RALEIGH -- Some Broughton High School parents and students hope a new Wake County school board will give them a chance to save their International Baccalaureate magnet program.
In December, the school board voted 5-4 to remove Broughton's magnet program because it was no longer needed there for diversity reasons. But with six of the board seats changing hands since then, the Broughton supporters hope that the new board majority will be more receptive to their lobbying.
In particular, the Broughton supporters hope to connect with new board members who think magnet programs should be used more to promote academics than diversity.
"If Wake County is concerned about high-quality education, then it shouldn't eliminate such a high-quality program," said Caroline Monson, a Broughton parent helping to organize supporters of the program.
The four new board members elected this fall will take office Tuesday and join with current member Ron Margiotta to form a new majority that backs neighborhood schools and opposes the diversity policy and mandatory year-round schools.
In addition to the recently elected board members, two other board members were appointed to replace people who resigned.
But if the new board keeps the program at Broughton, it will have to decide whether it can afford to phase in a new International Baccalaureate magnet program at Millbrook High School without phasing it out at Broughton.
Millbrook High, on Spring Forest Road in northeast Raleigh, received the magnet program to attract more affluent families to reduce the school's percentage of low-income students. School board members had said that was not a concern at Broughton, at St. Mary's and Peace streets near Cameron Village in Raleigh.
'Dollar crunch' looms
Margiotta said he can't imagine justifying having programs at both schools. He noted how Superintendent Del Burns has proposed cutting $20 million from next year's budget.
"The dollar crunch is only going to get worse," said Margiotta, who voted last year in favor of removing Broughton's program and against adding one at Millbrook.
Monson said the Broughton supporters won't ask the board to remove the program from Millbrook. She said it would be up to the district to figure out a way to keep programs at both schools. It can cost more than $500,000 a year to operate the IB program at one school.
If needed, Monson suggested allowing Broughton to keep the IB program without being a magnet school. Currently, the district allows the IB program only at magnet schools.
An International Baccalaureate program provides an academically rigorous curriculum that stresses global understanding, cultural awareness and community service.
The new board members said they would listen to the Broughton parents. But they said they need more information before making a decision.
"I can't commit to anything at this point," said new board member Debra Goldman. "I haven't been sworn in yet."
