2021-09-09 Minutes
Programming / Education Subcommittee meeting
9/9/21
Present: Kimberly Geiger, Liz Carbone, Kathy King, Florence Warren, Lori Wainwright, Scott
Whisnant, Linda Rawley-Thompson, Melissa Huffman, and Corporal Crystal Williamson.
Discussion centered around brainstorming ideas regarding how to respond to community
concerns regarding low performing schools in New Hanover County. Ideas were presented by
Kimberly Geiger, Liz Carbone, Florence Warren, Kathy King, Scott Whisnant, Lori Wainwright,
Jen Johnson and Linda Rawley-Thompson.
Suggestions included:
1. Bringing in speakers from the Public Schools Forum of NC to review their research and
their identified solutions to racial inequities in schools across NC. Scott will reach out to
their organization to explore options.
2. Hosting community meetings with parents and students to inquire about their
experiences in our schools and meetings with teachers regarding their perspectives
regarding differences that exist within different schools in the district. It was also
suggested that we meet with principals. The intent of the community meetings would
be to study and research racial inequities in our schools.
Ms. Warren suggested that we work in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations that are
currently working with the schools, including the NAACP Youth Group, Kim Ceasar, Brigade Boys
Club, and Communities in Schools.
Melissa Huffman provided legal input regarding questions posed by the group related to
parameters for hosting community meetings and will get back to us. Specific questions include
clarification regarding how many CRAC members constitutes a quorum, and subsequently how
many CRAC members are allowed to be present in a community group in order to conduct the
research in the groups and still allow for the community group to be a private event. Melissa
Huffman also noted that when talking with minors, we will need to obtain parental consent.
Linda Rawley-Thompson noted that the county has already begun taking some measures to
increase teacher recruitment in the underperforming schools, including offering increased
salaries for teachers in these schools.
Jen Johnson suggested that Red Cross disaster mental health be provided on the scene at any
future school violence event. Linda Rawley-Thompson stated that meetings are being initiated
to create planning for any future disasters and she will suggest that CRAC be included in those
meetings. Both Jen and Lori Wainwright expressed interest in participating in those
conversations.