Parents question Pender County school improvements

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Pender County parents are frustrated with the timeline for the school bond referendum voters passed in November.

A county budget meeting got heated tonight, when homeowners and parents took their opinions to county commissioners. Tensions were high as Pender County parents, like Patrick Gideons, asked commissioners where the school bond referendum projects were going.

“The fact is we asked for it,” Gideons said. “We said we know it’s going to cause a tax increase. Bring it on. Our schools need it desperately.”

Retired Penderlea teacher Angela Perry says the problems on the west side of the county are more than just concerning.

“The floor boards are separating from the baseboards,” Perry said. “You can actually see the ground in some areas. I was at a meeting there today with a representative from the Department of Public Instruction, and she went to plug in her computer and got shocked. When we flipped the breaker back, sparks shot out of the wall, because the electricity isn’t wired correctly or it’s old.”

Parents asked commissioners about a comment parents say commissioners made about delaying some projects on the west side.

“They would possibly move forward or consider moving forward with projects on the east side of the county while holding back at least a period of time on the west side of the county,” Gideons said.

Commissioner David Piepmeyer says the comment was taken out of context. He says they want to create less of a tax increase by starting with the schools that already have a plan. He says Penderlea doesn’t have a plan yet, but Gideons disagrees.

“The school board has been very clear to us and shown us their plan,” Gideons said.

Gideons says, in the end, the commissioners’ plan isn’t fair to their children.

“This is sending them a very clear message: You are not as important as the children at this school over here,” Gideons said.

Parents say they play to continue to push the issue.