‘A lot of people don’t realize
that the city has no control’
Patrick Rhamey (Photo by Lily Mott)
“I said, ‘why don’t we have a high school?’ and that opened this whole issue again,” Rhamey said.
More than 30 years ago, city and county officials formed an unusual hybrid education system for children in the area. Lexington and Rockbridge County operate separate K-8 schools—with separate school boards.
The city runs Waddell Elementary and Lylburn Downing Middle School. The county oversees Central Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Fairfield Elementary, Natural Bridge Elementary and Maury River Middle schools.
Once children reach ninth grade, all of them are sent to Rockbridge County High School. The city pays nearly $1.5 million annually for about 150 of its children to attend the high school.
But Lexington voters don’t have an elected representative on the county school board. The school board recommends to the county government how state, national and local funding should be spent. And the school board has final say on policies that affect how and what students are taught at the high school.
“We spend an enormous amount of money subsidizing what’s going on at the county high school,” Rhamey said. Lexington parents “do not have any say, no vote, nothing over what happens.”
Patrick Rhamey had lived in Lexington for only two years when the 30-year-old Virginia Military Institute professor ran for Lexington City Council, pledging to fight for independence of city schools in a hybrid system with Rockbridge County that’s existed since 1992.
Rhamey says he believes he won in 2014 because his opponent, an incumbent and long-time city resident, had hesitated to endorse a $14 million renovation of Waddell Elementary School.
In 2017, Rhamey took another step in his fight to preserve city autonomy when he convinced council to create an ad hoc committee to investigate the feasibility of building a separate high school for Lexington students.
Key events leading to the consolidation of Rockbridge County High School
Some Lexington residents say they are fed up. In November 2022, more than 63% of voters supported a referendum that will transform the city’s appointed school board into an elected body in 2025.
Voters will gradually elect all members of the city school board. In November 2024, three spots will be open and on the ballot. Rhamey says he expects the area’s hybrid education system will be one of the school board’s first action items.
The 1992 consolidation agreement expires in 2040. But the city and county must begin talks in 2035.
Under the terms of the agreement, Lexington has always had an opt-out.
Rhamey, for one, says he wants the city to invoke the provision, and for the city school board to re-open discussions about creating a city high school.
“I just would like to see all the parties involved explore all the possible options, which they haven’t done in the history of this issue,” he said.