At the July 10 work session meeting, Moore County Board of Education Vice-Chair David Hensley led a discussion on mandatory student fees and said free public schools demanding fees were equal to demanding taxes.
During the regular meeting held on the same day, the board voted on Hensley’s proposal to eliminate the $10 mandatory student fee, and it failed 3 to 4.
“The Supreme Court ruled you cannot tax a right,” Hensley said about constitutionally protected rights.
Chair Robert Levy said the board could not afford to replace the funds, and if the county commissioners gave them enough money, he would support eliminating fees.
Member Kenneth Benway said to phase out the fees.
Hensley said the board could eliminate Catherine Nagy’s old public relations position to replace the mandatory fee funds.
Hensley’s slide on the funding replacement of mandatory fees shows eliminating a public relations position.
Mandatory student fees total $153, 465.
Hensley’s slide of mandatory fees for classes’ fees shows totals.
Hensley’s slide of technology fees shows cost.
“This is absolutely horrible,” Hensley said about the fees.
Levy said the great idea of removing mandatory fees means finding replacement funds.
Superintendent Tim Locklair did not recommend voting for removing mandatory student fees at this time. He said the school system would collect $470,000 if all students paid fees, excluding parking fees.
To watch the video on this topic and other discussions during the July 10 meeting, please click here.
Feature photo: The Moore County Board of Education. This photo and all slide photos are via the school district.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel journalist Stephanie M. Sellers; BS Mass Communications and Journalism, MFA Creative Writing.
