Reassignment Shakes up Schools, Stirs up Parents
By Alex Cabe

More than 9,000 Wake County students will be attending different schools next year because of a reassignment plan passed by the school board last week. Many parents are concerned about the plan.

Wake County is building new schools to handle a growing student population. Next year they’ll move students from poorer neighborhoods into better funded schools.

At a public meeting last week, parents said they were worried about moving their children into a new setting.

Some parents in the Riverside neighborhood are angry their areas are not being reassigned, says Anna Farrell.

"We're quite, quite discouraged when they pulled us out of the plan,” Farrell said. “We thought finally our hopes were going to be met.”

Students have to ride buses across a busy highway instead of going to a school within walking distance. Farrell is angry with the way reassignment was handled.

"I think we've been abused,” she said. “We feel mistreated. I think it's been handled unfairly."

Wake County officials hope this year’s reassignment will prevent another shuffle next year. The school board stands behind the plan, saying three out of four students are being moved closer to home.