over all my coverage to what is right now a non-existent weather event. It may be coming. It may not. I don't know. I can't tell the future. But the people who say they can, they tell me it's not really even going to hit here. And I feel like, okay, so Benjamin says, come on, man.

[00:11:35] We need snowmen on the street today. Not cool to cancel this arbitrarily. And then he says, it is coming soon. And if you're not terrified, you're not doing your job. Right. Like, if you're not scared, I'm not doing my job. Right. That is, I understand. But we've got other stuff to get to. I've not, I'm not forswearing it. I'm not saying it's not going to happen. I'm just saying, as of right now, we're not activating it. We're not activating it.

[00:12:06] Because I can only take so many phone calls of people telling me nothing's happening. You know? And that number is zero. I don't want to take any phone calls of people telling me nothing is happening. So. All right. Where was I? Oh. Talking about the mediocre white men. Not the meatier than okra. White men. Uh. So. You can tell Bernie's got a kid now because he's all about the dad jokes. So. Um. Sam Hershey. School board member.

[00:12:36] Up in Wake County. And. He. Goes after. People. Uh. Conservatives. Let's be honest. He's going after conservatives. Uh. Who. Are opposed to DEI. And this. You know. Infection. In all institutions. And. Uh. Businesses. The corporate world. Uh. Just in everything. In academia. Everywhere. And. You know. He mentions. Oh. And people say. DEI hire. They really want to say the N word.

[00:13:06] But they just can't. And this is something the leftists say all the time. Because in their minds. That word. Comes to their mind. Immediately. For some reason. I don't know why. But for some reason. It pops into their head. Whenever. Somebody says something about. I guess. A black individual. And. I don't know why. Again. It pops into their head. When discussing a black individual. I think that might say. More about them. Than it does about the people they're. Attacking. But. Here's the problem. And. By the way.

[00:13:35] This is the argument made by. Black intellectuals. Who are opposed. To affirmative action. Uh. Guys like Glenn Lowry. Coleman Hughes. For example. Thomas Sow. Is that it actually harms the people. That you claim to be trying to help. Because. When. You lower standards. To admit in. Any group of people. It doesn't matter who that. Group is. But when you. Like. You could be talking about. Female firefighters. For example.

[00:14:04] That can't pass the physical test. That the men have to pass. That kind of thing. And so. When you lower the standards. And everybody. In that profession. Knows the standards. For entry. Have been lowered. They then. Look. Suspiciously. Upon. Anybody. For whom the standards. Were lowered. Right. They're. They're going to look at the female firefighter. Even if she made the men's standards. Even if she met.

[00:14:34] The same standard. As all the dudes. The dudes are going to look at her. And think. Differently. At first. Now maybe they get. You know. Disabused of that. At some point. We hope so. But that is what people. Will automatically think. Because. You have made it a policy. To try to. Help out. Certain groups of people. To discriminate against. Other groups of people. And so you're doing damage.

[00:15:03] To the very people. That now have to walk around. Even though they've met. The same standard. They got to walk around. And. They have to be subjected. To this idea. They somehow. Don't cut the mustard. When in fact. They do. But because your policy. People are suspicious. That they actually did. And then he got a whole bunch. Of national coverage. And. The tune changed. A little bit. All right. If you're listening to this show.

[00:15:31] You know I try to keep up with all sorts of current events. And I know you do too. And you've probably heard me say. Get your news from multiple sources. Why? Well because it's how you detect media bias. Which is why I've been so impressed with Ground News. It's an app. And it's a website. And it combines news from around the world in one place. So you can compare coverage. And verify information. You can check it out at check.ground.news. Slash Pete. I put the link in the podcast description too.

[00:16:00] I started using Ground News a few months ago. And more recently. Chose to work with them as an affiliate. Because it lets me see clearly. How stories get covered. And by whom. The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by the left and the right. See for yourself. Check.ground.news. Slash Pete. Subscribe through that link. And you'll get 15% off any subscription. I use the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription then not only helps my podcast.

