Fitzsimon File

3—number of days after Wake School Board member John Tedesco described editorial spots on WRAL-TV touting diversity as “divisive” that he told the News & Observer that he valued diversity (News & Observer, February 28, 20100

20 million—amount in dollars of cuts that must be made in Wake County Schools’ budget to respond to revenue shortfall from state funding cuts (Wake County School system)

2.1 million—amount in dollars of funding of early childhood program Project Enlightenment from Wake County Schools that John Tedesco says he will protect (News & Observer, March 1, 2010)

15.5 million—amount in dollars that Wake County Schools will lose because of recent vote by Tedesco’s Gang of Five majority to abandon existing site for new high school in Northern Wake County in favor of new site (Wake Ed Blog, February 16, 2010)

1.66 million—amount in dollars of 2008 revenue of the conservative Pope Civitas Institute, which will provide trainings for Wake School Board members if a resolution proposed by Gang of Five Chair Ron Margiotta passes Tuesday (IRS , 2008 Form 990)

1.62 million—amount of 2008 revenue of the Pope Civitas Institute contributed by the John William Pope Foundation (Ibid)

0—-number of school board trainings in the state currently provided by the Civitas Institute (Wake Ed Blog, February 27, 2010)

2—the number of sentences into the Civitas mission statement before it describes its goal of facilitating “the implementation of conservative policy solutions,” despite Civitas officials’ claims it will provide neutral training (Civitas.org)

10—number of days after November 3 elections that Margiotta was copied on email from staff members of Locke Foundation discussing possible Pope Civitas Institute training of new board members (November 13, 2009 email from John Locke Foundation to Margiotta)

39 —number of days after November election Art Pope told the News & Observer he was not directing the actions of the new school board majority (News & Observer, December 22, 2009)

573,510—-number of registered voters in Wake County (Wake County Board of Elections)

18,266—number of votes received in October election by the four candidates elected to the Wake County School Board who joined with incumbent member Ron Margiotta to create the Gang of Five (Ibid)

3.1—percentage of votes received by the four Gang of Five candidates who now claim a sweeping mandate from voters (Wake County Board of Elections)