Later that year, frustrations peaked with leaders charging that Garner schools were unrepresentative of the town’s population. In response, in considering a site permit for a proposed elementary school, the Aldermen required that no more than 40 percent of the student population will be low-income.
In early 2008, the town relented, withdrawing the condition after a sit-down with the school board. Citing slowed growth, the county later pulled the project’s funding, claiming the move was not retaliatory.
Throughout, town officials complained of being treated unfairly.
“When I got here, the conventional wisdom was that people sitting up on Wake Forest Road [Wake County Public School System headquarters] were thinking ‘How can we push Garner down in the hole?’” said Town Manager Hardin Watkins, who joined the town in spring 2007. Since then, Watkins and others have seen a significant improvement in relations between the town and WCPSS’s leadership.
Both elected boards now meet regularly, and describe the meetings as productive. The sessions give local officials face-time to share their concerns.
Watkins uses the “squeaky wheel” analogy: “It wasn’t that everyone else was against Garner; it was just that everyone else was getting their share of the grease.”
School officials insist they always understood Garner’s position—even if they didn’t agree with it. Nevertheless, they too are pleased to see eye to eye.
“I am hoping that through all the meetings that we’ve had with them, that they have a better understanding of what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to help allchildren, not necessarily municipalities,” said Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the Wake County school board.
“We are well aware of their economic problems and their need for an increase in their tax base,” she added.
Historically, 8 of 11 Garner schools have had more than 40 percent low-income enrollments, says David Williams, one of two Garner residents on a student assignment advisory committee that meets weekly with WCPSS administrators.
Like others, he contends that schools with high percentages deter newcomers and hurt the town’s economic prospects.
The proposed multi-year assignment plan may cut the number of Garner schools above 40 percent in half within three years, he said Monday night.
“It is still not set in stone,” Williams cautioned.
By the sounds of the meeting, he is optimistic though still working on a pitch to prospective students and parents.
“Now that we have redrawn the magnet draw areas, a lot of students who before would have come to Daniels Middle School or Broughton [High] now will have to come to ….” Williams stopped, catching himself.
“I shouldn’t have said it that way. …will now have the opportunity to come to one of the Garner IB magnet schools.”
These things, it seems, take time.
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