Proposal on how to shrink DeKalb school board likely to rile parents. It should. It is a mess.
DeKalb communities are about to face yet another battle, this time over the shrinking of their school board. The decision to shrink the board was made by the Legislature under the rationale that smaller boards are more effective. I am not sure DeKalb parents would agree given how this is being implemented.
A DeKalb parent sent me a copy of an email that school board member Nancy Jester sent out. I contacted Jester to let her know that I would like to publish her email. She sent me this note, which gives a bit of background.
Before I do, let me say that I agree with Jester that this is a mess. I am surprised that something this important was not done more thoughtfully by the Legislature, and I believe DeKalb parents ought to be furious.
Here is what Jester has to say about her email below:
This was a “regular” email sent to a smaller group of constituents alerting them to the work of the legislative sub-committee of the DeKalb delegation on the reapportionment for the DeKalb BOE. Also of note, the DeKalb BOE sent a letter last year asking for guidance from the delegation on the process of reapportionment, given the legislation that shrinks the board. To my knowledge we did not receive any feedback.
I’m of the opinion that the super districts should sunset at the end of their term. The legislation would need to be amended to provide a new date (1/1/15 vs. 1/1/13) for the BOE to meet the requirement of 7 members. This approach would allow for the reapportionment of the 7 seats without the need to draw arbitrary lines to “fit” the 5 board members (one of which is a super-district). In the absence of “sun setting” the super districts, we would be stuck for 10 years with districts designed to fit individuals rather than keep communities of interest intact. If we sunset them as I described, we would have a two- year period of an 8 member board.
Many citizens ask why some board members cannot simple see their term cut short. I am not an attorney, but it is my understanding that you cannot retroactively reduce someone’s term of office to which they were elected. We have 5 board members that have terms through 2014. So, absent a mechanism for removing them, I have been informed that they must be allowed to serve their terms.
And here is her first email:
I am giving you advance notice about an issue that is surfacing at the Legislature that will affect your area and schools. As you know, we are working on reapportionment and “shrinking” the DeKalb School Board pursuant to legislation passed in session last year. As you may recall, I was against it because I do not agree with the assumption that a smaller board will be more effective and produce better student achievement results in DeKalb.
I’m happy to go into the detail on that (correlation vs. causality, etc.) so call me if you want to understand my views on this aspect further. Time is of the essence so I’m skipping that for the purposes of this email. I was also quite concerned about the ability to control the development of districts once you open the Pandora’s Box of eliminating board seats with a delegation controlled by factions that are connected more with the “friends and family” modality than educational achievement results. Unfortunately, my fears are being realized.
Today, a new map for the DeKalb Board of Education was approved by the delegation sub-committee. This map has five single member districts. The five members that will represent these areas include me, Sarah Copelin-Wood, Donna Edler, Jay Cunningham and Gene Walker. The remaining four board members, who would otherwise have been up for reelection this year, would see their terms sunset. I believe that there would be no election in 2012.
This map has Lakeside and its Oak Grove, Briarlake, Henderson Mill Elementary and Henderson Middle feeders, placed in a district presented by Gene Walker. This district snakes all the way down to Snapfinger Road, including Miller Grove Middle School. It turns right and goes to Redan Elementary and Rock Chapel Road. This does not represent a community of interest in my opinion. Also, Sarah Copelin-Wood, will be the representative for Sagamore Hills Elementary, Druid Hills HS and much of its feeder pattern.
Please note that this Thursday, the entire delegation will meet and be presented with this map. I do not have a time yet but I wanted to alert you as soon as possible. I will follow-up once I know a time.
What I advise you to do is to attend the delegation meeting if possible, alert your networks, parent groups, PTAs, etc. Everyone should email their representative and the entire delegation if they are concerned about these developments.
Also, it is of note that the new superintendent’s contract has a termination clause that requires a supermajority. All it will take to remove a Superintendent is three votes. This may seriously impede the superintendent’s ability to make the necessary changes to improve our school district including addressing the bloat at our central office and “friends and family” hiring practices.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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153 comments Add your comment
skipper
February 8th, 2012
3:44 pm
The board is such a mess it should basically be cleaned out. Most elected officials (not all, but most) on a school board have “zippety-do-dah” experience with education. some are elected in some areas where there literacy itself should be a major question. This is a state-wide problem. Perhaps the entire system needs to be revamped. Go around the state look at some of the school board memberes and one will CRINGE! What the heck does a popularity contest have to do with educational knowledge?
