School consolidation was discussed at the June 3 Stanly County Board of Education meeting. (Courtesy Stanly County Schools)

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ALBEMARLE — Multiple members of the Stanly County Board of Education recently voiced their concerns about board transparency regarding the county school district’s consolidation plans.

At the June 3 school board meeting, Board Member Carla Poplin spoke out on the issue, offering her opinion that the board has been guilty of selectively choosing which policies and procedures to follow when it comes to clarity with the public.

“This board has been operating since January in a manner that I’m not personally proud of as it pertains to the public in a manner of civility and respect,” Poplin said. “A school board should be focused on student outcomes, due diligence and transparency. Instead, we are operating behind closed doors and in closed sessions. We are developing plans for redistricting in committee and pushing personal agendas.”

In a special meeting that afternoon before the school board’s regular meeting, the board decided to move forward with a facilities assessment by Moseley Architects that will make an evaluation of long-term planning for high school facilities within the district.

The Stanly County Schools’ Capital Improvement Planning (CIP) Committee has targeted a school consolidation plan that would refigure the county’s high schools with new buildings and increased enrollment numbers, potentially combining individual community high schools into larger schools.

Poplin wasn’t the only school board member who brought up a perceived sense of obfuscation surrounding the planning methods.

Board Member Meghan Almond said she opposed the approval of a facilities assessment because of a lack of involvement with both the public and the Stanly County Board of Commissioners.

“When we’re discussing consolidation, the public is the first person that we should even go to because they’re the ones that pretty much say yay or nay,” Almond said. “They hire us to do a job, and that is to work for them. … Why do we not communicate with our commissioners? Why do we not tell them the plan? Why did we not tell them that we had a demographer coming the very next day? These are the questions that need to be answered, and we have to be more transparent.”

Multiple citizens used the public comment portion of the meeting to address their thoughts on the direction the school board is taking, referencing the financial and community burdens on the county that consolidation could bring.

“I am here tonight not only as a parent but as a concerned taxpayer and advocate for our schools and community,” Hannah Lear told the board. “I stand before you deeply troubled by the direction this board is taking. We are being told that consolidation is the solution, but let’s be honest — consolidation isn’t the cure-all. It’s a Band-Aid and doesn’t address the root problem.”

“You’ve operated as bullies and tyrants in public meetings and against fellow board members in getting this far,” added William Shafer.

In her closing address, Board Member Vicky Watson responded to the criticism of the school board that was given previously in the meeting:

“This county office works really hard to make decisions for these kids, and so do we,” she said. “Sometimes I wonder what people think out there in the public, but sometimes you’re not right, so just remember to look at yourself sometimes.”

The Stanly County Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting on Aug. 5 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.