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Residents press Gaston County commissioners to increase school funding and move courthouse Confederate monument
Summary
Dozens of residents used the county’s public‑comment period to demand more local funding for Gaston County Schools, raise concerns about nurse and support staffing reductions, and urge removal or contextual relocation of the Confederate monument at the courthouse. Commissioners and the county manager responded with factual clarifications and an outline of follow‑up meetings.
A drawn‑out public comment period at the Gaston County Board of Commissioners meeting on June 23 centered on two recurring themes: calls for increased local funding for Gaston County Schools and repeated requests to remove or recontextualize the Confederate monument at the courthouse.
Citizens cited staffing cuts, nurse availability and the impact of revaluation on school funding. "We watch and we listen," said Sarah Drinan, who noted she and many others had repeatedly asked the board to increase school funding and called for responsiveness to constituent emails and petitions. Brittany Elkin, addressing the board near the start of the public comments block, said county revenue growth has not translated into proportional increases in school operating dollars and urged the commission to "put the citizens of this county before your own political aspirations."
Several commenters tied budget priorities to outcomes for students. "Education is not a partisan issue. Education is a Gaston County issue," Samantha Easters told the board, asking county leaders to move beyond blame and focus on solutions. Special education teacher Elizabeth Conyers described services that rely on specialized staff and said the county has a legal and moral obligation to provide for vulnerable students.
Speakers also asked the board to act on the Confederate monument at the courthouse. "We have thousands of citizens explaining why the Confederate monument outside needs to be moved where it can be presented with appropriate historical context," Brittany Elkin said. Deonna Graham, vice president of the Gastonia NAACP branch, asked the board to "follow the money" and align spending with stated priorities.
County response and next steps
The county manager responded with budget and service‑level context, saying property tax collections rose about 22% from 2021 to 2025 (from $171 million to $208 million) and general fund revenues rose roughly 23% (from $288 million to $353 million) while cautioning that some outside calculations included debt proceeds and therefore overstate recurring revenue. He also noted increases in service demand: EMS calls up 35%, Child Advocacy Center services up 115%, and Medicaid applications up 30%.
Commissioners said they will continue meetings with school officials and staff, invite two citizen representatives into ongoing discussions and adjust the July schedule so the board can act in time to meet the school board’s calendar where possible. No formal funding decision was made at the meeting.
What residents asked for next
Speakers asked the board to (1) increase local operating support for schools, (2) provide clearer and timely responses to constituent emails, (3) revisit the courthouse monument’s status with a public process that includes historical context, and (4) ensure school safety and health staffing (nurses, support positions) meet student needs. The board recorded the public comments and said staff and appointed task groups would follow up.
