School board delays public hearing on religious-instruction proposal pending state action

The New Hanover County Schools board on June 23 agreed not to schedule a public hearing on a proposed change linked to Senate Bill 106 until the state legislature finishes work on the measure.

Board members spent more than an hour debating the impact of the proposed language, which, as distributed to the board, would require principals to excuse students for up to four hours a week for religious instruction and treat that time as excused absences. Staff repeatedly told the board the draft language may also require the district to adopt implementing policy if the Legislature enacts the provision at the state level.

Superintendent Dr. Barnes summarized the district’s view and advised caution, saying the board’s options could be constrained "because general statute will give this board a lot less room to maneuver." Several members expressed concern about scheduling and then canceling a hearing if the state changes the bill, which could create confusion and criticism in the community.

Rather than lock in a public hearing date, the board adopted an amendment directing staff to identify tentative hold dates the district could use if the Legislature’s timetable stabilizes. The chair said those dates would be held administratively rather than publicized as final until the General Assembly acts.

Board members emphasized that members of the public who want to influence the outcome should contact their elected state representatives, and staff said the district had already shared a memo with the superintendent association and school-board association outlining pros and cons for local officials to consider.

The board’s action stops short of canceling future local hearings permanently; it postpones scheduling until the Legislature’s action is known and keeps a mechanism for quickly standing up a hearing if needed.