Apex homeowner erects signs critical about new school, road construction
APEX, N.C. (WTVD) -- An ABC11 Eyewitness driving near downtown Apex spotted some controversial signs on the front lawn of a home. The signs called out a brand new private school and town leaders.
It turned out that the signs belong to a man who's known for posting large, eye-catching signs outside his home so everyone can see.
Coming to a stop outside Bryan Smith's home, drivers can't help but see two signs. One refers to President Obama as Muslim. Another reads "Nightmare on Salem Street" and proceeds to sarcastically call out Thales Academy, which is a new private school located a few hundred yards from Smith's home, Apex town leaders, and Paul "Skip" Stam- a local state representative and local attorney.
Smith said it's all about the road construction that's still going on outside his home that was originally planned to be completed before Thales Academy opened to students on Monday.
"I knew they had no chance of finishing," said Smith. "No chance whatsoever."
Smith said he's not attacking the school or the construction workers adding a turning lane onto the school's campus. This is not about the school. It's not about the contractor that's doing the work.
"Yes! It's all about principle," he said. "Absolutely, it's about principle!"
Smith said he's urged town leaders from the beginning to abandon the design that will have cars turning left across northbound traffic. He's also upset that construction is now overlapping with the school's opening and hopes his homemade sign proved a point.
"It's silly," he said. "But it's silly that we would find ourselves here. Why not just tell the truth up front?"
Kent Jackson with Apex's Engineering and Construction Management told ABC11 that Thales Academy requested three weeks ago to overlap its opening with road construction. Jackson said the town agreed when it learned the school's initial enrollment would be much lower than originally thought.
Jackson said the construction project should be completed in about three weeks.
