Minutes - 20031204 - Laserfiche WebLink

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that the tax rate would stay the same. So we ga through all of this, all of the discussions, all of the debates. Where is the benefit to the students and the parents and all the people within Chapel Hill-Carrboro? I've heard no discussion on that. Third point is in the proposals. Let me speak about Commissioner Cordon's proposal. I like the idea that this is actually an idea to ask the citizens to vote on a proposal and for a tax change. That, I think, is very positive. The task forces, now we're talking about additional study. We've been at this for about a year. Additional study, bringing in consultants, we're not going to be paying for consultants. I'm not sure that's going to help, and particularly if that's a back way in to removing the word "merger" and talking about consolidation. It's clear that this combination idea or merger idea is not a consensus. Finally, on Commissioner Carey's proposal, I think the voice of the people have been heard particularly here tonight. The lack of support, I think it's definite for the idea of merger. And I think that we ought to stop that process and put this discussion behind us and move on to the funding that the Orange County district needs to have in order to bring the funding back up for their students. That's the issue. Leslie Lee: I'm here representing the Mary Scroggs Elementary School Parent Advocacy Committee. Based on a recent survey of our school community, the Scroggs Parent Advocacy Committee opposes merger of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County school systems at this time as a solution to the current funding disparity, and opposes Commissioner Corey's proposal to hold a merger vote this coming February. We do, however, support Commissioners Brown and Jacobs' proposal to create an Educational Excellence Task Force to review the operations of each school system with the goal of increasing cooperation between the two systems and the cost-efficiency of each. But we are concerned about the Central Administrative office reflecting a first step towards and eventual merger or at the very least, an unnecessary building expense. Likewise, we are concerned about the proposed joint preschool program and the transportation issues such a facility would present for the districts andlor families. Finally, the Parent Advocacy Committee support Commissioners Jacobs' and Cordon's proposals to determine whether voters wish to implement a Countywide supplemental tax as an immediate step towards increasing funds for the Orange County schools. I would also like to say something personally and not as a representative of the Scroggs PAC. And that is that I feel that sometimes there seems to be a lack of perspective in this discussion. And I particularly take exception to the phrases of civil liberties and social injustice. I grew up in a third world country. I've seen real social injustice and I've seen real poverty, and I've seen rights denied. And I feel that nobody is denying anybody an education, and in fact, most students in this County receive a good education. And I don't think there is a social injustice. I think that lack of shelter, or food, or medication to people in third world countries or poor towns is a social injustice. But to have a discussion about two school systems that are at the top of the State in terms of funding doesn't seem to me to be an issue of social injustice. All these cases that have been referred to us about Supreme Court decisions, I wonder were they dealing with two school systems that are by all accounts highly funded, or were they dealing with situations that were truly unequal. And finally, I'd like to say that I'm tired of being insulted. I'm tired of being told that I'm elitist, that I'm a segregationist, that I'm racist, that I'm condescending and arrogant and prejudiced by people who don't know me; who don't know any of my neighbors. I have not heard anybody in Chapel Hill who would deny Orange County additional funding. So I want this discussion to take on a different tone. And maybe collaboration is not the solution, but I think that increased