Local

Union Co. School Board rejects $3M for mobile classrooms

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Update: The Union County School Board voted to reject $3 million from the county for mobile classrooms at Tuesday night's meeting.

Union Co. parents ready to move to avoid school redistricting

Hundreds of frustrated Union County parents are gathering Tuesday night to speak out against a proposed redistricting plan.

For weeks, Eyewitness News has told you about the plan that would move thousands of students into different schools in an effort to stop overcrowding.
 
Eyewitness News reporter Tina Terry learned how the controversy could impact local home sales.

Rather than shuffling kids to different schools, board members are talking about a plan that would add more mobile classrooms to schools.

If that alternative isn't approved, some parents are preparing to sell their homes so their kids can go to the schools they choose.

For four years, Bob Bunzey has been selling homes in Union County and in the past few months he's noticed a trend. 
 
He said some parents are considering selling their homes because of the county's proposed redistricting plan.

"I've got four clients I'm actively working with looking to get into another spot," Bunzey said.
 
He said parents relocating from other states have also heard about the debate.
 
"I started getting calls from clients in Atlanta. They were getting ready to move, asking questions about how it would affect them and whether their children would have to go on a bus ride for an hour or more to get to school," he said.
 
The proposed plan would shuffle 6,000 students to different schools in the county.
 
Bunzey said some are concerned if their neighborhood is zoned to lower performing schools then they will earn less money when they sell their homes.
 
Others are willing to move so their children can go to the better schools,
 
"That's motivation for buying in a community is what school you are going to be attending," Bunzey said.
 
Dina Case, a parent, said she loves her community too much to move, but she knows neighbors considering it.
 
She said she's hoping the school board finds "a more long-term solution that keeps kids in their schools and not have to redistrict every few years," she said.
 
Case said she supports adding more mobile classrooms to overcrowded schools until the district has time to build more schools. 
 
We'll let you know what happens at the school board meeting on Eyewitness News Tuesday at 10 and 11 p.m.

The school board is expected to vote on the redistricting plan in April.