Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Gastonia, NC (WNN) - In front of the Gaston County Courthouse sits a monument from a bygone era. The statue is in place for the Confederate soldiers who served in the Civil War. Time and again, the public has asked that this statue be removed. Despite past agreement, it remains, and members of the public feel it is now being entirely ignored. However, these groups care about equal treatment for all citizens and raised concerns about several issues both during the press conference and in the commissioners' meeting.
The NAACP organized this conference. Each person who spoke offered different viewpoints on how to address the issue. These are not people who want to deny or destroy history. While they all agree that having a monument to the Confederacy outside a hall of justice is a mixed signal at best, and intentionally harmful at worst, not one has asked for it to be destroyed. The main goal is to either move the statue to a more proper place or counterbalance it with a reminder of the lives lost due to slavery. The citizens who gathered feel that this remaining as is shows an acceptance of white supremacy and racism.
Reverend Thomas Gillespie was one of the council of understanding appointees who helped decide what to do with the statue. He says this was formed after the council split on whether to move or keep the statue. This council of appointees found that the statue should be moved and presented this to the commissioners. His personal view is that the statue should be replaced with Lady Liberty, a representation of all Americans, and then moved to a museum or a graveyard.
The President and Vice President of the Gastonia Branch of the NAACP echoed the same sentiment. While they have grown tired of the situation, they will not quit fighting for what they believe is right.
Vice President Dionna Graham stated, “Don’t mistake tiredness for weakness, march, persevere.”
She recounted how this is another example of the long history of black citizens fighting to be heard. In her speech, she noted that at the time it was written, the preamble’s “We the people” did not include black citizens in its promise of the pursuit of liberty. Since then, they have fought to have their voices heard and have used everything they have earned to continue the march toward eliminating discrimination.
Shown beside the speakers is what President Sean Bates would see put beside the monument in lieu of moving it. This statue would symbolize the black people who were victims of lynching and the 12 million enslaved people of America. It is a stark contrast to the current statue and would highlight the injustice endured to get us where we are today.
Another speaker pointed out that this statue is only one way the county has maintained a poor status quo. Despite members of all races asking for its removal, it sits where it has for years. This, however, is not the only issue these speakers wanted to note.
Both at the commissioners' meeting and at the conference, speakers expressed dissatisfaction with funding issues in Gaston County. Brittany Elkin, representing the Gaston County Education Alliance, spoke on the findings of a citizen-led study on Gaston County property taxes. The alliance has compiled a list of documents that they encourage concerned individuals to review rather than take their word for it here. However, it was found that if industrial and commercial property taxes were raised to be more in line with residential property taxes, the county would have quite a bit more income. The estimate ranges from $12 million to $15 million more per year. It was repeatedly expressed that the biggest concern here isn’t the money itself, but the lack of documentation explaining why the decision was made as it was.
The county states that the decision was made due to concerns over financial conditions. Had commercial and industrial rates remained in line, the county would've brought in $60 million more over the past 4 years. This aligns directly with the funding situation in the Gaston County School System. While an extra $5 million was allotted to the schools, it still left $6.3 million to go before they are fully funded. One of the largest areas of concern left out of this decision was the $3.3 million requested for the EC programs.
Many parents came forward to speak about how this lack of funding is not an issue that can be ignored. Speakers felt that this is not just an underfunded area on a spreadsheet. To them, it ignores the civil rights of autistic individuals when this area is left without proper staffing and equipment. One mother spoke about how, when entering her son's classroom, she found him with a desk all to himself and puzzles. Seeing her son sectioned off did not leave her believing that her son was receiving a true opportunity at being educated. Another stated that what he’s learned from having an autistic grandson is that each case is unique. To him these areas must be fully funded because each student with these needs must be handled as an individual, as there is no blanket slate of needs for these children.
Regardless of what the issue is, the public outcry for transparency and to have these issues resolved is clear. These organizations bear the responsibility of pushing for those who can’t or fear speaking. They will continue to do so for as long as necessary to achieve a better future for all who are here.
After hearing from the public, Commissioner Cathy Cloninger addressed one of the issues raised for months. This is how many people do not feel safe or comfortable presenting their home address as a requirement to speak at these meetings. They feel it leaves them vulnerable to being targeted when the solution is as simple as providing the address privately to the clerk of courts. Cloninger agrees and wants to advocate for this, as the safety of women has always been one of her top priorities. This item will be voted on at the next meeting.
Commissioner Jim Bailey rounded out the meeting by speaking on a recent meeting between the top 15 school districts in NC. He spoke on how the meeting defined best practices as being the opposite of how Gaston County has handled the situation. That school spending isn’t transparent enough, and he hopes to see this resolved in the coming year.
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