THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 22, 1997 TAG: 9702220321
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 114 lines
Dare County commissioners put members of the Dare County Board of Education on the hot seat for almost four hours Friday over a proposed bond issue to update school facilities.
The commissioners grilled members of the education panel on numerous issues, with questions ranging from taxes to equal curriculum to racial balance.
The meeting between the two boards was billed as a joint workshop to try to reach common ground on a proposed $59.5 million school construction bond issue. But in a sometimes-heated meeting, members of the county governing board did most of the talking.
Some commissioners - including Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. - urged some rethinking on the controversial plan, particularly when it comes to renovation, repairs and the needs of Hatteras Island.
Owens, along with Commissioner Richard Johnson, pressed the School Board on the issue of equal curriculum for all. A frustrated Johnson at one point said, ``This is like trying to get an eel out of a mudhole.''
About 50 people sat in on the debate, and they were allowed to question the educators in the evening after a break for supper.
Owens asked if School Board members thought ``Cape Hatteras High School has as good a curriculum as Manteo High School?''
Replied School Board member Loretta Michael: ``They do not have all the classes. But with the technology, the opportunity is there. I don't feel Cape Hatteras is being shortchanged.''
Retorted Owens: ``You should have said that to the people of Hatteras Island. They feel they are being shortchanged. What happens to Cape Hatteras and Manteo High when you build a third high school on the beach?''
Johnson questioned School Board Chairwoman Donna Buxton on the location of a district line for the proposed high schools in Manteo and on the beach. At this point, the board has drawn no such line. Johnson also grilled the school panel on the need for a third Dare County high school.
Buxton, however, said that a district line was not the board's primary concern.
``What we've said is that our major concern is to provide the best possible curriculum for all the children of Dare County,'' she said. ``We can't decide now what the line will be. In four years there may be a whole new board here that's not bound by what we do.''
School officials also responded to delays in maintenance programs, particularly roof repairs.
``If I live 100 years, I don't want to hear `deferred maintenance' again,'' Superintendent Leon Holleman said. ``Over the past 3 1/2 years, we've spent $5.6 million on maintenance. I've heard it said we can't take care of our toys. But we can't make new toys without a great deal more money.''
Commissioner Geneva Perry offered a plan to take some $7 million for deferred maintenance and renovation, as well as money for additional classrooms, out of the bond package while including a new beach high school and other new construction. She urged the School Board to be more flexible. The projects taken out of the package would be funded by Certificates of Participation, which would not have to be approved by a countywide vote.
``I'm not arguing with any project, or the need of a high school on the beach,'' Perry said. ``I think we could address the immediate needs through COPS, and put new construction in the bond issue. I just think we need to get down to what's at the core of this bond. And that's a new high school.''
Perry expressed concern about being flexible.
``I do not feel we have been offered any alternative,'' she said. ``I hope the School Board's proposal is not etched in stone. But I really think we need to revisit the idea of a K-2 school in Manteo and a new elementary school for Hatteras.''
Perry said a re-evaluation of the projects ``may make things a little more palatable to the voters.''
``I think some of the things were put into the bond package in order to assure some votes,'' Perry said. ``But I think if we get a more level playing field, then we can put it out to a vote, and end some of this divisiveness. But we need to revisit the K-2 school in Manteo and an elementary school in Hatteras.''
Perry added, ``I'm very disappointed in what was included for Cape Hatteras in this.''
The School Board also addressed the issue of racial balance in schools, if a new high school on the beach is approved.
``We don't have a written policy,'' said Buxton. ``Our goal is that we don't care what color a child is, if he moved here last week or his family has been here for three generations, we simply want the best possible education for every child in the county.''
Commissioner Cheryl Byrd, however, said that racial balance would be achieved by splitting the grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 until both high schools north of Oregon Inlet had adequate populations to support equal curriculum.
The long debate indicated there are more rivers to cross before a May 20 bond referendum is approved by the commissioners.
Owens called for a more deliberate approach by both boards. And he cautioned that Dare County may also face tax hikes beyond the bond issue for pay raises for law enforcement and a youth center.
``We may be looking at a 3-5 cent tax increase on top of the bond issue,'' Owens said.
Like other board members, Owens called for a review of school priorities.
``I'm hearing first a beach high school, second add classrooms, third repair and renovate,'' Owens said. ``But I'd like to get it in reverse order. I'm not opposed to a beach high school. But this is not a `convenient school' issue for parents. This is for our children.''
Owens urged the School Board to get more input from teachers and students. He said he had heard of teachers being threatened with transfer or termination if they spoke out on the bond issue. And, he referred to a student poll in the Manteo High newspaper ``Sound to Sea'' which showed students favoring one high school.
``The superintendent of the State Department of Public Instruction said teachers should have a bigger role in making decisions,'' Owens said. ``The kids don't care where the school is, they just want to be together.''
Owens reminded the board of the fragile nature of the community.
``Last summer, Emerald Isle and Topsail Beach lost their entire tax base. We've got to be prepared. Let's get on with this. But let's go through it thoroughly.''
MEMO: MEETING REPLAY
Friday's meeting will be replayed at 4 p.m. today and at 7 p.m. Sunday
on Government Access Channel 20.