Residents press board on redistricting, enrollment projections and equity; NAACP raises staff-treatment concerns

Public comment at the Aug. 12 Moore County Board of Education meeting focused largely on the district’s redistricting and facilities plans, with parents and teachers urging action to relieve overcrowding and the Moore County NAACP raising civil-rights and staff-treatment concerns.

“I'm here to really talk about supporting the redistricting efforts,” said Alexa Roberts, closing the public-address period by urging the board to consider the “greater good” for students. Several speakers said redistricting and new construction were necessary to address overcrowded elementary schools and long-term growth.

Sarah Slusser, who said she served as West Pine Elementary’s parent representative on a redistricting advisory committee, argued that a 2015 master facilities plan had included a smaller, cheaper addition to West Pine that, in her view, could have avoided reassigning children from that school. “The 100 student increase…