[00:16:29] But it also supports Ground News. As they make the media landscape more transparent. Uh. Alrighty. So Sam Hershey. Board member. Wake County Schools. I played you the sound bite. What he said the other day. This was February 4th. And then on Valentine's Day. A little old Twitter account called Libs of TikTok. Gets wind of his video. Posts his video. And says. Meet Sam Hershey.

[00:16:57] Board member at Wake County Public Schools in North Carolina. He went on a racist rant. And said for 250 years. It has been mediocre white men. Who have been hired based on their skin color. He also claims that people who use the term DEI hire. Are just saying the N word. And are racist. These are the people in charge of your kids education. That's what Libs of TikTok posted. And this is always hilarious to me. Is that the left gets so angry. With this account. Libs of TikTok. When Libs of TikTok.

[00:17:27] All it does is just as the name indicates. It just posts what they say. It takes their videos. Things that they say. Usually. Like self-recorded. Posted to their public accounts. And Libs of TikTok just says. Hey look at this. And then everybody's like. Oh my gosh. You said what? And then the Lib. Who's on the video. Is like. Oh my gosh. I'm being attacked. Well yeah. Because you said something really stupid. Like Sam Hershey.

[00:17:58] So. The News and Observer. Does a story. This is by the education reporter. Kyung Hui. And their headline is. Wake school board member gets threats. And anti-Semitic insults. For supporting DEI. Once again. Remember. Journalism in. Rule number two. Right. When the scandal involves. Or is about. A Democrat. Then. The story that the media will report.

[00:18:27] Is about the Republican reaction. To that scandal. Now. If it's a Republican scandal. Then. The story is the scandal. But if it's a Democrat scandal. Then the story is. How are the Republicans responding. And that is what we see here. A Wake County school board member. Is receiving threats. And anti-Semitic insults. After national coverage. Of his speech. Accusing DEI critics. Of being racists. And mediocre white men. School board member. Sam Hershey. Said at the February 4th. Board meeting.

[00:18:57] That mediocre white men. Have been hired for 250 years. Solely due to their skin color. And that critics. A DEI. In place of using a racial slur. Against black people. Fox News. Aired a story Thursday. So after libs of TikTok. Promoted it. Fox News picked it up. And Fox. Asked if Hershey. Would be reprimanded. By the school district. Of course not. Libs of TikTok. Which has been labeled. As extremist. By the Southern. Southern Poverty Law Center. Why are you still quoting.

[00:19:27] That organization. Kung Hui. Why are you still quoting. Kung Hui. Sorry. Why are you still quoting him? They're leftist. Activists. They have. Burned. Any credibility. That that organization. Used to have. But. That's how you. Extremist. Libs of TikTok. Is extremist. Because it. Posts. Videos. Of leftists. That's what makes this.

[00:19:57] Account. Extremist. Libs of TikTok. Accused Hershey. Of making a racist rant. In a post. On X. Previously called Twitter. The post went viral. Drawing more than. 150,000 views. And 1,300 reposts. In its first two hours. So what does Sam Hershey say? He says quote. I regret that this story. Is taking attention away. From our schools. And that it's taking attention away. From the potential. Devastating impact.

[00:20:26] That cutting federal funding. Would have on public schools. Across this country. If that were to happen. No. No. You caused the distraction. Dumbass. You did it. It's not the reporting. Of your dumbassery. It's you. But this is classic. Crisis management. By leftists. They always say. Oh don't focus on the thing. That I did. That's just a distraction. Distraction. All the hullabaloo. About what I did. Is just a distraction.

[00:20:56] See. If you hadn't have said. The stupid thing. There wouldn't be. The hullabaloo. But you said. A very stupid thing. In fact. A couple very stupid things. All at once. And. You prompted the reaction. It's not a distraction. Particularly because. The thing you said was stupid. But you're also. A school board member. And you are charged. With directing the education. Of the children. That is a very vital role.