Shar
February 8th, 2012
3:55 pm
This would probably be much easier to do if the personalities of the sitting BOE members were not a factor. However, I doubt very much that they would be willing to resign en masse and have an election for all five new seats this fall.
Justwondering
February 8th, 2012
4:03 pm
This is a muti-faceted retaliation to the fact that SB 79 was passed last year by the entire state house and senate and the fact that many of the members of the delegation had their districts altered or eliminated.
The head of the DeKalb delegation is dating a DeKalb school board members sister.
We are screwed
Principal Skinner
February 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
Wow! Those BOE members who are the biggest speed bumps on DCSS Blvd, seem to be dug-in the deapest.
Ned
February 8th, 2012
4:43 pm
Only a snarky comment on this one, on something you wrote Maureen:
“I am surprised that something this important was not done more thoughtfully by the Legislature”
I want some of what you’re smoking.
Monkey Jenkins
February 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
Gene Walker is a racist scumbag. He is corrupt and most likely senile. His super district should be eliminated.
Howard
February 8th, 2012
4:45 pm
Use history as a reference and not your personal desires. It don’t matter is you have 20 people on the BOE, I can handle having 5 people who are for the kids and not themselves. I don’t see the Whoo-Haa about it at all. My children’s education is MY RESPONSIBILITY! NOT THE COUNTY! I don’t depend on dekalb county, to educate my (3).
Mary B
February 8th, 2012
4:45 pm
As a Lakeside parent, I just want to say that this is nuts and Dekalb County government really is an embarassment. It is no wonder so many neighborhoods want to branch out and form their own cities.
Keeping it Real
February 8th, 2012
4:47 pm
So what are the chances that DeKalb County schools lose their accreditation? Surely, this type of action will not help convince SACs that we have our act together.
E. Tuck
February 8th, 2012
4:51 pm
The economic, social, and racial politic that has long dominated the BOE must change if effective reform is to occur. Unfortunately, this same objective must be applied to the deeply divided parent, school, and community groups that speak openly of “the need for reform” and the whispered comments reflecting neighborhood biases and beliefs. Among DCSS employees there is both optimism and concern. The first, based on a willingness to give the new leadership a chance; and, the later mistrust in the BOE stewardship.
Once Again
February 8th, 2012
5:07 pm
In the private free market, you don’t like the service, you take your business elsewhere. In the government monopoly, you sit down and shut the hell up (oh, you can pretend that you have a voice, but you don’t – they always have your money and your child).
Why do you fear the free market alternative?
T
February 8th, 2012
5:23 pm
let me get this straight … lakeside high will have kids that live all the way out on spapfinger road attend the school? is there not another high school closer to the kids out there? why would they have to go all the way to lakeside ?
Frustrated
February 8th, 2012
5:27 pm
Would the AJC please, please publish all of these maps and information about this process in the paper? Everyone, needs to see these maps so that they can comment. It is wrong for DeKalb Delegation to try to “fix” this problem with a back room deal and minimal public comment.
DIrtydavis
February 8th, 2012
5:30 pm
Well, the interest of the writer of the email reeks of racial undertones. I believe that once some of the clowns are forced to represent districts that comprise of black and white areas/schools (yeah I said it, no need to ignore that truth) then and only then will we see any type of broad advancement in the system as a whole. I am sick and tired of the idiots arguing in the name of a district, as the obvious racial undertone are played out as if they do not exist. Now we can all see that the “needs” of the children are not the same, at least in the eyes of Jester. Why else would she pick the particular schools to single out as she did. The phrase “this does not suggest a community of interest” says it all. BTW how does she know. All of the schools she named are made up of wonderful kids and parents that love them. There is however one difference that everyone seems to run from admitting. RACE!
DIrtydavis
February 8th, 2012
5:32 pm
@ T
this has nothing to do with what school you attend. This is all about what schools a board member represent. If we mix the black and white schools together as far as representation. It will extremely hard pretend we are not arguing along racial lines, because the boundaries will not be there.
