APS board: An end in sight and a new election of officers
The fractious APS board of education may be at peace after a court agreement hammered out today and an emergency meeting afterward to approve the agreement and elect new officers.
I think both sides were aware that the public was unhappy with the standoff and wanted quick resolution.
Here is the consent order. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. Seems like a fair compromise to me.
At this point, I will take any agreement that moves the Atlanta board and its schools forward in the important task ahead of finding a new superintendent.
I must note that the judge ruled the charter change made by the five-member majority on the board — dubbed the “furious five” by Get Schooled posters — was legal. That means the ousting of the board chair and co-chair and the election of two members of the five-pack was legal.
However, board Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El and Vice Chairwoman Yolanda Johnson agreed to resign so the board could start fresh with a new election, which was held within an hour of leaving the courthouse today. Under the consent order, each faction had to have one of its own as either chair or vice chair.
So, El was re-elected chair and Cecily Harsch-Kinnane was elected vice chair, the post to which she was elected in January but then lost in September to Johnson.
According to the AJC news story:
Fulton County Superior Court Judge John J. Goger as part of the agreement said El, Johnson and three other members acted legally when they took over board leadership in September. With Goger’s approval Tuesday afternoon, the board has scheduled an emergency meeting for 5:30 p.m. to formally adopt the agreement and elect new officers.
Four board members filed the suit in late October. They alleged the board’s other five members violated the board’s governing charter when they voted to change an existing board policy governing board leadership and then used that change to make mid-term appointments of El and Johnson.
The leadership change and suit followed months of public bickering between the two sides, a situation that caused the city school system’s accrediting agency to schedule an on-site accreditation review next month focused on board governance.
Previous attempts to mediate between the two sides failed but Tuesday, minutes before a final hearing in the suit was to start, Goger summoned both sides to a room in his chambers. They emerged four hours later with the agreement in hand.
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70 comments Add your comment
Another Point of View
November 23rd, 2010
4:41 pm
So we’ll end up with one of the Fractious Five as board chair, and one of the Failing Four as vice chair.
How does this solve anything? Did the schools get better leadership? Heck no, all we got was the same nine people who did not do the job properly over the past two years. Wasted time that should have been used to work on issues within the school system, and money that should have been directed to improving student outcomes.
In the end, it was a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing (to pull a quote from Faulkner).
I do hope the citizens of Atlanta vote to replace each board member at the first opportunity. Better yet, enact a merger with Fulton County Schools, substantially reducing overhead by eliminating duplicate “central offices”, executive positions and ridiculous artificial boundaries that the two systems have now. Maybe even end up with better leadership!
Just Wondering
November 23rd, 2010
5:09 pm
It is an antiquated idea that public school boards should self select its leadership as they are accountable to themselves not the public. We need to elect the Board Chair so that he/she is answerable to the people.
This has accomplished little and maintained the status quo. However, there are those that forget El and 2 of his cronies have been on the board for more than 6 years. English voted with those that did not vote to censure him for his ethics violation (quid pro quo). Meister’s following her backers.
Prediction: El will be the Chair “again” and McDaniel will be the Vice-Chair. What’s the vice-chair do anyway?
EnoughAlready
November 23rd, 2010
5:09 pm
Who cares, I’m sick of hearing about this.
Glad I could afford to send my children to Pvt. School
November 23rd, 2010
5:19 pm
As I see it, 4 of the members were happy with the cover up and 5 actually wanted to improve the system. I guess my name says it all.
Greg
November 23rd, 2010
5:20 pm
When will Dr. Elgart apologize for his interference? The judge has ruled the majority’s actions were not illegal. Further, the compromise reached is a just political compromise for a political body. In other words, it was settled exactly as it should have been. I don’t get why thousands of students education should be threatened so that Dr Elgart could strut about and blow smoke.
A board member in Gwinnett went to jail, when will SACS open its investigation and start proceedings to pull that county’s accredidation?
