Parents and teachers urge slower school-closure process, defend library collections and call for stronger device restrictions

Multiple members of the public used the board’s comment period to raise three connected concerns: the district’s school-closure process, protections for library collections, and policies governing classroom device use.

Parent Jen Costanza asked the board to "slow this down," saying the forthcoming staff report on three schools under consideration will be narrative-only and will not include relocation scenarios, utilization plans, or a staff recommendation; she warned that the board would have too little time to evaluate redistricting, transportation, or student-disruption impacts if it follows the current timeline. Following that, Catherine Cole, a librarian at Northside Elementary School, defended the district’s library collections and said books that feature LGBTQ characters "belong on our shelves," arguing that books support students’ reading, connection and mental-health needs amid state-level scrutiny.

Marybeth Roche, a middle-school parent and digital-wellness educator, urged the board to move more quickly on stricter policies for classroom devices, citing distraction, data breaches and research recommending device-free classrooms as a default. Brian Link, speaking for the Chapel Hill Carrboro Association of Educators, said his organization supports the board’s budget request and also urged approving an extension of the staff-transfer deadline to give personnel flexibility in response to potential cuts and closures.

What’s next: The board approved an extension of employee transfer deadlines during the meeting; staff will prepare the forthcoming school-closure materials and follow the board’s direction on additional time and detail as requested by commenters.