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Mayor Becky Smothers and Board of Education Chairman Alan Duncan agreed Tuesday that a serious and appropriate response was mounted after nooses were found hanging at Andrews High School last week.

Otherwise, the audience at High Point's State of the Community Luncheon could have gotten the idea there's friction between the city and the school system.

Smothers spoke before Duncan, warming up by thanking state legislators for approving nearly $2 million in state funding for furniture market services. Citing the business event's annual economic impact, she added that "county government hasn't understood the message yet. ... If $1.14 billion doesn't grab the interest of the region, then the leadership is in a coma or totally out of touch with reality."

Smothers defended High Point's position on Randleman Lake efforts, saying the city has been committed to the project for years and is "the only community currently investing in water lines."

Turning to schools, the mayor outlined the response by police to Friday's incident at Andrews and praised the reactions by the school's principal and students. "We must and continue to oppose words and actions that convey and condone hatred," she said.

Smothers also picked up the issue of Simeon Stadium, the home football facility for both Andrews and High Point Central high schools. The city wants the school board to cede ownership and pledges to pay for upgrades. Smothers asked, "Why would this not be a good deal?"

It is a good deal, worth accepting for the sake of saving school funds.

Finally, Smothers asserted that High Point's "brightest students are far behind" those in Greensboro, pointing to Advanced Placement test scores.

In his remarks, Duncan didn't answer Smothers' comments, instead citing countywide improvements on federal Adequate Yearly Progress marks and increases in college scholarship funds earned by Guilford students.

Duncan said later there was no need to respond to Smothers -- but other school officials did privately, refuting the mayor's contentions and hailing additional spending and rising scores for many High Point schools.

Clearly, the State of the Community in High Point is one of friction between city government and the school system. Yet, High Point's future depends on a well-educated work force. A study funded by the city last year found deficiencies in local high school graduates' preparation for work or higher education, but little has happened to act on recommendations. Even the furniture market, which Smothers rightly called a "linchpin of the economy," can't provide good jobs for everyone.

Duncan joined Smothers in denouncing the nooses at Andrews. There, the two leaders stood on common ground. They should find other points of agreement because High Point has a stake in public education just as much as the rest of Guilford County.