The News & Observer has posted an email sent to Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce members about the decision by the Democrats who control the Wake County school board to reverse course and return to the old diversity-based school assignment policy. Below is part of what CEO Harvey Schmitt wrote to members. You can read the entire email here.
Prior to the meeting we shared with the Board our concerns about reopening this discussion without giving the current plan an opportunity to be thoroughly evaluated and creating new community uncertainty. Based on our research we believe that an address based approach advocated in the directive will require mandatory assignment to fill schools. As you will recall this was a major sticking point under the old plan as parents were concerned about stability and about arbitrary assignments. With a sizeable majority of parents satisfied with the current choice plan we anticipate a change will create disruption among a new group of stakeholders. The problem remains inadequate school capacity, an issue to be discussed in the months ahead as we look at school construction bond in 2013.
