New Hanover County Schools

Last Friday, the New Hanover County Board of Education voted 4-3 to temporarily remove the book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, written by Jason Reynolds, adapted from the work of Ibram X. Kendi, from the district’s classrooms. But their motion allowed it to remain in high school libraries.

Policy 4004, “Student Voice” (SV) was designed to encourage participation in board of education policy. But instead of engagement, so far the policy has mostly been successful in generating contention among board members.

On Tuesday, the New Hanover County School Board is allowing an additional 30-minute ‘Call to the Audience’ that will focus on the issue of limiting books. But there's a specific book in question: it’s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You written by Jason Reynolds, adapted from the work of Ibram X. Kendi.

With the creation of the New Hanover County Schools Turnaround Task Force, district officials and community members are debating how to improve the district’s lowest-performing schools. So, what do educational researchers say about which initiatives work best?

Teacher Appreciation Week was earlier this month, but students from New Hanover High say their support will be valued well beyond just those five days of recognition.

Over the last year, parents, far-right groups, and even school board candidates have challenged a host of books in New Hanover County school libraries, alleging they are obscene or pornographic. But the latest challenge objects to something else: learning about racism in America's past.

Last year, activist Sandy Eyles was served with a ‘trespass notice,’ effectively banning her from the property during school board and committee meetings, after a verbal altercation with then-board member Stefanie Adams. Now, Eyles is pursuing her last resort to appeal the year-long ban.

In New Hanover County’s Community Building Plan, there is $1.1 million in funding for community resource coordinators who’ll operate inside schools — and $1.9 million for additional school resource officers or SROs. WHQR asked about these investments — and how the county will track their progress.

At a recent New Hanover County school board’s town hall, mental health emerged as one of the community’s top priorities. So what do the county and the district offer in terms of these services?

At Tuesday's New Hanover County school board meeting, members voted to approve the state’s salary schedule, but board member Judy Justice was the lone dissenting vote.