LUMBERTON — Severeo Kerns, a member of the Public Schools of Robeson County school board, never got an answer from fellow board members on why fourth-grade students from Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment elementary schools suddenly have to be transferred to Carroll Middle School.
“Why at this specific moment are we making this decision?” Kerns repeatedly asked each board member during Tuesday’s board meeting. “This is going to impact a lot of people … . My first concern is that we do what is in the best interest of the children.”
Kerns argued unsuccessfully to stop the board from voting 7 to 3 in favor of transferring the fourth-grade students. A majority of the board voted in favor of the transfer despite the presence of 30 parents at Tuesday’s meeting who pleaded that the proposal be tabled for a year to see if the transfers from the crowded elementary schools are necessary after Southeastern Academy, now a private school, is converted into a public charter school.
Those board members opposing the transfer were Dwayne Smith, whose district includes Tanglewood, Bosco Locklear, and Kerns. Voting in favor were Loistine DeFreece, Randy Lawson, John Campbell, Gary Strickland, Brenda Fairley-Ferebee, Steve Martin and Jo Ann Lowery. Chairman Michael Smith only votes to break ties.
Four parents and one student asked the board to delay the transfer, which was not discussed publicly until the board’s retreat last month. Parents were not included in the decision, they said, and the short time remaining between now and the beginning of the new school year does not allow for them to prepare their children for the move to the new school.
Angela Bono-Severy, president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Tanglewood, said there are several changes coming that could lower the number of students at the crowded elementary schools, making the transfer of fourth-graders to the middle school unnecessary.
“No one knew yesterday (Monday) if it was a final good-bye to favorite teachers and staff,” she said. “The children are not ready because we have not prepared them.”
A tearful Malik Freeman, 9, a rising fourth-grader at Rowland-Norment, told the board members that he did not want to attend the middle school because he feared he would be mistreated by older students.
“I don’t want to go there,” he said. “I’m scared.”
Hayley Howard, Freeman’s mother, said that her son had asked to come to the board meeting to plea to the board.
“When I asked him what he would say, he said he would speak from his heart,” she said.
Howard also told the board members that she would have supported the board’s decision if it had been made months ago so that the transfer would not be so difficult for her son.
“My son shouldn’t have had to learn that he would be going to a new school by reading it on a Sunday in the newspaper,” she said.
The parents left the meeting immediately after the board’s vote, gathering for a while outside the board room to discuss their concerns among themselves and with Dwayne Smith, who spoke with them briefly during a recess in the meeting.
Dr. Motti Inbari, the father of a rising fourth-grader at Tanglewood, said that the board violates its own policies when it comes to student transfers and determining at what schools certain grade levels should be housed. He said that he would not rule out legal action.
Board members who voted in favor of the motion pointed out that late last year parents from Tanglewood had approached them and asked that something be done to relieve the crowding at the school.
“I’ve always been about safety,” Fairley-Ferebee said.
Board member Gary Strickland defended the transfers, saying that the “integrity” of the fourth-grade students would be maintained at the middle school and they would be provided with all of the resources needed to be successful.
But board members opposing the transfers argued that the schools are crowded because the board’s transfer policy is too generous.
“It comes down to transfers,” Dwayne Smith. “We’ve got to stop catering to everyone.”
He charged that once the fourth-graders are removed from Tanglewood they will be replaced by transfer students.
‘That’s what this is all about,” he said, “making room for transfer students.”
According to numbers provided by school administrators, 213 students will be transferred to Carroll Middle, 90 from Rowland-Norment and 123 from Tanglewood.
A school board member said after the meeting about 2,000 transfers were approved last year. During a closed session Tuesday, about 800 were considered, including transfers to both Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment.
School administrators have said there are six or seven available classrooms at Carroll Middle.
The state Department of Public Instruction limits class sizes to about 24 students. Based on that number, Carroll Middle School needs at least eight classes to accommodate the new fourth-graders.
Superintendent Johnny Hunt said that money and resources will follow the students to Carroll Middle School.
“We will provide the resources so that these students can get the best education we can offer,” he said.
Hunt after the meeting did not answer questions from a reporter about why the transfer of the fourth-graders is needed now or what the administration’s stance on the issue is.
“We (administration) do what the board tells us,” Hunt said.
In other business, the board on Tuesday:
— Raised the salary of school board attorney Grady Hunt. According to Erica Setzer, the district’s finance officer, Hunt for about 12 years has been making $110 an hour for non-litigated matters; $125 an hour for litigated issues; and a $500 a month retainer.
Under the new pay scale, he will receive $185 an hour for both litigated and non-litigated business and a $500 a month retainer.
Setzer said the school district pays an average of $100,000 a year for billable legal services.
— Tabled discussion of completion of a lease between the school district and the town of Maxton for the old Townsend Middle School Gym.
— Amended the district’s athletic transfer policy to include middle school students. The policy limits the number of transfers a student can make a year to participate in sports.
— Amended the policy providing marshals for high school graduation to allow for a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 5 percent of the senior class.
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The main issue isn't that it will ruin the kids' lives, but rather the hastiness of the decision, the lack of parental input, and most importantly the decision is a solution to an overcrowding problem created by the board itself. Crowding a school with out of district kids, and then shipping out in district kids makes no sense. If they're hellbent on using the extra space at CMS, then they could expand that school to be 4-6, and send all parents that request transfers to Tanglewood or Rowland-Norment there.
