Accreditation agency AdvancEd started its two-day interview process at the Wake County School Board headquarters where it is scheduled to interview school board members, students and parents.
The review follows an NAACP complaint filed when the school board scrapped the diversity policy in favor of neighborhood schools. But AdvanceEd, the national accreditation agency conducting the review, said its investigation is simply focused on how that decision was reached.
Even high school students had a chance to express their concerns with the group leading the review.
"I disagree with the idea to change the busing of students to different schools," said Holly Springs senior Jackie O'Shaughnessy. "I think it's worked out as far as it’s been implemented."
Heritage High School sophomore Litahni Brown added, "Losing accreditation would be moving everything back with getting diplomas and getting credited for high school courses."
School board member John Tedesco was interviewed by the team from AdvancEd Thursday morning. Tedesco is a strong advocate of neighborhood schools, but voted to cooperate with the investigation.
"Hopefully they'll take the input we had today fairly," Tedesco said. "I know when they meet with people like the NAACP, I hope they don't just take a snapshot of one or two groups that have a particular agenda."
Board member Chris Malone, who was one of two board members who was against the review, said he’s skeptical of the agency.
"I'm concerned about outside agencies that are unelected, unaccountable making up their own rules and making decisions subjectively to what we should or shouldn't do," Malone said.
Several parent groups were interviewed on Thursday, including Wake Schools Community Alliance, which supports neighborhood schools.
"They wanted to know as a parent organization if we were satisfied with results the board was achieving at this point given we've put so much time and effort into getting them elected," said Kristen Stocking with Wake Schools Community Alliance.
The review teams also spoke with Great Schools in Wake Coalition, a group that believes in the old diversity policy.
"I'm hoping they'll have some great suggestions on how we can improve the board's behavior, interaction with each other, interactions with public and their support for teachers," said Yevonne Brannon with Great Schools in Wake Coalition.
New Superintendent Tony Tata will be interviewed Friday morning as well as principals and other board members.
AdvancEd said the team in Raleigh conducting the interviews has 30 days to provide a written report to the agency, which will make the decision on accreditation.
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