Once and Future Springdale Park Elementary Parent
November 23rd, 2010
5:38 pm
SACs did EXACTLY the right thing by placing intense pressure on these bungling Board members to straighten things out. Absent that pressure the settlement wouldn’t have happened so fast, or at all. Sometimes someone has to knock heads, and in this case, Elgart and Judge Goger did a good job of that.
Tweets that mention APS board: An end in sight and a new election of officers | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com
November 23rd, 2010
5:48 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kwanza Hall and VB Jones, Jayne Gocken. Jayne Gocken said: RT @kwanzahall: APS board: An end in sight and a new election of officers http://shar.es/X03z6 [...]
Just Wondering
November 23rd, 2010
6:06 pm
The best thing that could happen, El, Burks, and Y Johnson on the sidelines and someone that they can all rally behind leads. His ego won’t let him sit it out.
This just in the “foolish 5″ re-elected El as chair (same vote as before). Now there’s a heated discussion on vice-chair.
Bring on the clowns!
catlady
November 23rd, 2010
6:07 pm
I believe that is Shakespeare (in McBeth) that you are quoting, Another Point. Faulkner appropriated it much later. However, I agree about its effect. Until the people of Atlanta get it together and elect and demand the right thing for their kids (and their money), it will not be of much portent.
I don’t think much of SACS and its leadership. Uses its “bully pulpit” (emphasis on bully) a bit too politically.
Devildog
November 23rd, 2010
6:19 pm
The board is just a reflection of its electorate. Ignorance begets ignorance.
They SHOULD court Michelle Rhee to replace Beverly Hall, but that’s too good an idea for that bunch to come up with.
Greg
November 23rd, 2010
6:27 pm
It’s not SACs job to put “intense pressure” on the BOE. The board is a duly elected body and if they need pressing, then its the voters job to do it, not a dictator who is working for a private “for profit” entitiy. I’m still waiting on Dr. Elgart to open up on Gwinnett. Somehow, I don’t think we’ll hear a peep, nor should we, just as SACs should have stayed out of this situation until the courts had ruled.
Devildog
November 23rd, 2010
6:55 pm
Ain’t gonna happen, Greg. Morons voted for morons. They aren’t going to change anything and don’t want to.
Bama Bill
November 23rd, 2010
7:11 pm
Have all of the Board Members, judges, departing suptintendent and others consulted with Ann Cramer, John Rice and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce – the “real “mess makers” and meddlers !
Rick
November 23rd, 2010
7:16 pm
No surprise that Khaatim El is the board chair, again. The board is already squabbling over the vice-chair. The four want Reuben Mc Daniel and the five nominated and elected Cecily Kinane. It is their first meeting after the decree and they need to seek counsel for clarification! The five are off to the races controlling the destiny of the board and the future of APS. It is going to be one rough year with Khaatim as chair. Then they will still have the majority to vote in one of the five for the following two years. Can we say recall?
The Whole World is Laughing
November 23rd, 2010
7:22 pm
Georgia Logic 101 – If you’ve got one foot in boiling water, and the other foot in an ice bucket, on the average, you’re doing fine!
Inman Park Boy
November 23rd, 2010
7:47 pm
This is just another group of Atlanta incompetents. Will it ever end?
The High Council of Blog Mediation, Ltd.
November 23rd, 2010
7:58 pm
Mo, The High Council has opined, and now you are blocking The High Council. Que chato!
Ed Johnson
November 23rd, 2010
7:59 pm
“So, El was re-elected chair and Cecily Harsch-Kinnane was elected vice chair, the post to which she was elected in January but then lost in September to Johnson.”
Yes, but Cecily Harsch-Kinnane voted against herself, proving she’s a rather obvious fly in the ointment of the consent decree.
Just Wondering
November 23rd, 2010
8:00 pm
Enough bad mouthing good people that have supported more than education in Atlanta. An active and invested business community is just as critical to school district success as active and involved electorate and parents. What we had was some of the electorate and parents checking out until there was a problem. Now folks are paying attention, finally.