The simple solution would be to cap transfers. The convoluted solution is to move teachers and kids to a different building with no input and little notice to make room for more out of district kids. Send out of district kids somewhere else and tell them to adjust and be just fine. If you can't see the difference between this situation and a school being established as PK-6, then I don't know what to tell you.
I do believe that Mr. Smith has approved more than his share of out-of-district transfers in the past. He has "catered" to his friends and their friends, and their friends, and on and on.
Dwayne Smith, check the numbers. I bet the transfer in students contributed more to the fund raisers and out performed academically.
On a side note, I've got a gut feeling that if this newspaper investigated the school board and board of education... our county commissioners are going to look like altar boys compared to the corrupt and nepotistic ensemble ruining... excuse me... RUNNING the school system.
Let’s end this people and regain the control of our children’s future. Wanted Immediately: Candidates to replace Loistine DeFreece, Randy Lawson, John Campbell, Gary Strickland, Brenda Fairley-Ferebee, Steve Martin and Jo Ann Lowery. Candidates must be willing to put Robeson County’s children first. Seriously, it is the only way this will end. Can someone list the districts for these board members so we can find suitable candidates? If not, I will find out and myself. Also, anyone interested in helping to run a community facebook page so that we have a place to communicate as we replace these board member? Let’s band together and get rid of this trash with people who have no other agenda than the well-being of our children. Think of all the good that can be done in ALL these districts when we get a board willing to do what’s right for our children.
Loistine DeFreece, Randy Lawson, John Campbell, Gary Strickland, Brenda Fairley-Ferebee, Steve Martin and Jo Ann Lowery
If someone can provide us their buinsness, especially Gary Strickland and Loistine DeFreece, it would be apprreciated by the entire community. Hopefully, it would also teach them a lesson.
Ms. Fairley, the reasons you tried to give for your vote were so "asinine" that they aren't worth repeating. Let me help you out with that word, "foolish".
Lastly, all seven of you should audition for the Muppets....Ms. Defreece played you all like puppets!!! She sat back said not a word with her nose up in the air while Fairley and Strickland did her dirty work. The seven of you are a JOKE!
Now, I wonder how that shoulder shrug has contributed lawsuits that have been settled out of court and out of the public eye. I’m sure if the kids of PSRC had back the litigation money that has been spent on out of court settlements, we could have copier paper, books, better security, technology and the list would go on.
I hope just as the Robesonian has brought a light to the county commissioners (who by the way Shrugging Johnny was a major part of), they will bring to light the scandals of the school system.
Our students and kids are paying the price for favoritism and back room deals.
Now... it is just the NEXT GENERATION of idiots.
A real group of "Dummies"
Giving the School attorney approximately a 65% per hour (from 110 to 185 dollars per hour) is thrown in with the news that all 4th graders would be moved from Tanglewood and Rowland Norment schools to Carroll Middle School. And the reason is WHAT? The silence is deafening from the Board of Education.
Thank God may daughter was at Tanglewood 20 years ago and had the benefit of a strong neighborhood PTA and support group. There was a community around Tanglewood School helping it prosper and grow young children. Parents volunteering during the day because they lived close by.
As mergers are created the sense of a community around a school evaporates. Perfect examples are Orrum High School, Prospect High School, and Littlefield High School. Lose the strong base of community spirit and watch the community interest in the new (better)school decline.
Now we are losing the neighborhood elementary schools. Watch the downward spiral of Tanglewood as the number of outside transfers increases each year. It stands to reason a student that does not live within the neighborhood will not attend as many afterschool programs and events because their mother and or father can not always come back to the school after work or at night due to the distance. Yes its easy to drop the child off in the morning on your way to work, but a real inconvenience coming back at night for extar school events.
My daughter refused to return to Lumberton Junior High for her 9th grade after her 8th grade school year. The lack of discipline by the staff bothered her and she was adamant about not returning for the 9th grade. So we enrolled her at Fayetteville Academy for the 9th grade. She got to school each day and I or her mother would drive to Fayetteville to pick her up each afternoon. Five days per week we would make the drive. During that year we drove back to Fayetteville in the evening twice for school events. It was too far and inconvenient to come back at night. She missed out on all afterschool functions due to the distance.
Now imagine an elementary school with parents in the same position as my wife and myself. It's coming and it won't be pretty.
I am extremely disappointed in some people that I really had the upmost respect for and had for many years valued their opinion. There is nothing positive about this decision and it benefits no child.
The dumbing down of our children continues.
Raised the salary of school board attorney Grady Hunt. According to Erica Setzer, the district’s finance officer, Hunt for about 12 years has been making $110 an hour for non-litigated matters; $125 an hour for litigated issues; and a $500 a month retainer.
Under the new pay scale, he will receive $185 an hour for both litigated and non-litigated business and a $500 a month retainer.
Setzer said the school district pays an average of $100,000 a year for billable legal services
WAKE UP ROBESON COUNTY THEIR GANG IS GETTING BIGGER AND TAKING MORE FROM THE TAX PAYERS
These people would not have any discussions before, during or after their boneheaded decision.
I am exreemely disappointed in two people I know personally: Loistine DeFreece, a former educator who seems to have forgotten what being in the schools is like; and Gary Strickland who was quoted during his campaign saying, "I have worked hard not only for my children, but all the children,”
Is that so, Mr. Strickland?? I hope you handle your bank loans better than the way you have handled this situation for "all the children".
Use the stupidity of these board members against them. Each and every last one of you should request a transfer to another school. Apparently the board approves any and all transfer requests, so request a transfer to some other school. Their stupidity will be exposed for all to see when none of your fourth graders show up at Carrol Middle in August.