OCS Truth started as a public awareness project by a few local parents. It quickly grew to hundreds of local citizens, including many parents as well as citizens without children in the public school system. Over time, we found support from local citizens across diverse political, social, and sociological spectrums. This included Republicans, Democrats, LGBTQ families, as well as citizens and families from many racial and ethnic backgrounds.

We've come to realize that, for most citizens, our schools are a reflection of our community as a whole. The success or failure of our schools has a substantial impact on the future of our community. Many people, beyond those directly involved, have a significant stake in how our schools perform in preparing the next generation to be successful, and ultimately happy.

As we move forward, we want our name to represent who we are and what we stand for.

OCS Truth is now:

OCCIE
Orange County Citizens for
Integrity through Engagement

We've also adopted the following mission statement:

Our mission is to promote and facilitate civic engagement for the purpose of protecting public values, cultivating unity, and enacting positive change in our community.

The change in our name represents a recognition that all citizens have a stake, and even a role, in the way our community is governed. The new name also highlights our focus on two ideals that can facilitate positive transformation:

Integrity

The word "integrity" has two important meanings related to our name:

1) Integrity means wholeness, strength, and solvency.

In other words, integrity means we actually are what we purport to be. It means we have the true capacity to fulfill what we promise. It means we achieve the function that our mandates ask of us. 

This is in alignment with North Carolina's motto: "Esse quam videri", which means "to be, rather than to seem".

For our schools, this means truly preparing our community's children to succeed.

2) Integrity means moral uprightness and standing for good principles. 

This applies to elected officials, public servants, and citizens alike. Each of us, and the organizations we're a part of, can contribute to our community's integrity by being transparent, focusing on issues instead of individuals, and by standing up for what we know is right (even if it means being misunderstood by some).

Engagement

Civic engagement is a cornerstone of American culture and of our democracy.

As citizens, we have a responsibility to:

  • Identify issues that are important. 
  • Raise awareness in our community.
  • Work with elected officials to protect public values.
  • Work outside of the political process to protect public values.

The name "OCS Truth" served a good purpose in a time of need. As we move forward with the name OCCIE, we renew our commitment, with the long view in mind, to fullfill our mission to enact positive change in Orange County.