Trashing the involvement of the business community is not the way to go, strengthening the electorate and parents is, so that we are all invested in APS’ future. I’d like to have a John Rice and Ann Cramer helping and speaking up for my city and schools.
The High Council of Blog Mediation, Ltd.
November 23rd, 2010
8:01 pm
That should have been in the form of a question. I prefer to think the The Filter Monster captured this masterpiece because of its length. Ha! The readers deserve, I think, to read how The High Council opined on “moderating” this blog. This blog is in danger of losing its High Council’s B. M. accreditation! This is serious.
Just Wondering
November 23rd, 2010
8:03 pm
@Ed Johnson, she is not the fly in the ointment. She wanted to decline the nomination (made by the foolish 5) but was not permitted to do so under the parameters of the agreement. That is why clarification was requested from the judge. Since she was not permitted to decline, the foolish 5 voted her in, against her desire for the position.
Burroughston Broch
November 23rd, 2010
8:04 pm
A solution:
Step 1. Recall the entire school board.
Step 2. Elect a new school board that is functional and responsible.
Step 3. Board tells the Chamber of Commerce to take a hike.
Step 4. Board hires a new superintendent.
Step 5. Superintendent (with the Board’s support) cleans house throughout the system.
The High Council of Blog Mediation, Ltd.
November 23rd, 2010
8:05 pm
Congrats to Prof. El and to the others. Judge Goger is a fine judge. I remember him when he was lawering — I believe with Lee Parks and Gang over at the Four Seasons. Parks, Chesin, Goger & __________. Can’t remember the other named partner at the time. David Walbert is a named partner now. Great elections lawyer. Free plug, David.
The High Council of Blog Mediation, Ltd.
November 23rd, 2010
8:07 pm
“Just Wondering”: I see that you have a very reconciling disposition…still calling one group “the foolish five.” Hmmm.
The High Council of Blog Mediation, Ltd.
November 23rd, 2010
8:11 pm
The High Council’s missle is still be held captive by the Filter Monster. Now will Pope Elgart bless this new arrangement. Is he, by the way, the de facto State Superintendent?
Ed Johnson
November 23rd, 2010
8:15 pm
“She wanted to decline the nomination….”
@Just Wondering, thanks for confirming Cecily Harsch-Kinnane showed herself unwilling to uphold the consent decree.
Dr. John Trotter
November 23rd, 2010
8:25 pm
Maureen: Any reason that The High Council’s opinion has been held up? I asked The High Council to issue an opinion. We wouldn’t want this blog of considerable note and divertido to lose accreditation.
Dr. John Trotter
November 23rd, 2010
8:27 pm
Hey Broch: Wouldn’t you like to see us go back to elected superintendents? Perhaps the Republicans will put this on the ballot for a change in the State Constitution.
Rick
November 23rd, 2010
8:27 pm
@Ed Johnson, Are you the dude that almost beat Lashandra Burks for the board seat? You running again next election? Will you make it the “Sabatoge Six”?
@Just Wondering, Sounds like the decree was written by Glenn Delk, the gun for hire Buckhead lawyer?
Censorship is boring....
November 23rd, 2010
8:39 pm
Chato, chato, chato. I’d rather watch the second half of Miami of Ohio and Temple.
Once and Future Springdale Park Elementary Parent
November 23rd, 2010
8:56 pm
@catlady, I greatly enjoy your posts, but don’t you think in this instance El and Burks NEEDED to be bullied? The alternative–a long legal fight; appeals courts; more dysfunction…no. We could not have endured that.
So now we have a Board that’s been duct-taped together well enough to chug along on the shoulder of the road. We’ll have to be satisfied with that, I guess. But it beats losing accreditation.
Amazed
November 23rd, 2010
9:06 pm
I guess I am most dumbfounded at the judge in this case. He delivered a ruling that was totally full of holes. It accomplished nothing at all. Go read it.
