As a 28-year veteran of public education in North Carolina, and a current principal in a neighboring district, I was deeply saddened to learn that Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) must close two elementary schools. For me, this news is personal. I served as assistant principal and then principal of Ephesus Elementary School for nearly 11 years, and I am also the parent of two of its graduates. The possibility that Ephesus could be among the schools to close is especially difficult to accept.
The grief expressed at public meetings is real and justified. The dismantling of any school community is a loss. But no single school’s importance outweighs another’s. If closures are necessary, they must be determined by the reality driving them: finances. Difficult as it may be, the board must ground its decision in clear, objective financial data.
For families who may be affected, the uncertainty is profound. While local decisions unfold, I urge continued advocacy at the state level. What is happening in CHCCS reflects a broader trend across North Carolina: the gradual erosion of public school funding alongside policies that divert public dollars to less accountable systems…