Melanie
February 8th, 2012
5:37 pm
Pam Speaks is the only Board member who deserves to serve our children. She is the ONLY NON -RACIST on this Board. Walker and Jester need to go back to the segregated days and stop constantly dividing this schoool system. The 9 member board would have continued if it wasn’t for racism. I don’t like this plan at all and I will e-mail MY representative and senator.However, I refuse to be part of a slander attack or a part of a more racial divide.
William
February 8th, 2012
5:44 pm
@T: No, kids who are zoned for Lakeside would still go there. The difference is that now that area will be represented by Gene Walker instead of Paul Womack.
@Maureen: Ned is right, you must be smoking some of that kumbaya weed. As someone who is supposed to cover school issues and their associated politics and is familiar with the overwhelming dysfuction in DeKalb government and schools, you are either really stoned on liberalism or just covering for those in power in DeKalb like other AJC staff do.
The whole legislature overrode the wishes of the majority of the school board and the county delegation in saying that the school board had to decrease its size. Now the school board and the county delegation are getting payback. I’m not saying it’s right and I’m not saying I like it; what I’m saying is it was not unexpected.
Sick and Tired
February 8th, 2012
5:53 pm
I support the change. We need to get rid of some of those Board members by any means necessary.
ABC123
February 8th, 2012
5:56 pm
I looked at the map linked in Maureen’s post and am confused because it appears to contradict when was said by Nancy Jester.
The map shows seven districts, not five. It is somewhat similar to an earlier plan that was leaked to DeKalb School Watch in which the current members of districts 1,3,5,7, and 9 keep their seats while the remaining four will have to compete against each other for the other two seats.
The map on Nancy’s site appears to pit Don McChesney and Paul Womack against each other and Tom Bowen and Pam Speaks against each other.
I don’t know how Nancy came up with the idea about the board being reduced to five members and there being no elections this year. Maybe she’s right about that, but this map seems to indicate something different.
ABC123
February 8th, 2012
6:08 pm
If the map on Nancy’s site linked by Maureen in her post is the one passed in the sub-committe today then these are the districts as I see it:
1. Nancy Jester
2. Don McChesney vs. Paul Womack
3. Sarah Copelin Wood
4. Gene Walker
5. Jay Cunningham
6. Pam Speaks vs. Tom Bowen
7. Donna Edler
This would lead me to believe that district 2 and 6 will have elections this year.
Tommy
February 8th, 2012
6:12 pm
Did Melanie just say she refuses to be part of the racial divide and then call 8 of the 9 current board members racists? Not saying that our BOE isn’t broken and in need of fixing, but wow, Kettle, have you met Pot?
ABC123
February 8th, 2012
6:20 pm
Oh, heck. Nevermind. Now I see that there are three maps in the pdf on Nancy’s page. The first two have seven districts and the third one has only five.
So this third map seems to show the following:
1. Nancy Jester
2. Don McChesney and Sarah Copelin Wood
3. Paul Womack and Gene Walker
4. Pam Speaks, Tom Bowen, and Donna Edler
5. Jay Cunningham
So am I to understand that Don, Paul, Pam and Tom will simply finish their terms of office this year and that will be it? No elections in 2012?
If so, I can’t wait to see what happens in 2014!
Presode
February 8th, 2012
6:25 pm
I sent Rep. Howard Mosby an e-mail and a text this morning, requesting the DeKalb House Delegation move their meeting to a room large enough to accommodate the anticipated number of citizens. The fact he has not replied yet speaks volumes. Once again, the needs of the children of DeKalb County take a back seat to the petty politics of the adults.
Teacher Reader
February 8th, 2012
7:13 pm
It is my understanding that the map with 5 districts is the current map, which would leave my district now served by Mc chesney with Sarah “I’ll Sock you” Wood. No thank you. She does not represent me and we did not vote for her.
Either everyone needs to go up for reelection or we keep it the way it is currently. I want to vote for my representation, so that I can at least vote for the person whom I feel will best meet the needs of the school system as I see them. With only 5 members our taxes will go up, more Friends and Family will be hired or will linger on and our kids education will continue to be an after thought.
GM
February 8th, 2012
7:23 pm
I feel certain the zone that includes Lakeside with Snapfinger road was meant to capture some sort of ratio of black and white families. The area around Lakeside High School is very white and the area around Snapfinger road is definitely black.
