These interviews discuss the history and significance of open schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. Coinciding with court-ordered busing and following a national trend in education, three optional open school programs were opened in Charlotte-Mecklenburg in the early 1970s, including Irwin Avenue Elementary School, Piedmont Middle School, and West Charlotte High School. From the beginning these schools were supported by a diverse parent body, including many community leaders, and their popularity persisted for over three decades. This body of interviews was conducted by Special Collections staff and students of Piedmont Middle School between 2004 and 2006, as part of a project originally inspired by a celebration of the school's 80th anniversary in 2005.