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UNION COUNTY, NC – A big decision Tuesday night in Union County as the redistricting fight takes a new turn.
More than 100 parents showed up at the Board of Education’s work session at the Public Development Center in Monroe.
Many parents were hoping the school board would accept money from county commissioners to buy mobile classrooms, but that didn’t happen.
The school board said “no thank you”, and voted unanimously to decline the $3 million offered up by the county to build 49 mobile classrooms. The money was intended to stop or delay redistricting.
The school board chairman says the money has stipulations attached that would take funds from other needed areas.
The county commission chair posted on Facebook Tuesday night during the work session that there were not strings attached to the money.
“They’re unprofessional, they’re doing this all politically. They all have political agendas that are not looking at the kids,” said Heidi Rhyne, a Wesley Chapel resident.
“It’s frustrating to hear that redistricting is still the direction they want to head in. That’s the vibe getting,” said Dan Gingrich, a Waxhaw resident.
The meeting quickly turned into a Q&A with the superintendent about options to relieve overcrowding. Grandfathering all students in, with transportation to and from school left to the parents, is one option.
“Not everyone can do that, but a lot of neighbors are willing to take other kids so they can stay at the school they’re used to,” said Rhyne.
Other ideas were thrown into the mix, so the chairman asked the superintendent’s staff to research and report back to the board next Thursday.
Parents say the issue is too important to rush.
“Really what they need to do between now and April first is just decide not to do anything, and take the next year to decide what the right solution is,” said Mary Beth Riney, a Wesley Chapel resident.
