School board candidates discuss education at forum

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The recent budget cuts are forcing schools to struggle to make ends meet. Tuesday night’s school board candidate forum helped sharpen voters’ understanding of the candidates.

In a tough economic time, where there is little room for mistakes, parents want to know how the New Hanover County Board of Education candidates intend to make a change.

Clancy Thompson is one of the New Hanover County Board of Education candidates.

“The most important thing that we have to do in this community is address the issue of student graduation rate,” said Thompson. “We have too many students that are failing in our schools and entering our community without operable skills.”

The eight candidates answered questions from a group of panelists and the audience on how they intend to improve education in the county.
Thompson says one of his missions if elected would be to hire more African American teachers.

Thompson said, “I think it’s very important for particularly young black males in our society. They lack role models so it’s very important that we seek minority people, males if possible, so they can interact with these students.”

The topic of discussion ranged anywhere from the recent redistricting to education finances, which some current school board members say has not been used effectively.

New Hanover County Board of Education member Nick Rhodes said, “We spend $1,900 per student. That’s above the state average. What we get for that? I really don’t know.”

Current Board of Education Chairman Ed Higgins says the finances have been put to good use by the current board.

“Mr. Rhodes is a little disingenuous when he criticizes some of the financial decisions,” Higgins said. “Afterall he is chairman of the finance committee.”

The county is growing and Higgins says the current board is trying to make the best out of the funds they have. Come November, the residents of New Hanover County will decide if it’s time for some new faces for the Board of Education.