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Cook have discussed ways for the two systems to collaborate so that students in both <br />school systems can take advantage of unique programs offered by each system. This <br />would benefit all our students and would avoid the unnecessary expense of duplicating <br />programs, services, and administrative costs. So I ask you to please create a district <br />tax for the Orange County School system, encourage the creative collaboration <br />between the City and County schools. Don't merge the two school systems. Please <br />remember that your responsibility is to act in the best interest of all our children. And at <br />this point, I don't have enough information to claim that merger is the best option for our <br />children. <br />Bobby Clapp: Hello, my name is Bobby Clapp. I have three children in the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro School system. If my interests were self-motivated this evening, I wouldn't <br />be here, quite frankly. My kids are going to be out of the high school by the time all of <br />this takes place. My interests, however, are in broader community respect that relates <br />to my wife's and my involvement in the schools and community activities. I do have a <br />few prepared comments I wanted to read to you. Let's set the context first and not be <br />distracted. There is currently a great deal of discussion, publicly and privately, <br />regarding the possibility of merging the two school systems. It's not surprising there is a <br />growing level of frustration with the concept that has drawn a lot of attention. One of our <br />community's most important assets, all of our communities -Orange County, Chapel <br />Hill, and Carrboro - is that we embrace a unique lifestyle in our approach to <br />neighborhoods and community inclusive of our schools. County and City government <br />has traditionally made broad policy and development decisions in a manner which <br />reflects our community's wishes for diversity. We need to recognize that this same <br />distinction in respect to the education of our children, in respect to the community and <br />village model of nurturing our children through the school system, and not to corporatize <br />a model that we don't want. Our elected officials will debate road projects and circus <br />animal regulation, often accepting a financial premium for a loss in order to reflect the <br />wishes of all elements of our community in such matters. The high level of scrutiny by <br />government authority regarding property development in order to protect the landscape <br />of our communities and neighborhoods is another example of the way our local <br />government has viewed our uniquely Orange County approach to lifestyle. This should <br />extend to schools, which are the backbone of our neighborhoods, and I fear that we are <br />not being consistent on this matter. Instead, we are being shaped into a merger mold. <br />The issue of the County Commission seems to have become distracted with merger <br />itself rather than equitable funding for our educational system in Orange County. The <br />issue is not merger; in fact resolving the funding issue for Orange County students is <br />long overdue. We look to the County's leadership to accomplish this. Instead of <br />focusing on the real issue of equitable funding, the public has been exposed to red <br />herrings. What are these red herrings and how are they dispelled? First, merger <br />facilitates the opportunity to fix the funding inequity. I think we've heard tonight and <br />know very well that there are other alternatives that are creative to deal with that. <br />Secondly, we hear that Orange County is one of only four counties in the State without <br />a merged school system. There are numerous examples of how our County leadership <br />has taken up issues in a way, which is contrary to other local or state governments. We <br />don't have to fit into that mold, and we've exhibited that in the past. The whole issue of <br />