Like the idea or hate the idea, one thing you can say about High Point Mayor Jay Wagner’s call for a committee to explore removing the public schools in High Point from the Guilford County School System is that it’s causing quite a stir.
On Monday evening, August 5, a press release from High Point mayoral candidate Bruce Davis stated that Davis will hold a press conference on Tuesday, August 6 to discuss the matter.
Davis, a former Guilford County commissioner, said this week that he does not support separating the High Point schools from the Guilford County system – and he questioned the timing of Wagner’s call for the formation of a committee to see whether High Point schools have benefited from that consolidation.
Davis said Guilford County currently has “one of the finest” school systems in the state and he added that money should be spent on raises for school system employees rather than on a study exploring breaking up the school system that was formed over a quarter of a century ago.
Davis will hold the press conference at 1 p.m. at High Point Central High School where he’ll be accompanied by teachers, community leaders, and parents from the High Point area.
While some, such as Davis, are opposed to the move, others believe there’s merit to it.
Guilford County Commissioner Hank Henning said he believes there is a reason to consider the idea and have the debate. Henning said he’d heard a lot of support from those in High Point who are unhappy with the present arrangement and who have been for years.
Former High Point Mayor Bill Bencini said there’s a belief among many in that city that High Point schools often get the short end of the stick as part of the current large county system.
