RALEIGH, N.C. — Every school day, Raleigh mother Megan Winzeler waits for the bus to pick up her first grader, Beckett. It's a gathering spot for parents around the neighborhood, but lately it's a source of anxiety.


What You Need To Know

The Wake County Public School system discussed the 113-page enrollment proposal at a November board meeting

The final vote will take place December 7

Depending on a student's grade level and circumstances, there are options available to stay at their current school. However, they would not be eligible for district transportation


Recently, Winzeler learned her son and others may soon be switching schools and not by choice.

"It's really frustrating, and it's really heartbreaking and sad because we have spent the past year and then the beginning of this school year building these relationships and spending time with friends and supporting each other during a pandemic," Winzeler said.

Winzeler's quiet community is caught in the middle of a reassignment proposal with many families having to relocate from Abotts Creek Elementary School to Durant Road Elementary School, a year-round school.

The Wake County Public School System said it chose this spot because there is a natural barrier between these homes and others in the area.

Although what seems natural to the district doesn't appear that way to some families living there.

"I have never even thought about charter schools before, and I never thought that I would," Winzeler said.

Now, Winzeler is scrambling to explore her options.

"It's really upsetting to think about uprooting your whole family, so, you know, my priority is the stability for my kids," she said.

The Winzelers have lived in the area for 10 years.

"We moved in before Abotts Creek was even built, so we saw the community center being built there. and we saw the school being built," Winzeler said."We moved in before Abotts Creek was even built, so we saw the community center being built there. and we saw the school being built," Winzeler said.

Not to mention, her son is in his first year of in-person school ever after spending a year in virtual kindergarten.

"He's always been really shy, and so it did take him a solid year to get comfortable going to school and raising his hand in class," she said.

Winzeler understands as capacity fills up, some kids can't go to a certain school. But she never imagined fighting to stay.

"I'm just completely mind-blown that they would think it's OK to uproot current students from their comfort zone, from their sense of safety," Winzeler said.

And with the pandemic already bringing about countless changes, this is the last thing her family needs.

"People have to speak up and take a stand because if nobody says anything, then nothing's going to change. And it could happen again a couple of years down the road or they could redraw the line somewhere down the road, and it could be somebody else next time," she said.