Just Wondering
November 23rd, 2010
10:29 pm
@Ed Johnson, my point is if someone does not want a position, individuals should not be forced into that position because the one that nominated would not rescind their nomination. The majority made the nomination and would not rescind it at the request of the individual they nominated. No one should not have been forced into the position she was if you believe in good governance.
No problem with the consent decree but unfortunately do we really feel that it resolved much. Mr. El will continue to assign his “foolish 5″ leadership roles, under the pretense of desire for openness and transparency. Was it transparent that in June Ms. Y Johnson was having discussions with Dr. Elgart at SACS, and that Mr. El was having several conversations with him as well? This was not disclosed until the meeting in Grant Park a few weeks back according to some folks that attended. Y. Johnson voted against sharing the opinion of the outside counsel, whose opinion she sought without informing the board/public of her intent to do so. Mr. El has already proposed a contract with a consulting firm that he has a close relationship with. They have already been operating in the back room.
I call them the “foolish 5″ because their actions put accreditation in jeopardy (they invited SACS to the Sept Board meeting and have been in communication with him since June), they don’t practice what they preach and expect us to believe that they are some sort of revolutionaries.
Atlanta mom
November 23rd, 2010
10:30 pm
Unbelievable
Atlanta mom
November 23rd, 2010
10:54 pm
Mr. El, the man who does not know what AYP means, now the leader of the Atlanta Board of Education. Oh, happy days.
Atlanta mom
November 23rd, 2010
11:10 pm
I am so confused. Maureen states: “Seems like a fair compromise to me.” I thought the judge was issuing an opinion based on law. I did not realize this was a mediation.
Rick
November 23rd, 2010
11:14 pm
@Just Wondering, I was just wondering myself about the choice of counsel and PR firm being used by the “foolish five”. Glenn Delk was the lead attorney defending them in court today, paid for by our tax payers money. He is the attorney representing Buckhead in their efforts to secede from Atlanta. Now, Mr. El is planning on hiring Rick White from Alisias to handle the boards PR efforts? Rick White is a staunch supporter of of school choice, as in private schools. Ask Mr. El or Mr. White which elite private school his children attend? The real smart people that run the city do not have Atlanta Public Schools on their A list.
Atlanta mom
November 23rd, 2010
11:16 pm
“ the judge ruled the charter change made by the five-member majority on the board — dubbed the “furious five” by Get Schooled posters — was legal” and ‘Under the consent order, each faction had to have one of its own as either chair or vice chair.
How can you have it both ways? If , what the board did was legal–move from a 2/3 majority to a simple majority, then El and his folks run the ship, and let’s go.
OR,
it was illegal, and we need to go back to where we were. BUT, how do we get to the judge saying, we’ll have one of one and one of the other. This is nuts.
Rick
November 23rd, 2010
11:18 pm
The City of Buckhead? http://wsbradio.com/news/091208buckheadcity.html
(WSB Radio) The city of Buckhead. It could soon happen.
The Fulton County Taxpayers Association is discussing the possibility of Buckhead becoming the latest area to break away from the county to become its own city.
“I think it is going to be a fight before the General Assembly,” says attorney Glenn Delk, “but, if the people of Buckhead will organize and sign the petition and make their voices known, I think they can achieve what they want, which is the right to vote on this issue.”
If Buckhead were to break free of Atlanta, the consequences could be devastating. Buckhead accounts for nearly half of Atlanta’s sales and property taxes.
“Close to 450 to 500 million dollars is being paid by Buckhead residents and businesses to the city of Atlanta,” Delk told the taxpayers association. “Yet I would suggest to you that we’re not getting 500 million dollars worth of services.”
Question Man
November 23rd, 2010
11:48 pm
Is it time for the Mayor of Atlanta to take over the public schools?
laughing!
