Citizen praises city for stand on schools
By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on April 20, 2004 2:02 PM
A resident praised the Goldsboro City Council on Monday for its stand on the city schools.
"My name is Mary Rhoe, that's with an "H," though the newspaper can't seem to get that right," she began.
Ms. Rhoe said that she appreciated and supported the letter that council members sent to the county commissioners regarding racial imbalance in the central Goldsboro schools.
In the letter, the council told the commissioners that the lack of racial diversity within the city schools and the high number of low-wealth students attending them, had long been a concern of the city.
The council urged the commissioners to have a school construction study conducted to give some potential solutions. The council also said it would consider taking legal action if the issue wasn't addressed.
Ms. Rhoe said that the article in the newspaper about the council's stand on the school issue was good, but she also was critical of the paper. "It's far from the truth," she said, "rely on facts."
She went on to encourage the council to fight for the schools and said that the city was watching the school board.
"Speak out on injustice," she said, "stay united and fight for what's right."
Several council members thanked Ms. Rhoe.
"We need to pursue this," said Councilman Jimmy Bryan. "We need to get together and try to work with the commissioners and the school board to keep the movement going."
Councilman Charles Williams commended Ms. Rhoe for her efforts.
"We're all in this together," he said.
Mayor Al King said the board was united in its stand on the school issue.
"We are concerned," he said. "We will do what we can and volunteer our services. We're available to sit down and talk, because it's everyone's problem."