NAACP leaders tell Gaston County board racial gaps and student homelessness demand targeted action
Summary
Speakers from the Gastonia NAACP and Gaston County NAACP urged the Gaston County Board of Education to confront racial disparities and student homelessness, citing local proficiency gaps and asking the board to commit to measurable targets, expanded supports and community engagement.
Diana Graham, vice president of the NAACP Gastonia Branch, told the Gaston County Board of Education on Dec. 15 that “education is a fundamental human right” and urged the district to address racial disparities and concentrated poverty in its innovation schools.
Graham cited district data and said "14.1% of its learners are Black and 51.4% are economically disadvantaged," adding that proficiency rates show large gaps: “For the 2023–24 school year, the proficiency rates revealed that 69.1% of Black students are not proficient in math compared to 41.4% of white students.” She called for increased targeted support, data-driven monitoring and greater teacher diversity.
Sean Bates, president of Gastonia NAACP, told the board the disparities and student homelessness in the county “are not accidental” and said they reflect choices and priorities. Bates urged the board to “acknowledge openly that racial discrepancies and student homelessness are interconnected,” to set public, measurable timelines and funding commitments, and to engage parents and community advocates in decisions.
Neither speaker asked the board to take a specific vote during public expression, but both requested concrete follow-up: targeted interventions for the district’s most disadvantaged students, proactive homeless-student identification and culturally competent supports. Chair Josh Crispin thanked the speakers and acknowledged the public input.
What happens next: public-comment items do not receive board responses during the comment period; the speakers asked the board to bring these topics into committee or future agenda items for measurable action.
