http://66.225.205.104/LM20101028.mp3
Harding University High parents and students gave school board members an earful last night about plans to close their school. About 1,100 people packed the school's gym to make their point that a school with Harding's success shouldn't close. No one was arrested last night and there were no major disruptions, but it was still the most contentious forum CMS has held over its plan to close schools and change boundaries. Harding is a largely African American school. It's had success with its International Baccalaureate and its math and science magnets. Many people like alum Erika Burns told the board last night Harding is an escape from home schools. "Harding is a magnet school. It's for people from the inner city," said Burns. "This gave me the opportunity to get out of my neighborhood school." Harding parents and students only found out this week their school is up for closure. CMS decided to take Waddell High off the table and now recommends closing Harding. The district says the difference is that Harding is a magnet and closing it would be more in line with the board's guiding principles which emphasize home schools. Under the plan, Harding's math and science program would move to Phillip O. Berry, which is a full magnet. The IB program would form a partial magnet at Waddell. That doesn't sit well with many people. "The black male graduation rate is abysmal. It is below 50 percent nationally. This school is what Charlotte has to be proud of," said one man. "As far as shutting down Harding I would compare that to something like shutting down the White House and moving it to a condo," said a Harding student. Waddell proved to be a touchy subject last night. Not just because Harding kids don't want to go there, but because it's named for board member Joyce Waddell's late husband. She's fought to keep Waddell open and is in favor of closing Harding instead. Board members encouraged people to ask them questions. And ask they did. A Harding parent directed hers to Waddell. "You have a desire to save your late husband's school. I have a desire to save my son's credentials here at Harding," said the mother. "What are you going to do as an African American to save our school? I would like you to come forward and address my question." But Waddell didn't. Several others also called her out. She never responded and left quickly after the meeting ended. Board chairman Eric Davis took the brunt of other questions. "Why are you putting the stability of funds above the stability of students and teachers?" asked a student. "It takes funds to pay teachers, does it not?" asked Davis. "We have to preserve every dollar we can to pay teachers. So the fundamental choice is do we continue to fund the number of buildings we have with empty classrooms and, in doing so, we don't have those funds to continue to pay teachers when our funding is reduced by the state, the federal government and the county." CMS plans to holds another forum focusing on Smith Language Academy next week. The plan now is to move Smith to Harding's building, but Smith parents aren't happy with that. The board is scheduled to vote on school closings November 9th.