Today’s Lexington Dispatch editorial reminds us of Davidson Vision’s true purpose:
School merger seems to be a topic that ebbs and flows. It gains momentum and discussions occur, but then little or nothing happens, and the topic dies back down only to surface again years later when something else prompts talks to begin anew.
The reason the topic remains at all, of course, is that Davidson County has three school systems: a county system and city systems in Lexington and Thomasville. That makes Davidson County unique: Only 15 city systems remain in the state, or 35 less than 30 years ago. Only four counties have two city systems in addition to a county system; 11 counties have at least two systems.
The latest salvo in the ongoing debate came from Lexington City Manager John Gray. Addressing a receptive city council Tuesday during a budget work session, Gray encouraged council members to actively support merger. Comments from council members indicated they probably will be fine with doing just that.
Gray’s comments follow the news in early February that the Davidson County commissioners had asked officials with Davidson Vision, the public/private partnership that advances the quality of life for the county, to develop a contingency plan to address merger should the state Legislature mandate it. Unlike the city council, commissioners stressed that they weren’t pushing merger; they simply wanted to be ready should it be required.
So what we have is an economic development partnership helping develop education policy. I don’t care what anybody says, that doesn’t reflect well upon educators in Davidson County.
But as far as the Dispatch is concerned, at least Davidson Vision’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing, describing it as “the public/private partnership that advances quality of life for the county.” Not “tries to advance,” not “works toward advancing.” Advances.
Thomasville City Council members Raleigh York and Dwight Cornelison would question that point of view, however.
