A step forward: Commission’s gesture good first step toward resolution

There is an old saying, “Put your money where your mouth is.”

And although it will not put an end to the pending questions about the condition and upkeep of school facilities in the county, and it won’t be the last word said on improving the quality of offerings in Wayne County schools, the recent announcement of grants to Goldsboro High is an action worth noting.

The county commissioners agreed this week to fund two programs designed to improve the quality of education for Goldsboro High students — one a training session for parents and the other a transportation program for students who need rides to be able to participate in extracurricular activities.

So now, rather than just talking about improving the county’s schools, the commissioners have put their money where their mouths are and taken a step toward actually supplementing the education city students receive at Goldsboro High.

The debate over where and how much money to spend on school facilities is far from over. There are three more schools left to visit and a host of other discussions that will have to take place before there is a resolution to that question.

But in the meantime, gestures like the commissioners’ are what will keep this discussion focused on who really should matter as the debate continues — the children who attend Wayne County’s schools.

After all, it is their futures that we all really should care about as this discussion of bricks and mortar continues.

The commissioners should be commended for taking a step forward to bringing that goal into sharper and shared focus.

Published in Editorials on September 21, 2006 11:25 AM