November 23rd, 2010
11:57 pm
@Rick, you’re right! Using Glenn Delk has been a real conflict of interest. He has orchestrated this thing beautifully. He has so valiantly led The Five in victory. Now that he has them in his pocket, he will use them to swiftly pass his agenda. His agenda is to divide this city, once again, into the north and south, wrapping it in a cloak of ‘charter schools’ or ‘city of Buckhead.’ But folks, who will be the bad guys in the end? Not Glenn Delk, but The Five who did his dirty work. Wake up, Five, you’re being used. And yes, Rick, you’ve dug deep…you know your stuff… the Alisias PR firm is another one to watch.
We need A male superintendent
November 24th, 2010
2:03 am
According to the Schott Foundation for Public Education that there is, “a serious crisis in the secondary education of black males.” the Foundation’s report, there is a 28 point difference between the high school graduation rate for white males and the high school graduation rate for black males: “Nationwide, only 47 percent of African American males are completing high school. For white male, the rate is 75 percent.” Alarming and a great concern for a nation that is already at risk of loosing its position in an increasingly global economy. The high school graduation rate is a barometer of the health of a nation and the data clearly show that America is becoming extremely unhealthy.
Atlanta is said to be the black Mecca and most of our students are African American. An African American male is desperately needed to fill the superintendent seat and there is numerous educated African American males in the principal ship that should be elevated and according to my investigation they are quite knowledgeable and competent for that role. Randy Bynum is extremely knowledgeable and works well with people, he has transformed most of the high school division and yes he is well liked by his principals, but many would tell you that he is a task master, quite capable of bringing a community together and he is also smart enough to hire a deputy of instruction to help him run the district.
Tyrone Smith is also a great manager and is quite connected in the southwest corridor of the city and has great connections, don’t know how much he knows about instruction but I bet he can manage the system. Vincent Murry is like by the midtown community and is quite versed in school leadership, he does not cause waves and all segment of the city will work with him. There is a couple of effective male principals at the New Schools at Carver however, they have not managed large complex schools and they are quite cliquish according to principals in the ranks. Andre Williams is Ivy League educated, has educational credentials in Special Education and policy and a doctorate in Curriculum, however, sources states that he can be quite snobbish but is a great advocate for his students. Maybe the board should start looking from within. Demand that more African American males be placed in Executive positions and maybe our system would work. The old administration had too many females in power, they were always mad at the world, had something to prove and accomplish nothing. I have hope that Atlanta Public Schools can survive
APS Parent #2
November 24th, 2010
4:02 am
Most politically elected bodies have a minority and a majority based upon philosophical differences (i.e., the Democrats and the Republicans). That is simply a fact of politics. It is not dysfunctional to simply hold differing views and to vote your conscience. I’d hope any elected official would vote in a way that best represents his/her constituents.
Where the dysfunction is in all of this is that the ABOE members themselves are making that division a justification for not working together. The 4 filed a lawsuit and SACS stepped into and flexed its muscle primarily on the issue of “the action of the 5 was illegal and violated the state charter.”
Today, the 4 had their day in court and so did the 5. All parties agreed to settle their dispute in a Consent Agreement that they all negotiated, signed off on and the court accepted and entered into the record. The time to negotiate the terms and parse wording for the Consent Agreement was before the parties signed off….not several hours later in an ABOE meeting. If any of them did not intend to serve if called upon or if they wanted to narrow the election pool to include only those who had never served as chair or vice chair, then they had every opportunity to negotiate on those terms and get them included the Consent Agreement. Read the Consent Agreement before you post any messages or form an opinion. Among other things, the Consent Agreement states that the actions of the 5 were legal and did not violate state charter. It also states that ALL nine of the ABOE members would serve if nominated and elected. The 4 either had the advice of poor legal counsel who did not carefully draft their terms or some of the 4 just won’t let this issue lie even after they had their day in court. ABOE members, grow up, honor your word, swallow your pride, and move this board leadership issue off the radar.
