Morrisville rejects resolution supporting neighborhood schools

Don't look for the Morrisville Town Council to back the new Wake County school board majority's move toward neighborhood schools.

As noted in Sunday's Cary News, the Morrisville Town Council voted 4-3 to remove from last week's meeting agenda a resolution supporting parental choice and neighborhood schools. Democrats account for five of the seven seats on the council with one Republican and one unaffiliated member.

"I don't feel that the council should be endorsing the actions of other government bodies," said Councilman Steve Diehl, who led the charge to remove the resolution from the agenda.

The resolution had been proposed by Councilman Tom Murry, who is also the GOP nominee for the state House District 41 seat. He has touted his endorsements from school board members Deborah Prickett and Chris Malone.

"I think it would be to our advantage, not necessarily in showing support for another political body, but for a particular position of neighborhood schools," Murry said.

Murry's resolution talks about how neighborhood schools would help low-income and minority students while also being more family friendly.

The Morrisville resolution mentions the 54.2 percent graduation rate by low-income students. It says it shows the "unequal educational opportunities afforded to minority and economically disadvantaged students."

Murry's resolution says that the town "understands that a neighborhood school can be a diverse school, evidenced by Cedar Fork Elementary School which has over 800 students from 40 countries."

(Whether Cedar Fork is diverse may depend on your definition. The school's F&R population of 11.9 percent was below the county average last year of 31.2 percent. The school's Asian population accounted for 44.6 percent of the enrollment, the highest for that group in any school in Wake.)

The fight got pretty heated at Tuesday's meeting. Murry was unhappy at the efforts to remove the resolution from the agenda.

"Just because a majority doesn't want to discuss something doesn't mean it shouldn't be on the agenda," he said. "In my opinion, a vote of yes on this [amended] agenda ... is akin to a 'no' vote on family educational choices."

Councilwoman Margaret Broadwell also urged her colleagues to let the issue be discussed. She didn't state her opinion on the resolution.

"The issue has already been raised," Broadwell said. "Taking it off of the agenda without letting people know what we think about it does not make the issue go away.

"Some citizens really want to know where we stand," she continued, "even though it is recognized that we do not have the authority of the Wake County schools."

Diehl, Mayor Jackie Holcombe, mayor pro-tem Pete Martin and Councilwoman Linda Lyons passed the meeting agenda without the resolution included.

Murry had said it would be important for the town to lend its voice to the ongoing battle over socioeconomic diversity and neighborhood schools in Wake County.

Last month, the Apex Town Council had passed a resolution supporting the school board and community-based schools. Republicans make up the majority on the Apex council.

Apex's resolution came in response to resolutions passed by the Raleigh City Council and Wake County Board of Commissioners, both with a majority of Democrats, that criticized the end of the diversity policy.

CORRECTION

CORRECTED TO REFLECT THAT THERE ARE FIVE DEMOCRATS, ONE REPUBLICAN AND ONE UNAFFILIATED ON THE TOWN COUNCIL