Just more politics as usual. It’s so depressing. Looks like Dekalb county is going the way of APS…downhill.
GM
DekalB school system needs to be smaller
February 8th, 2012
7:32 pm
The Dekalb county school system needs to be smaller. Having nine people on one board is too many but having only seven people represent an area this large is not feasible.
We need to have smaller school districts with five board members.
GM
T
February 8th, 2012
7:38 pm
thanks for the information guys. it does not seem anyone is happy with this proposal ….. i dont understand dekalb and their board of education, everything they propose seems wrong ? they never make the people of the county happy? it seems like they are just trying to upset everyone and they seem to always be playing the race card in every decision they make
Ned
February 8th, 2012
7:46 pm
@Teacher Reader: it was Zeporah, not Sarah, who threatened to slug a CBS-46 reporter. Of course, that may only be because no reporter approached Sarah
At first glance the intent–and effect of the map that I *think* is the current one (the so-called “Mosby Map” one can view at Dekalb School Watch Two) is abundantly clear–preserve the seats of Gene, Jay, Sarah, Donna and, if we must, Nancy. [Aside--I can't figure out how this 5-seat map accounts for the other 2 seats, nor how it shows Gene, who currently has a 'super-district' as having a regular district--so all of this is based on the caveat "as far as I can figure out"]. The long-term effect, however, may be just the opposite: by drawing districts for the most part vertically instead of horizontally the “Mosby Map” sets up a situation where Gene and Sarah (but no so much Nancy, Jay or Donna) have to ge re-elected in districts that represent a north-south (i.e., white & black) mix of voters.
It would be nice to have some representation for Central DeKalb, but since mine is a mixed race area that also includes a lot of immigrants, it never really counts to our elected officials. Hell, our former County Commission rep couldn’t find Clarkston on a map (exaggerating, a little–now he’s CEO!) and our current one, um, can’t balance her checkbook.
dekalb weary
February 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
This is probably the worst political proposal that the DeKalb Delgation has come up with in all my years of living here. And believe me, they have had some hair brained legislation and taken some really stupid positions.
During the entire SPLOST IV debate the voters were reminded that if SPLOST passed that the BOE would be reduced from 9 to 7 members. And every time I asked how that would be accomplished I was told that either 1) a special election would be held and all seven seats would be up for election – that no members would be grandfathered in, or) the two at large seats would be eliminated.
Frankly, eliminating the two at large seats makes the most sense and this should be the goal. There is no reason to redraw district lines. The districts have been in place for many, many years. The school clusters in those areas have established productive and frutiful relationships.
And yes, the Fernbank/Druid Hills cluster could probably easily vote Sarah Copeland Wood out of office but they don’t want to wait 2 years to do that. It is too painful…..
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
February 8th, 2012
8:24 pm
I’d like to send a big shout out to the Dekalb delegation for putting forth the least amount of effort possible on this. As I contemplate being represented by the unprofessional race-baiter Sarah Copelin-Woods, I’m left to wonder what Dekalb legislators did this summer rather than hold meetings on these new districts. Go to Six Flags?
teachertoo
February 8th, 2012
8:26 pm
at this point I would welcome a State takeover. 25 years of teaching and fighting for all students to have a fair an equal stake in their education has left me tired. Our school a Title 1 school, is equipped with computers that do not work, limited supplies, puppet administrators and a school full of children that depend on us to guide and educate them. Teachers are trying we really are…I have not seen a school board member in our school in over a year,maybe 2. I am not sure I would recognize them. I would love to be asked, what can we do for you to help you help the kids. Wait, do they know we have students? Do they know that all communities do not look the same and therefore may have different needs? Sad and disheartened.
Brthrite
February 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
No surprise an incumbent board member would fight the end of the gravy train. If the current members are so great why does the Dekalb school system suck?
Jo
February 8th, 2012
8:41 pm
Go to DeKalb School Watch Two (http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/) and read the most recent article: “High-Jinks or Highjacking? Pay Attention!” DeKalb School Watch Two always has the most complete and up-to-date information. This article shows the 5-district Mosby Map, drawn up by Howard Mosby (who dates Jay Cunningham’s sister). Note the residence locations of 4 of the 5 proposed BOE members — far south DeKalb. This map defines “gerrymandering.”