[00:21:26] In our society. And so. The heat you are getting. For saying stupid things. Specifically. These stupid things. That are. About education. Right. That's why people are mad. Is because. You're in charge. Of educating. Their kid. He then goes on to say. Where we are as a country. When it comes to education. Is not the fault of one party. Or the other. Both have been in power. Over the last two decades.

[00:21:55] And the only way. We improve. So now he's like. I'm above this partisan rancor. He's a Democrat. Of course. But like. I. I'm not engaged in the. The partisan politics. He says. The only way. To improve academic outcomes. Across the country. Is to be working together. If we decide to do that. In a meaningful way. We can give all of our students. The opportunity. To succeed. See. So. Unity. Let's have some unity. You racist losers.

[00:22:24] Let's all get together. And unify. Racists. They don't even know. They don't even know. How transparent this is. This crap doesn't work. Sam. It doesn't work. I don't know what you think. You're saying. I don't know why you think. This is helpful. It's not. Although. He did come back. At the next board meeting. And issued another. Statement. That he read. He read a statement.

[00:22:53] At the next board meeting. We'll take a listen to it. All right. I hope you had a. Happy holiday season. But tell me if something like this. Happened at your house. Your family and friends. Are gathered around. Maybe y'all are in the living room. You're laughing. Swapping stories. Reminiscing. And then somebody says. Hey dad. Remember those old VHS tapes. Did you ever get them transferred. And then the room gets all quiet. All eyes are on dad. Who says. Oh you know. Well I've been meaning to. But I just haven't gotten around to it. Look.

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[00:23:53] So do what I did. Trust the experts. At create a video. Conveniently located in Mint Hill. Right off I-485. And online. At createavideo.com. Sam Hershey. He's a school board member up in Wake County. So. He says the stupid things at the board meeting. He gets the national coverage. Which by the way. He posted about. Not on Twitter. Because. You know. Elon Musk. So he's over at Blue Sky. Which is where all the leftists have fled to.

[00:24:22] So they can all. You know. Censor people at will. Over there. And make that just like a ghost town. Of social media platforms. But. So he. And he goes by the handle. Schoolboard Sam. So. Schoolboard Sam. He posted. With a screenshot. Of the Fox News website. Showing. His. Video. As one of the stories. And he says. Look at me. I mean. Literally. He says. Look at me. Look at me. Look at me. Look at me. Making Fox News.

[00:24:52] So far. It's mostly just insults. With a couple of threats. Good times. So. That's like a humble brag. And a poor me. All rolled up into one manipulative tweet. Or sorry. What do they call it over at the Blue Sky? They call it a blue? That what they call it? Or a sky? A cloud? What do they call it? I don't know. Doesn't matter. So. Hershey. Then. Attends another meeting. After all of the swirl. Has been percolating. For a couple of days.

[00:25:22] Again. This all kind of blew up. On Valentine's Day. So not even a week ago. And then Hershey. Makes. Another statement. At an. At a school board meeting. Here it is. I want to acknowledge everyone. Who showed up tonight. Whether with words of support. Or with constructive criticism. From me or this board. It's crucial in preserving. Our democracy. That all people continue to have. The guaranteed first amendment right. To address their government. I am above you. I want Eric Shepard to know. That I took his words to heart.

[00:25:51] And I want to personally apologize to him. I could have made the same points. Two weeks ago. By being more nuanced. And without coming across. As demeaning. To anyone. Mr. Shepard. And to those who feel. I demean their own life. I am sorry. And those are my comments. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Hershey. I don't know who Eric Shepard is. A public speaker. I'm assuming. Someone who came there. But. So he apologizes. For it. Do I. Do I accept the apology? Nah.

[00:26:22] Nah. Not really. Hershey made that original speech. In response to Trump signing executive orders. Removing DEI policies. And staff. From federal agencies. And threatening to withhold federal funding. From schools that promote discriminatory. Equity. Ideology. Coincidentally. The acronym there is DEI. On Friday. Elon Musk's. This according to the News and Observer. Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Announced that the U.S. Department of Education.

