Ag school plan 'no' vote draws fire
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 4, 2015 1:46 PM
After his motion to establish an early agriculture college high school on the University of Mount Olive campus was defeated 4-3 by the school board Monday night, school board member Rick Pridgen hurled accusations of "personal vendettas" and hypocritical practices against the majority members.
The four members -- Chairman Chris West, Vice Chairman Arnold Flowers, Eddie Radford and Jennifer Strickland -- refuted the claims, explaining their rationale for voting down the motion was based on finances and lack of information.
"I could go in a whole lot of details as to reasons why but to just kind of summarize, for me the total cost on it that they're showing is $593,000. This is only for 50 students initially," Flowers said. "That's almost $12,000 per student. I can't grasp the concept of how we spend $12,000 per student on just 50, that some kind of way we're not taking away from the remaining students, the 19,000 students in our system."
Mrs. Strickland said she had also done her homework and investigated submitting an application for the early college site.
"We were initially told that we would be given more information on it, this was something that we could do if there was interest in it," she said. "I don't remember ever seeing that information come back. So as this went through curriculum (committee) each time I continued to approve going forward with the application because I was continually told that there was a one-year planning process."
At the most recent committee meeting, she said there seemed to be an "urgency" of moving the date up, with mention made of hiring a principal, which Flowers pointed out had a $60,000 salary attached.
Both Mrs. Strickland and Flowers said they support agriculture and having such a specialized program for students, but there are already "good programs" in the high schools. Mrs. Strickland suggested that proceeding without further investigation was like putting the "cart in front of the horse."
"I would absolutely support the school after the town hall meetings were held, after you prove to me that we can afford it with the buses, after you prove to me how we're going to pay for it once the funding runs out," she said. "But at this point, sir, I cannot vote for this."
District 2 representative Dwight Cannon, who supported Pridgen's motion, said he had been "tickled pink" to hear that such a program would be in his area.
"I understand the spirit and tone of my colleagues," he said. "But I really think in good faith these questions were probably some of the same questions asked when Wayne School of Engineering came about and we find that that school has really been a success."
During the discussion, before the vote was taken, Pridgen lobbed his first allegation.
"I find part of this very confusing because I know for a fact that three board members sitting at this table have boasted with political re-election propaganda and flyers that they supported innovative high schools and new schools projects, and they advertised that when they were running for re-election, but yet it appears tonight that that's not being supported," he said, without specifying which board members he meant. West and Flowers were both re-elected last November, while Mrs. Strickland defeated veteran board member John Grantham for his district seat. Pridgen was also re-elected.
Pridgen maintained that while the proposed school might start out with 50 students, that number would grow incrementally over the next 10 years, with the potential to become as successful as the district's existing innovative schools, Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Early/Middle College.
Board member Pat Burden said she was in favor of the additional school, calling it "valuable" for students and parents to have such an option.
West said he had also been stalled when he sought answers.
"I went to the interim superintendent (Dr. Sandra McCullen) several times to discuss it with her. I got very little information," he said. "I went to (former acting assistant superintendent) Dean Sauls about two and one-half months ago. He answered my questions, very limited answers, and told me he was doing what he was told."
With the district facing such expenses as $60,000 for an additional nurse, mandated by the state in line with the two additional schools opening in the fall, West maintained there are "a lot of unknowns" and financial issues that dictate caution before taking on anything else.
The motion was voted down, with Pridgen's displeasure spilling over into board comment.
"I feel like the decision was not about the children," he said. "I feel like it was personal vendettas that were involved in these decisions, and again, I'm saying that's just my personal opinion.
"I feel like you're regressing 15 years tonight by not accepting that program."
Mrs. Strickland, Flowers and West bristled at the insinuation.
"I don't think enough planning's been done yet," Mrs. Strickland said. "I would absolutely vote for this to go forward in 21 months, just not nine months."
"I understand," Pridgen replied.
Radford said he wanted to assure the public that the board has the well-being of the county's children in mind.
"I certainly don't have a personal vendetta and the thing that I don't want to do is hurt Southern Wayne in any way," he said. "I spent 30 years at the school. I had a lot of time invested, and I wouldn't hurt it or any other school or any kid but I would like to see a plan in place before we go out and say, 'yeah, we're ready to go on this.'"
Flowers said he did not make decisions based on vendettas, but on facts, and felt it would be a "Disney World deal" to have the school, but not for only 50 students.
"I'm looking at the whole19,000 students. I'm looking at the students down in my district that are United States citizens but their mother and father speak nothing but Spanish," he said. "I'm looking at the other kids that will not get this opportunity. How are we not possibly taking away from them to make this group of elitist 50?"
West also took issue with the personal vendetta reference, especially in light of the economy.
"We have limited funding. Our funding gets cut, cut, cut by the state, federal. We lose money every year," he said. "We can't keep finding the money. That's a statement that I've heard several times -- we'll find the money. Sooner or later, we can't keep 'finding money.'"