Jo
February 8th, 2012
8:51 pm
By the way, the original map put out by Mosby was very distorted, making the proposed district designed for Gene Walker look almost normal. The map was also missing parts of DeKalb County. So, again, the map as presented by Mosby looked almost reasonable. Well, not everyone knows how handle images correctly. Right, Howard? On the other hand …
Teacher Reader
February 8th, 2012
8:58 pm
@ Ned thanks for correcting me.
If DeKalb parents take this sitting down and don’t get upset like they do when their school is on the closure list, than they deserve what they get. I have already decided to homeschool my child, and this seals the deal. Eliminating the 2 super districts makes the most sense, but when has DCSS/DeKalb done much that would make sense. I really am tired of elected officials caring more about themselves, friends, and family, than doing the job that they were elected and paid to do to the best of their ability. If the school board members really cared about the children, they would all resign and hold new elections, but it’s not about the kids and never has been for the majority of them.
DeKalb School Watch
February 8th, 2012
9:08 pm
The map is posted on the new DeKalb School Watch – it shows the five districts, the homes of the board members who are not up for reelection and the Census numbers used to calculate the regions.
Click the pictures to enlarge them and print them out.
http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/reapportionment-high-jinks-or-highjacking-pay-attention/
DeKalb School Watch
February 8th, 2012
9:10 pm
Oh. Sorry, I didn’t see that Jo had already shared the DSW link.
DeKalb School Watch
February 8th, 2012
9:27 pm
@DIrtydavis, FWIW, a “Community of Interest” is the actual language in the Voters Rights Act that must be evaluated in order to ensure that minorities are not being marginalized. It’s not a term Jester made up.
We published the racial data on the DSW blog. Here’s the post describing the racial makeup of the 5 districts (it was included with the map by Mosby and the delegation since using this data is required by the Voters Rights Act):
The Census data was used. It is in the corner of the map. We’ve added a photo of the chart showing strictly the number per district. As you can see, District 1 is 13.6% black, District 2 is 40.49% black, District 3 is 70.88% black, District 4 is 61.15% black and District 5 is 92.84% black.
There are numbers for Hispanic/Latino populations as well. No numbers for whites.
The Voting Rights Act is primarily concerned with minority voting rights. Even though DeKalb is majority minority, they are still considered minorities when drawing lines. Whites are not considered minorities. Therefore, we don’t think the Voting Rights Act applies. DeKalb is fairly unique in this way. Nationally, Black Americans make up about 12.6% of the population. Whites are over 72%.
dekalb weary
February 8th, 2012
9:31 pm
I am really confused. The DeKalb Delegation proposes that the BOE go from 7 districts to 5. Do they still propose to have 2 at large seats for a total of 7 BOE representatives? And Gene Walker and Pam Speaks are currently the at large reps. Why wouldn’t Gene Walker, who was elected to an at-large seat, have to run and be elected for a District seat?
There is absolutely no valid reason to change the lines for the 7 current districts. Instead of gerrymandering a district to protect two BOE members, I think one should have to move if they want to continue on the BOE.
Teacher Reader
February 8th, 2012
9:33 pm
Meeting for DeKalb Delegation is around noon tomorrow, but it could be later via Nancy Jester. I hope that people come out.
The Deal
February 8th, 2012
9:41 pm
We tried to tell everyone that the SPLOST vote had some shadiness with it. And here it is. BTW, those of you who are upset that you will have Gene Walker as your representative, just ask Fernbank how to wheel and deal him. They not only got themselves off the redistricting list, they got themselves a new building! A corrupt official can do wonders for your children!
RNwhocares
February 8th, 2012
9:43 pm
I refuse to allow the DeKalb Delegation to pick my elected officials on the DeKalb School Board. My representatives are Speaks and Bowen. If I am not allowed to vote for my representative, I will do everything possible to file a complaint with the Justice Department. Yes, I am Black!
ABC123
February 8th, 2012
9:47 pm
Who are the members of the DeKalb delegation subcommittee for redrawing the district boundaries and how did they each vote on this map?
I know Simone Bell — who DOES NOT even live in DeKalb County — is the chair of the committee.
