Some CMS District, School Assignment Lines Don't Match Up

An election twist has some parents puzzled.

Some residents don't get to vote for the school board members who represent their children's schools. Two examples include the Providence Commons and Lansdowne neighborhoods in south Charlotte.

Parents vote for the District 5 school board member, but their children are assigned to East Mecklenburg High School, which is in District 4.

"I don't know. I don't trust that. I don't trust that," said parent Summer O’Boyle.

Eyewitness News went to the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections to see the lines and ask Director Michael Dickerson why some parents don't get the voice they want. He said it's up to school board members.

"Where, what, and how the districts are drawn, that's all left up to them," he said.

Eyewitness news asked school board members, but it doesn't sound very promising for concerned parents.

Vice-Chair Kaye McGarry agrees that district lines and school assignment lines should overlap better, but she said she needs to know more before taking a stand.

"I believe it is something to look into, and you really bring up more questions than I really have gotten answers for," she said.

Another school board member didn't need more information. He said it would be extremely difficult to make the change and still make sure every student goes to school close to home.