RFP Staff
♦ This evening the Board of Education narrowly voted 4 to 3 to scrap SfL+A Architects’ ill-advised “nightmare scenario” to close four county elementary schools: Mt. Ulla, Morgan, Faith, and Enochville and to send our kids to low performing schools in the direction of Salisbury. Board member Dean Hunter made the motion to dismiss consideration for the school closings. Voting for ending the nightmare scenario were Chuck Hughes, Travis Allen, Dean Hunter, Josh Wagner. Voting to continue the nightmare scenario were Susan Cox, Richard Miller, and Jean Kennedy. Know that if one BoE member voted with the Nightmare Scenario members, the nightmare would continue. It still could. Know that Hughes was adamant about going forward with it only few days ago.
Unlike the previous BoE meeting where there was public commenting, tonight there was no conversation between the BoE and Rowan Rural Save Our Schools (RRSOS). RRSOS members had many unanswered questions and felt a great sense of dissatisfaction with the lopsidedness of BoE’s lopsided approach. Even though BoE claims there is no scenario 2 and 3 still very large topics of discussion such as the West Consolidation went unaddressed. The BoE are all elected to office–they need to be more responsive to the voters.
The BoE claims they are moving the location of West Consolidated to spot to be named later. Where pray tell? Is this what Woodleaf Parents really desire or do they really want to keep their school? Maybe they want to build a new “right-sized Woodleaf elementary? Does a reasonable plan to save Woodleaf Elementary exist?
RRSOS has no intention of abandoning our families from the West if they are unsatisfied with a new location. Some of those families must be wondering if we will abandon them like some members of the BoE and the Superintendent are doing. We will not forget what some parents living near the Iredell line in West Rowan sais about the long bus rides their children undergo already.
Perhaps RRSOS should host a meeting in the West before we even think about “settling”. There’s no way any of the folks in RRSOS are going to trust many in the BoE to have our best interests at heart. No way is RRSOS going to shut down its PAC and head out to sun themselves in their lounge chairs. No dawg they are going to keep working it.
Recognize this war is far from over. Wagner and Cox already showed their hand and have proven themselves untrustworthy and must be voted out in the upcoming election. Hughes has demonstrated much vacillation and frankly odd and hostile behavior. He needs to punch out and go home. It’s said that the Salisbury bankers and real estate families may run Gene Miller for the Salisbury seat. He is a natural born enemy of education and loves to toss taxpayer money at construction.
We greatly appreciate the enormous efforts of our friend Todd Paris for shaping our Rowan Rural Save Our Schools into a powerful coalition that continues to gain mass. A fist in the air for Dean Hunter and Travis Allen for recognizing the challenges this architectural firm’s alleged research and scenario 1 caused. A lion’s roar for all the RRSOS parents and concerned citizens who have come out in support.
The war is far from over. Our children’s education is in danger as long as Superintendent Moody and Anthony Vann remain on the school system’s payroll. They do the bidding of their Salisbury banking and real estate masters. The current Rowan Salisbury School System wastefully hurls money at overages and building low priority construction like the “Blunder-dome” on 500 North Main.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools grades are abysmal and scare off parents from remaining in Rowan County or coming here.
If Rowan Rural Save Our Schools didn’t shake their spears we’re certain SfL+A would’ve opened the bus doors for our kids to take the long ride to substandard education.
**More information and photos will be added to this article as they arrive.**
