David Harvey, president of the county chapter of the NAACP and Rebecca Copeland of the Coalition for Education and Economic Security, each spoke during the Community Issues segment of today’s board of commissioners’ meeting.

Commissioners made no comment on the matter after taking a vote during their June 17 meeting that ended in a 3-3 split.

Board Chairman James Pierce did explain to Harvey commissioners made an agreement to take no votes on the matter when at least one member is absent.

“Thank you for taking a vote on school merger,” Harvey told the commissioners.

He said, however, merging the schools would erase many years of perceived civil rights violations in Roanoke Rapids and Halifax County.

“It will end the pipeline traveling from high to school to prison. It will open the door for every child to have equal funding.”

Schools in the county, Harvey said, need to be modeled in a way to benefit the children and he encouraged commissioners to approve building a new Weldon High School and Manning Elementary School with the understanding that all children be allowed to go. “We should build a new school and open it to every child in the county. It’s the same with Manning, there are children in Roanoke Rapids who can’t go.”

Harvey said there are still economic issues surrounding merger. “One school system would fix the problems.”

As he and others said at a rally last month, the county chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a movement to oust merger opponents on the board will begin. “We’re going to help elect commissioners that will take a vote on day 1 to unify the three schools.”

Copeland said, “We want what’s in the best interest of Halifax County children. Some will resist change; some will fight the status quo. Doing more of the same is not the answer.”

Copeland said the Evergreen study, requested by the county, “Recommended baby steps to consolidation. It’s been nine months since you’ve seen the findings. It’s time to make some recommendations.”