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CaptionA desire for neighborhood schools continues to be a hot topic during the Wake County Board of Education's public hearings on student reassignment.
Wednesday the board heard comments and complaints from about 60 people in the Fuquay-Varina High School auditorium, during the fourth of its five hearings.
The school board members scheduled the hearings to gather public input on its newest reassignment plan, which moves about 25,000 students over three years in an effort to fill ten new schools.
But many parents say the plan places too much emphasis on another of the goals of the school board-- busing students to create socioeconomic diversity in schools.
One mother couldn't hold back her tears when she approached the podium to speak about her son's reassignment out of the elementary school in their neighborhood.
"I have never experienced reassignment like this growing up," Tara Principe said. "Simply you should be able to go to the school closest to your home, where you shop and volunteer, with your neighborhood friends."
Parent Beverly Lineberger said a reassignment could have big impacts on travel times for the families in her neighborhood.
"What's so big about 3.5 miles? My answer is 24 minutes," Lineberger asked the board. "Do you commute an hour to work? If not, why are you asking that of our children?"
The final public hearing is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at East Wake High School. You can see the whole proposal or comment online on the school system's website.
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By Sue on 01/16 08:16 AM
Let’s face it. The whole reassignment is mostly about socioeconomic diversification more than anything else. Some schools are underperforming and they are trying to relieve that by mixing up them up with those that are faring better. Why can’t anyone address the real issue of low income people simply having too many children they can’t afford to take care of which places the burden on middle and higher income people to resolve. This is the real issue not only here in NC, but everywhere in the US and no one will address it properly. If we keep throwing money towards taking care of children their own families can’t or are unwilling to take of, hopefully everyone will get a fair shot. This in turn takes so much away from responsible parents purposely moving to an area with good schools hoping for a decent education for their kids.
By Bud on 01/15 02:42 PM
The only thing that’s going to make the politicians listen is to vote them out of office and replace them with people who will respect the electorate’s wishes. That school board is destroying the school system and bankrupting the county.
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