Some of the more heated skirmishes in the statewide battle over charter schools have been fought in Cherokee County, where last year the local school board rejected the proposed Cherokee Charter Academy for a third time, only to have the state step in and fund it.
That set the stage for the Cherokee legislative delegation to push for a measure putting a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that, if passed, will give the state the power to override local school boards in approving charter schools. They would be funded by the state, but opponents argue some of that money could normally go to traditional public schools.
Two incumbents on different sides of the battle — Janet Read and Kim Cochran — are running for the Cherokee school board, but for new posts under redrawn districts.
Read, who opposed Cherokee Charter Academy, was drawn out of her District 4 post and is running against Danny Dukes for school board chairman — to be elected by the voters for the first time.
Cochran, drawn out of District 7, supported Cherokee Charter Academy. She is running in District 2.
The District 1 race pits Cherokee Charter advocate Kelly Marlow against Kyla Cromer, who supported the school board's 4-3 vote last summer to reject the academy's bid because she didn't like the structure of the school's financing. All are Republicans, so whoever wins the primary is in.
The other key issue in the race is school funding. The Cherokee school system has reduced its budget by about $21 million since the 2008-09 school year, but the system has grown by about 5,000 students since 2006. In response, the board instituted eight furlough days, which some parents oppose.
"I think we need a new set of eyes looking at the budget," parent Kelly Anfuso said. "If the system were being managed more efficiently they could reduce those furlough days."
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