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From News14 Carolina, several days ago...

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/special_edition/back_to_school/?ArID=89962&SecID=124

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Mecklenburg County lawmaker has completed legislation that would deconsolidate the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. Rep. John Rhodes, R-Mecklenburg, finished a final draft of the legislation this week and says the fate of CMS should be decided by the taxpayers.

Rhodes reads over legislation that places the future of CMS in the hands of voters. He says many of his constituents want a change.

If deconsolidation is passed, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as it is now would be abolished in July 2006.
“This school system does not belong to Mecklenburg County, the state of North Carolina, CMS; this school systems belongs to the people, the taxpayers of Mecklenburg County,” he said. “We have to provide the personalized service to kids in Mecklenburg County and I believe smaller will provide that more personal service.”

The draft provides for a referendum vote on the issue in November. Voters would decide if deconsolidation – or the breaking up the district – would benefit the county.

If passed, CMS as it is now would be abolished July 1, 2006.Then, its future and how it would be broken up would be determined by the State Board of Education, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners and the current school board.

Rep. John Rhodes, R-Mecklenburg, says the fate of CMS should be decided by the taxpayers.
"In nine years, we're expected to have 170,000 students in CMS,” Rhodes said. “If we go at the current pace, that’s too large.”

Rhodes is among the many in favor of deconsolidation, while School Board chair Joe White is one of those who are not. He has said in the past that deconsolidation is not the answer to overcrowding and discipline problems.

"I sincerely believe that a parent who is concerned and involved and a child with a good attitude who wants to learn can learn at any of our 148 institutions," White said.

Rhodes says it is his intention to let the people of Mecklenburg County decide the school district's fate in November.

Rep. Jim Gulley, R-Mecklenburg, co-signed the final draft of the legislation.

And Tuesday's news, where Mecklenburg county were denied their basic rights to speak as citizens on the issue.

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/special_edition/back_to_school/?AC=&ArID=91238&SecID=124

Deconsolidation bill voted down again
By: Tim Boyum, News 14 Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. -- In what became a hairy meeting Tuesday, state lawmakers again shot down a bill that would allow Mecklenburg County voters to decide whether the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district should be deconsolidated.

At the request of House Speaker Jim Black, members of the House Education Committee had agreed to reconsider the referendum bill sponsored by Mecklenburg Reps. John Rhodes and Jim Gulley. The committee had voted against it 35-1 on Thursday.

But Tuesday's vote, which was carried out after local parents had a chance to speak, garnered only an additional 3 votes.

During the meeting, two Mecklenburg County leaders nearly had to be escorted from the room.

Members of the House Education Committee heard from parents who say Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools should be deconsolidated.
At the beginning of the meeting, the committee's chairman, Marvin Lucas, said that no elected officials or residents outside of Mecklenburg County would be permitted to speak. But the first two speakers were elected officials.

School board member Larry Gauvreau and County Commissioner Jim Puckett tried to make their cases anyway. After the committee told the two men to sit down, they continued to talk. Eventually, officials turned off the microphone.

After things calmed down, several parents stood up and said that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district is too big to sufficiently serve the county. They said residents should have the option of breaking up the district.

“I feel that if you don't give us the opportunity to vote in our county and have people speak up, the debate will end,” parent Christine Pinardis said.

Larry Bumgarner, a community activist who has run for the school board before, tried to persuade the committee as well.

“I represent about 1,200 people,” Bumgarner said. “If you look at the table over there, you'll read the horror stories people have written in the petitions.”

Many parents are frustrated with overcrowding and other issues in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. They want to see CMS broken up into smaller districts.

“Just yesterday, our Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee met and voted unanimously to oppose this piece of legislation,” said John Brown of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

Despite the vote, parents in favor of deconsolidation said they will not give up.

Joe White, the chairman of the CMS school board, hopes they will at least try to move forward.

“I hope, at least for the present time, we can put this to rest and we can go back home and devote our energies, time, and resources to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district," White said.

Several legislators, including Rhodes, said they plan to complain about the way the hearing was handled Tuesday.