[00:26:50] Has notified all 50 state education agencies. That they have 14 days. To remove DEI programming. In all public schools. Or face loss. Of federal funding. Musk also personally weighed in. On Hershey's remarks. Saying Friday night. In a post on X. That quote. He is in for a rude awakening. Now the school board chair. Told the News and Observer. That there are no plans. To reprimand Hershey.

[00:27:19] We don't have a policy. Or a practice. Regarding that. He said. It would be breaking new ground. One thing board members could do. Is adopt a code of conduct. Or board expectation. How do you not have a code of conduct? My HOA has a board of conduct. How do you. How do you not have a code of conduct. At the Wake County School Board. What are you even doing up there? Chris Haggerty. Echoed Hershey's comments.

[00:27:48] That the attention on the remarks. Has distracted people. There you go. Away from issues. Such as potential federal education funding cuts. The cuts are coming. To you. If you don't. Dismantle. The discriminatory DEI policies. If you. If you do. As the. This is the problem. When you take federal funds. You got to play by their rules. I have been warning the lefties about this. For. My entire professional career.

[00:28:17] When you. Agree. To take the grants. To take the funds. You now have to do. What your paymaster says. So if you don't want to be beholden. Then don't take the money. Wake School Board members. Have expressed concerns. About how Trump is planning to dismantle. The U.S. Department of Education. Because God forbid. We operate without the Department of Education. Like we have been operating for most. Almost all of the.

[00:28:47] History of the United States of America. Right. The Department of Education. Was set up like. I think within my lifetime. So. I'm pretty sure. We'll be able to educate kids. In fact. I would almost wager. I'm not a betting man. But if I were a betting man. I would wager. That will have better outcomes. And I just base that. Off of the fact that. Since the Department of Education. Was created. Our student academic performance. Has declined. So.

[00:29:15] I'm not saying it's causation. I'm just saying there. There obviously is some sort of. Coincidental dynamic going on there. So if I had to make a bet. I would say. Yeah. Just let the states keep the money. Mr. Hershey is. This is what the school board chief says. Mr. Hershey. Is passionate about his beliefs. And he has a first amendment right. To express them. But I regret how this has distracted us. From urgent issues. Facing our public schools.

[00:29:45] Hershey then says. In a statement to the news and observer. As I move past this news cycle. That I have no desire. To be a part of again. I will be focused on. What our schools need to succeed. Things like needing to pay teachers more. Which help fill vacancies. Highly qualified people. Additional funding. And special education. The need for federal government. To step up. When it comes to feeding our students. A nutritious breakfast and lunch. These are just a few items. And as I said. If we decide to work together. As a country. We can dramatically improve.

[00:30:14] Academic outcomes for all students. And that is the ultimate goal. In education. Right. And that is what. Eliminating DEI. Is aimed at doing. Now you may disagree. Hershey. You may disagree. That eliminating DEI. Will actually. Focus these education agencies. On their core mission. Which is to educate. Right. Rather than to engage in the social justice activism. You can disagree with that. But you're not in charge anymore.

[00:30:44] You're not in charge of this. You guys lost. Trust. And maybe just consider for a moment. That the people who do believe. That dismantling this discriminatory framework. Will improve. Educational outcomes. Because it will focus the educate. The educators. On. On their core mission. That maybe they have the same goal. Which is to educate the kids. And maybe. Just having that difference of opinion.

[00:31:13] Doesn't make them racists or losers. Because his apology. Was basically. I'm sorry if I offended you. He's not sorry he said it. He just says. I could have chosen my words better. He still thinks you're racists and losers. All right. That'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. I could not do the show without your support. And the support of the businesses. That advertise on the podcast. So if you'd like. Please support them too. And tell them you heard it here.

[00:31:42] You can also become a patron. At my Patreon page. Or go to thepetecalendorshow.com Again. Thank you so much for listening. And don't break anything while I'm gone.