Teacher Reader
February 8th, 2012
9:48 pm
The Deal, I agree. I did not vote for SPLOST. Everyone who voted for it were worried about their school and getting a new school. As a community, we have to stop being greedy and begin to look at the big picture. Having a new school won’t mean anything, if the quality of education gets any lower than it already is. Parents at Fernbank, Oak Grove, etc. who think that their children are getting such a great education need to wake up. It’s not just about your kid, it’s about the entire community and I am sure that your kids’ education could improve and isn’t as good as you think it is.
MrLiberty
February 8th, 2012
9:52 pm
Oh, benevolent overlords please treat show my children more mercy then I have by imprisoning them in your awful institutions. I know that I just accept my lot in life and do nothing substantial to change things, but why do things keep getting worse. Please Mr. Parental substitute that I now seek through my oppressive government masters, show me and my unloved children a token bit of kindless for I lack the spine and the principled concern for them to allow me to work for your abolishment.
MrLiberty
February 8th, 2012
9:56 pm
Just think, if you actually abolished all government involvement in education, established the environment for a truly free market in education, and actually worked towards a brighter future for your children, you would have nothing to complain about on this blog. Yeah, I guess the failed government education system does serve a purpose after all. I mean if YOU took personal responsibility for your children, there would be nobody to blame but yourselves. Turning them over to the govenrment prison system every day gives you the universal “out” when they end up as failures. Way to go.
Jsfina
February 8th, 2012
10:03 pm
@dekalb weary:
The legislation that was passed by the entire legislature last year said DeKalb’s school board could have no more than 7 members and no less than 5. So the DeKalb delegation is within their right to reduce it to five members. The map the subcommittee passed does away with the super districts as well as two individual districts. From what I gather, state law also says that no elected official can have their term of office shortened as a result of redrawing districts. So, once again, the DeKalb delegation is actually following the law in keeping all five members who were elected in 2010.
What has occurred is a political struggle between a majority of the school board and the DeKalb delegation (call them side A) versus a few DeKalb legislators and the rest of the state legislature — who are mostly ignorant of and indifferent to DeKalb’s issues (call them side B).
Side B did a run around on Side A and made a law reducing the size of the board. So Side A gets even by redrawing the boundaries to their liking. The problem is Side B didn’t think through the effects of the legislation and have now quite likely made things worse for themselves…well their supporters in DeKalb anyway.
Atlanta Media Guy
February 8th, 2012
10:16 pm
How does this surprise anyone? The rant from Steen Miles last week implying that the new Super has not done a good job and should leave everything the same.. Huh? She wrote an op ed for the Champion. Walker becoming Chairperson of the BOE.. That’s right DCSS BOE has an accused sexual harasser as its’ chairperson. The state of Georgia settled with the accuser out of court.
See it was all in the works. Walker knew what was happening. They need to continue the gravy train. There is too much money involved. A former BOE representative told a group of us five years ago to follow the money. It’s the root of all evil at DCSS.. NO ACCOUNTABILITY! DCSS Central Office staff doing what they please, when they want to. MIS hires, who are family of former BOE reps getting huge raises and not reporting for work. We’ve been through all these charges time and time again. Yet we’re surprised when the boyfriend of a BOE representative’s sister is tasked with drawing a map that ensures his girlfriends brother keeps his district while the BOE chairperson, who lives less than a mile away, gets his own district too..
Things are so chummy in DeKalb.
atlmom
February 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
Perhaps we need to admit that this system is. not. working. that it’s not working ANYWHERE. Electing or appointing a board to oversee a school system – not working.
And if it is, it’s one election away from not working. But I don’t see any school systems (certainly, not in a city) working in any sense of the word.
Perhaps we need a new system. Something totally and completely different. We’ve been doing this for at least 40 or 50 years. Can we start somewhere new?
bu2
February 8th, 2012
10:47 pm
For those of you who don’t understand Dekalb, this is something of a coup. The two grossly incompetent board members-Cunningham and Woods, and a 3rd cohort-Walker, who are all for making the schools a job program instead of an educational place for children are given the majority. Elder defeated someone like them, but often seems overwhelmed, and seems sympathetic to the jobs program. Apparently they want to get rid of Atkinson (who many of them originally supported) because she seems to be serious about putting the children first. Bowen is the other one who is allied with them, but was not planning on running again. So they get rid of 3 members who have often been against their group.
Jester is often criticized and rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but IMO, along with Speaks, is one of the two serious board members.