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Residents, parents and teachers urge delay to closure of Graham A. Barton Elementary School
Summary
At a Craven County Board of Education public hearing, parents, teachers and residents urged the board to delay or abandon plans to close Graham A. Barton Elementary School, citing outdated data, special‑education impacts, transportation and staffing concerns; the board made no decision and adjourned after hearing testimony.
Dozens of parents, teachers and residents told the Craven County Board of Education at a public hearing that closing Graham A. Barton Elementary School would harm students and the Havelock community and that the board should delay any action.
The board opened the hearing by saying it has not made a final decision and is gathering input; the chair cited state procedural authority for considering closures. Speakers repeatedly challenged the district’s reliance on a 2019 facilities study, warned that short notice would disrupt special‑education services and bus routines, and asked the board to prioritize staff placement or provide a full year’s notice before moving students.
Elton Fairless, a parent and spouse of a Graham A. Barton faculty member, said the decision appears based on a seven‑year‑old study and questioned whether recent facility upgrades (he cited HVAC work) and the full costs of relocating students, staff and services were considered. “Is it truly the cost savings that we are being told?” Fairless asked, warning that moving students could reduce access to special services and extracurriculars.
Naomi Clark, a longtime Havelock resident and former board member, urged the board to delay closure at least a year and to provide a strategic plan explaining why schools in Havelock are being selected. “What is the rush to try to implement this plan in the upcoming fall?” she asked.
Taryn O’Leary, a kindergarten teacher at Graham A. Barton, described research linking school closures and displacement to worse learning and social‑emotional outcomes and recounted long, hot early‑childhood bus rides she observed. She asked for more time to coordinate with receiving schools and to protect students with individualized needs.
Other speakers highlighted academic and community benefits: Carly Rios said Graham A. Barton’s standardized test scores exceed the district average and noted the school’s pre‑K program fills a local child‑care gap; Albert Goodson and others warned that closure would disproportionately affect economically disadvantaged families and military households in Havelock. Parents with children who have autism described the personal progress their children made at Graham A. Barton and expressed concern about forcing those students to rebuild critical relationships.
The board did not vote on school closure. The chair said Dr. Cheeseman and staff are continuing work on bus routes, student placement and other logistics intended to minimize disruption and that the board will consider the input as it proceeds.
Votes at a glance: the board adopted the meeting agenda (moved from the dais by the speaker identified in the record as "Miss Daisy," seconded by Miss Davis) and later voted to adjourn; both motions carried unanimously.
The public hearing concluded with no formal action on Graham A. Barton; the board indicated it will include public input in future agenda discussions and continue staff work on placement and transportation options.
