Several former students and parents urged the Red Clay Consolidated School District board on Aug. 20 to reconsider or pause a proposed restructuring that would change the role of McCain High School, urging more data, community engagement and attention to student opportunity.

Monica Ball, a 1975 graduate of McCain and a current district resident, told the board she is concerned about career-pathway graduation requirements and said funneling students into multi-year career tracks in ninth or tenth grade risks "pigeonholing" students. Ball said she wants more evidence that career pathways improve outcomes and urged the district to consider alternatives such as shorter pathway modules, more electives, rotating teachers between high schools and additional transparency about transportation costs and other impacts.

Another alumnus, Mike Brenner (class of 1975), said he opposes converting McCain into a different program and suggested other configurations, including expanding a vocational-technical (Vo‑Tec) program at another site, making different use of underenrolled buildings, or expanding enrollment options at magnet/charter schools rather than changing McCain. Brenner said McCain currently shows strong enrollment and local community ties and argued the district should proceed more slowly and consider a public referendum if changes would be significant.

Superintendent Dr. Darnell Green addressed secondary attendance-zone planning in his superintendents report and said a timeline and stakeholder engagement plan are in the superintendents monthly materials. Green noted the district will communicate plans and hold workshops and that work on attendance zones and the secondary plan will continue with stakeholder groups; he did not announce a final vote or adoption of a restructuring plan at this meeting.

Ending: Public commenters asked the board for open data, more time for community review and specific impact analysis on transportation and program outcomes before any final change to McCains status. The board did not take formal action on high-school restructuring at the Aug. 20 meeting; staff said further community engagement will follow.