I have to wonder if all of the attention being garnered on the board leadership issues aren’t a red herring designed to distract the public (or SACS) from the serious issues facing the APS (CRCT cheating scandal, graduation rates, selecting the next superintendent). Some of those issues are the ones that SACS should have been concerned about in the first place. The voters will take care of the rest at the next election cycle – or so we can hope.
Sara
November 24th, 2010
8:00 am
Yesterday was another sad day for the Atlanta community. We had a judge who caved to the political will of the big boys behind the scenes. We elected a Chair who after six years knows little or nothing about education but has a keen interest in “following” who gets contracts. We have A Mayor who refuses to be a part of the educational agenda, street cars are easier to deal with, and a newspaper who is truly living up to the tenets of the Fourth Estate in its dogged pursuit to oust the superintendent. The next superintendent, if chosen by the fanatical five will be a puppet of Mr. El. His long term agenda is to be Mayor. AJC! Investigate how he arrived in Atlanta and you will be shocked by how he has damned the one person responsible for him being here!
APS #3
November 24th, 2010
8:09 am
Everyone should read and reread APS Parent #2…what more needs to be said??
Burroughston Broch
November 24th, 2010
8:40 am
@ Dr. John Trotter:
I am not in favor of an elected superintendent under any circumstances. I don’t think that Atlanta voters are capable of making an informed, rational decision at the polls.
I prefer an elected school board with members who are conscientious, informed, rational, and public-spirited.
Sigh….
Maureen Downey
November 24th, 2010
9:13 am
@Atlanta mom, The parties met with the judge and agreed to the consent order, so I would say the judge served a mediation role, which is not unusual.
Maureen
Crime & Punishment
November 24th, 2010
9:32 am
If we had an election system for superintendents, where, say, they could only serve for 2 to 4 years between elections, Beverly Hall would have been gone a long time ago. And that’s a fact jack.
I personally don’t want Sam Williams et al deciding who gets to run this school system (Sam Williams, that’s who).
Did anyone hear Bev say she was going on to “other educational endeavors” or some such garbage? I guess they might let her tutor her colleagues in prison.
While I’m asking questions, does anyone know where the GBI and/or Feds are with the investigation? I’m ready for the party to begin.
An American Patriot
November 24th, 2010
9:39 am
You know Folks, as hard as it is to believe, there are actually “White Folk” still living within the confines of the Atlanta City Limits and, get this……they have children attending Atlanta Public Schools. I know, I know, blacks rule because they have the majority; however, seeing as how they (blacks) have royally screwed up the system since they took over some thirty five years ago and continue to squabble and make a mess of things, isn’t it time that maybe, just maybe, and bear with me folks because this is highly controversial…..do you think maybe that now might be the right time to hire a (ohhh, I’m gonna get kilt on this one) “White Superintendent”? Maureen, I know you’re stilled ticked that BH is gonna be gone, but isn’t there someway you would be able to buy into this controversial suggestion? However it turns out, I’m still of the opinion that SAPS and NAPS is the way to go
As I don’t live in the City of Atlanta (whew, thank goodness) I am still interested in the outcome of this issue, as how the school system goes, so goes the city. It’s gonna affect property values one way or the other, even here in our oasis called “Decatur”.
Maureen Downey
November 24th, 2010
9:51 am
@Patriot, I don’t care if the superintendent is black, white or polka dot; if the person can improve APS, then hire her or him.
But if you think race is a factor, I suggest you look at historically under performing rural systems run by white regimes. Would you argue that it’s time that they hire a black superintendent?
Maureen
p.s. I still can’t over people on this blog thinking that race matters in how well a person performs. Cronyism matters. Hiring your friends matters. Lack of ethics matters.
But those failings are color blind. If you think only black leadership practices cronyism, look at all the white guys who left elected office to work for the University System over the years. (We just had a story in the AJC about all the nice jobs in state government that the governor is awarding to his loyal team. We quoted someone as saying these folks love to end up in the Regents camp because the pay is higher.)
If you think ethical impairment is only among black leadership, can I point you to our recent scandal with the House speaker.
Why are we still talking about this nonsense?