RICHMOND, Va. -- The Richmond School Board received an update on the construction of George Wythe High School on Monday night.
Superintendent Jason Kamras presented several questions to the board about the project, the main one being whether or not to follow the city's already drafted prototype design for the school or to create a new one.
Kamras said that following the prototype would be faster, but school board members said that they want to make amendments to the existing plans.
He also said that they have received multiple resumes for the three positions needed for the construction team. He said they are working on screening the candidates and moving them to the performance task stage now.
Racial justice advocates also had the chance to speak out on Monday night, calling on Richmond school leaders to speed up the construction of the new school.
Mayor Levar Stoney and many other community activists want the school built as soon as possible, which they said could be 2024. However, the school board, which has taken over construction plans, wants to push the opening date back to 2027.
On Monday, the NAACP criticized the move, saying that southside students deserve better.
"Right now, they are failing to do what is necessary to put our kids first. The community is watching. The community wants action. If the school board does not take it, then we will," JJ Minor, the president of Richmond's branch of the NAACP, said.
The NAACP said that they will ask the Virginia Department of Education to intervene, file a lawsuit against the school board and try to recall members.
