The petition reads, “We hereby petition the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District and the Roanoke Rapids City Council to stop the racial discrimination against African-American children who live within the city but are prevented from attending city schools by racially-drawn school boundaries.”
Harvey explained he realizes council doesn't have legal authority to change school boundaries, but told the panel, “The folks who signed this petition, however, all live in Roanoke Rapids but outside the attendance zone of the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District.”
While the NAACP will appeal to the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Board of Education,
Harvey said those who have signed the petition thus far are the constituents of city council, not the board of education. “This council is the elected representatives of those who are protesting the boundaries. We bring the petitions to you in the hope you will speak out on an issue important to your constituents and influence those who do control the school lines.”
Said Harvey: “In the glaring light of the 21st Century, school boundaries that exclude black children who live next door to a school but are bussed miles away to a county school looks to us like racial prejudice regardless of motives of those who drew these lines more than 100 years ago.
“Not only do these residents feel the stigma of exclusion, they must pay city taxes which include public safety and transportation services such as fire, police and road repair from which (the) Roanoke Rapids Graded School District benefits.”
In other words, Harvey said, “Part of their city taxes support indirectly schools their children are barred from attending despite living within municipal boundaries. Victims of discrimination pay again and again for living in a city where school boundaries prevent children who can play together from learning together. It's time for people of conscience to raise their voices and talk about this injustice. Please be among the good people who no longer remain silent.”
Asked outside the meeting whether the NAACP would accept a compromise in which the students affected by the lines could attend school in the city without the lines being changed, Harvey said, “At the end of the day the boundary is what creates the civil rights issue.”
Referring to a lawsuit which challenges Halifax County's three separate school districts, he said, “I think the object of the lawsuit is to merge the schools. It should have been discussed before it got to a lawsuit.”
Ed Liverman, who is on the ballot in the RRGSD race and attended this evening's meeting, declined immediate comment on the matter as did RRGSD board Chair Jay Carlilse.
Mayor Emery Doughtie said following the meeting Harvey “mentioned going to the school board. I think that's where it should be. The school board has the authority to look at the lines.”
