The Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of the NAACP is looking to engage parents and community members on local education issues as several big decisions make their way to the Board of Education.

Last week, a town hall of sorts was hosted at the public library by the NAACP, where they looked to gather public input around perceived, potential changes to the Blue Ribbon Program, Glenwood Elementary’s Mandarin dual language transition, proposed changes to the AIG program and the election of a new board member.

With these important topics on the table, and a school board meeting coming up Thursday night, the need for community input is now more crucial than ever, president of the local NAACP Anna Richards said in a recent interview.

“It’s really urgent, from our opinion. And this is why we felt it was necessary to give people an opportunity to give some input into these decisions.”

Thursday’s Board of Education agenda indicates they will be approving the process to appoint a former board member to the seat, in order, to “avoid an extensive selection process.” There are only nine months left for the seat before elections next November.

Additionally, Richards is also looking to hold board members to their commitments to closing the achievement gap in public schools, which is among the worst in the country. According to a Stanford University Center for Education Policy 2017 study, between the years 2009 and 2013, the achievement gap between white and black students in Chapel Hill was larger than other school systems in the country, only better than Berkley, California schools.

All current board members have said closing the achievement gap is a priority, Richards said.

“If you continue to expand programs that benefit some students but not others, when you have a large percentage of not only black students, but black, brown and socially disadvantaged students who are not performing at grade level, we’ve got to ask the question and get some community input on is this really where we want to spend the limited resources that we have.”

Richards said in the light of these pending board decisions, the vacant seat on the board becomes a more urgent matter. Margaret Samuels resigned as chair earlier this month, and while the board has filled her chair position with Joal Broun, there remains an empty seat.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Resident Vickie Fornville Announces Bid for CHCCS Board of Education
Chapel Hill resident Vickie Fornville has announced her entry into the crowded race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Fornville is a graduate of CHCCS and a former parent ambassador for McDougle Middle School. Fornville told Chapelboro she wants the community “to see someone who is running for the board because they […]
Educator Allison Willis Enters CHCCS Board of Education Race
Educator and Chapel Hill resident Allison Willis is entering the race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Willis is a former public school teacher and principal and current administrator whose children attend CHCCS. “I care deeply about our public schools,” Willis told Chapelboro. “And I understand the role they play in fostering […]
Chapel Hill Resident Solomon Gibson III Enters CHCCS Board of Education Race
Longtime Chapel Hill resident Solomon Gibson III has entered the race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Gibson described himself as “a strong, uncompromising supporter of the public school system and teachers.” Gibson described receiving a notice from the president of the Progressive Democrats of Orange County about the upcoming election. “He […]
Former High School Teacher Lauren Kelly Running for CHCCS Board of Education
Former educator Lauren Kelly has entered the crowded race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Kelly taught high school English within the CHCCS district during the 2022-23 school year, but said she resigned “because of censorship in education that targets LGBTQ+ students and students of color.” She told Chapelboro it was that […]
Educator Jane Gabin Enters Race for CHCCS Board of Education
Longtime educator Jane Gabin has entered the crowded race for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Gabin told Chapelboro she is a former English teacher at Chapel Hill High School whose children both graduated from East Chapel Hill High. “I had not planned to run for this post originally,” Gabin said, “But then […]
Chapel Hill Resident Meredith Ballew Running for CHCCS Board of Education
Meredith Ballew, a Chapel Hill native and graduate of Chapel Hill High School, is running for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Ballew helped lead several non-profits in New York City before moving back to Chapel Hill in 2020. More recently, she has served as a school liaison to CHCCS’ Special Needs Advisory […]
CHCCS Board of Education Hears Implementation Update on Upcoming Aligned High School Class Schedules
For Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, a new class schedule will soon go into effect for all of its high schools.
CHCCS Narrows Focus for Bond Plan; Estes Hills, Carrboro, and FPG Elementary Schools Prioritized
The CHCCS school board narrowed its focus to a facilities plan for three new elementary schools, if the $300 million bond referendum passes.
Seawell Elementary's Roxana Rojas Named 2023-24 CHCCS Teacher of the Year
Roxana Rojas, a kindergarten teacher at Seawell Elementary School in Chapel Hill, was named the 2023-24 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Teacher of the Year at the district’s Recognition Celebration on Thursday. “It is a huge honor. I am so deeply proud of this,” Rojas said. “I came to the United States when I was 5 […]
Local High School Robotics Teams Advance to Global Competition
Local robotics teams, the Eastbots and Carrborobotics, qualified to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship this week in Houston, Texas.
›