< Previous page

Bond opponents say health and safety issues should be addressed. But they question why the district has to spend almost $23 million on Lacy to accomplish the job.

The 13 schools scheduled for renovations would add 2,096 permanent seats at a cost of about $245 million.

DeLuca said that isn't enough when 32,000 more students are expected to enroll in the schools by 2010.

'They'll gain some seats, but at a very high cost," DeLuca said. "Those dollars could gain a lot more capacity from new school construction."

Another target of bond critics is Lynn Road Elementary School in North Raleigh. Lynn Road is scheduled for $22.1 million in renovations, including some money for new administrative offices and a conference room for meetings with parents.

People such as Terry Stoops, an education policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation, have also questioned spending $7.3 million at Enloe High School. The foundation, like Americans for Prosperity, is largely funded by Art Pope, a conservative businessman and former state representative.

Enloe's renovations will include a new weight room and demolition of part of a building to add parking spaces and upgrade athletics facilities.

"We should focus on adding new seats rather than on equity, which could go on forever," Stoops said.

Backers cite fairness

Bond supporters and parents at the renovated schools say it comes down to fairness.

"We don't want lavish new auditoriums and lavish new buildings," said Robin Oke, a parent at Poe Elementary School in downtown Raleigh, where the school would get $14.7 million in renovations. "We just want windows that are all the same color and open. These are the things that make a school nice."

Clark, the school board member from Raleigh, said many of the older schools have high percentages of students who are at risk of failing. She said those students need the best facilities to attract quality teachers and provide a good learning environment.

It isn't clear yet which side has the upper hand in this debate. The answer to that will come on Election Day.

< Previous page