Orange County NC Website
classrooms designated for music, science and art are becoming regular <br /> g gu r <br /> classrooms. She sees more mobile trailers in the future unless there <br /> is a bond referendum. For almost twenty years there have been no <br /> new <br /> schools built in Chapel Hill. She made reference to the rowth of 300 <br /> students a year. The high school g <br /> y g chool is serving more than 1600 students. <br /> The cafeteria is crowded and there is not adequate space for the school <br /> buses. She feels it P <br /> is necessary to build new schools to meet the <br /> educational needs of the children for several decades. They need <br /> science labs, space for the teachers, etc. y <br /> *P tc. She stated she does not look <br /> forward to higher taxes. However, she feels that there is a <br /> responsibility to house and educate children. She asked that the Board <br /> of County Commissioners get behind a bond referendum and pass it. <br /> CAROL CANTRELL, music teacher at Carrboro Elementary, stated that <br /> they have moved students with redistricting and still only have one <br /> vacant classroom. Never in 38 years have the schools ever measured up <br /> to the needs demanded of them. She spoke of many needs and emphasized <br /> that these needs are real. She made reference to Money Magazine and an <br /> editorial on how to save the schools. She believes that the citizens <br /> will support a bond referendum. <br /> CHARLES FOSKEY, former member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School <br /> Board, read a prepared statement which is in the Permanent Agenda File <br /> in the Clerk's Office. In summary, he supports the bond referendum. <br /> He asked that the Board of County Commissioners go for the May <br /> referendum date. He emphasized that equality of facilities must be the <br /> goal, not equality of construction spending. He believes the <br /> projections are real and the students are coming. Not facing up to the <br /> problem now will force Chapel Hill-Carrboro and probably Orange County <br /> as well, to spend heavily on expensive mobile classrooms which do not <br /> provide satisfactory classroom space during their relatively short life <br /> span. He stated that the modest tax increase required by this proposed <br /> bond is a much needed investment in the County's future and is mandatory <br /> if the schools are to continue the momentum for progressive education <br /> which the county has achieved in recent years. <br /> RAY SINGER, Orange County School Board Member, made several <br /> specific points. She is in favor of a school construction bond to <br /> support both systems in Orange County. She feels that in these current <br /> economic times that 66 million dollars is too high. She will not work <br /> for or support a bond issue that is not fair. This bond issue will not <br /> address the projected needs of Orange County Schools. The Board of <br /> County Commissioners has supported equity funding and although everyone <br /> supports some form of equity funding, Chapel Hill-Carrboro has indicated <br /> they are not for it if it decreases their funding. The money is not <br /> different because each penny that comes from a citizen for a bond is a <br /> penny that is not available for equal funding. She explained that even <br /> though Chapel Hill has two-thirds of the tax base, that most of those <br /> living in the Orange County system add significantly to the tax base in <br /> Chapel Hill. She questioned the definition of need. She feels there <br /> should be adequate facilities but that there must be money to support <br /> the teachers and programs. <br /> R.D. SMITH, former teacher/administrator in the Chapel Hill- <br />