Should Dunwoody have its own schools? Should cities be allowed to break from county systems?
Should communities be permitted to revolt against their county school systems and create their own school districts?
Legally, it would likely require a change to the state Constitution, which now forbids any new independent school systems. (I added the text of the state Constitution to a comment that I made below. Some of you are questioning the existence of city school systems such as Decatur and Dalton, but those systems predate the constitutional prohibition.)
But we may see a push for such a change in the wake of DeKalb’s problems with SACS.
Mike Davis, the mayor of Dunwoody, just wants out.
Davis said he believes nearly all Dunwoody residents want to separate from the DeKalb school system, and it’s something his city council is openly discussing. They are likely to ask state lawmakers in January for a measure — probably involving an amendment to the state constitution — that would let cities without school systems create their own.
“I think the system is too big, too corrupt,” Davis said of DeKalb. “Are we disappointed? Yes. Are we disgusted? Yes.”
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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170 comments Add your comment
bu2
December 18th, 2012
9:01 pm
Texas has had a series of lawsuits and monumental problems due to a bunch of small school districts with dramatically different tax bases. Splitting creates a lot more problems than it solves.
Momof2.5
December 18th, 2012
9:09 pm
For like the first time ever, I actually agree with the Dunwoody mayor. As a Dunwoody resident, few things would make me happier than a separate school system. I am so tired of dealing with DCSS corruption/ineptitude. It seems that some portions of the county will vote in incompetent board members even in the face of undeniable evidence that their presence on the board is ruining the school system for the entire county. We want out. If they let us out, I will glady get out of the way of the rest of the county and their desire to run the school system into the ground.
Concernedmom30329
December 18th, 2012
9:12 pm
bu2
TX lawsuits are at the state level, not the federal level, so not real applicable here. In fact, smaller and poorer districts tried to sue here a few years ago and were rebuffed.
The South generally has the lowest performing school systems in the country and most often has county based systems. There is at least an argument to be made that the status quo isn’t working well not just in DeKalb but across the region.
I know that many will argue that Gwinnett works well, but time will tell as it becomes more diverse, eventually sees changes in its school board and gets a new superintendent.
Concerned Taxpayer
December 18th, 2012
9:28 pm
This is a great idea for better control but it will increase the cost of education. NJ has 300+ different school district because each town is separate. Sound easy until you realize you have to pay for 300+ superintendents, admin, curriculum staff. People already complain about the overhead with the county schools systems….
Susan
December 18th, 2012
9:29 pm
Should Dunwoody have its own schools? Should cities be allowed to break from county systems?
Yes.
mountain man
December 18th, 2012
9:30 pm
I don’t understand. I went to Dalton City schools not whitfield county schools. Did they take that right away from cities?
Maureen Downey
December 18th, 2012
9:35 pm
@Mountain:
State Constitution now forbids new independent school systems:
bu2
December 18th, 2012
9:35 pm
@concerned
The state constitution required Texas to implement an efficient school system. They lost in the suit Edgewood ISD v. Texas. The wording will be different in Georgia, but its likely there is something similar. That’s probably why this crazy formula forces Dekalb to send $100 million of our tax money to the state to help “poor” districts like Gwinnet (who gets $140 million from the state). Dekalb would still have problems, but would be in a lot better shape if we had that $100 million of our own money and $140 million coming from Gwinnet.
And if the places like Dunwoody split out, the rest will be left with even bigger problems. You’d have wealthy groups leaving a bunch of very poor districts. Wilmer-Hutchins near Dallas and North Forest near Houston have (or are being) shut down because of horrible student achievement in school districts with very low tax bases. Imagine a school district covering just zone 5 of DCSS. That’s what North Forest looked like. It would be hopeless. You might have a school board with 5 Sarah Copelin-Woods (She is probably a good well intentioned person, but its painful to watch her. She has no business as a school board member).
Nikole
December 18th, 2012
9:53 pm
Absolutely! In Dekalb, perhaps this new smaller system would actually focus on solving problems in low achieving schools instead of hiding behind higher achieving schools. ( I say this as a teacher in low achieving school). Instead of enacting wholesale reforms ( that don’t work) they can work with schools to develop individualized action plans and fully fund and support these plans.
Brit
December 18th, 2012
9:53 pm
If you bought a house in Dunwoody (before or after it chose to declare itself a city) you knew what schools you were districted to and that you were buying into a county school system. You should spend your time trying to make effective changes in the school system you bought into, instead of trying to gerrymander a new one….
Mom of 3
December 18th, 2012
10:09 pm
Yes. This is America. We were founded on freedom. If citizens want freedom, be it to become a city or run their own school district, they should be able to. I know this is all about money. But the issue was exactly the same when America wanted its independence from Britain. I can not not respect any argument against changing the state constitution if it is the will of the people. I know politicians in other parts of the state do not care one way or another about Dunwoody. So I can not understand why they would not vote in favor of this if the people of Dunwoody want it.
NCR
December 18th, 2012
10:19 pm
So how come Decatur and Marietta have their own school systems, but not other cities?
Edugator
December 18th, 2012
10:30 pm
Poor Dunwoody. A new elementary school, a new middle school, and a recently rebuilt high school, all completed by the evil DCSD. For the most part, Dunwoody’s school challenges are self inflicted, such as the decision of the HS to retain block scheduling. Earlier posts about costs are well stated. Who needs another set of self important, non-teaching educrats? Or worse, a pack of micro managing parents? DCSD is grossly flawed, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was the role model for the state. It won’t reach that level again, but I believe it can be salvaged. A Dunwoody divorce would be short sighted.
Paul
December 18th, 2012
10:31 pm
Yes , Dunwoody should have it’s own schools. The long term track record of the Fulton County Schools in educating our schools is horrible. Actually , Fulton County needs to split in two. The good thing going on in Fulton County over the last 10 years is that all of the new cities sprouting up from Dunwoody to Sandy Springs and now Brookhaven helps lower the corruption among Fulton County officials.
Rick L in ATL
December 18th, 2012
10:34 pm
Gene Walker, you are moving us toward more school choice (and, eventually, vouchers) faster than I could do if I quit my job and lobbied 24/7. From “Gas Card” Crawford to Pat “I have a lifestyle to maintain” Pope — and now this–man, you are like a double agent for us pro-school-choice parents; the CIA couldn’t have a better mole than you.
Kris
December 18th, 2012
10:53 pm
I think it would be a great idea! I went to school in both Dunwoody and Texas, and they were very different. More attention for the students that need it would be better than a generic plan for all.
Burroughston Broch
December 18th, 2012
10:58 pm
@ mountain man
The Dalton City Schools were established before the Whitfield County Schools, and were grandfathered under the State Constitution.
Tired
December 18th, 2012
11:00 pm
Since when did secession become the answer to everything? I’m going to suggest my street secede from the “city” we’re in. Low taxes because there’s no school on the street.
Burroughston Broch
December 18th, 2012
11:04 pm
I see no hope for the DeKalb Schools, given the scoundrels repeatedly elected to the Board from Middle and South DeKalb. DeKalb is now following the lead of Atlanta and Clayton County. Any changes made by DeKalb to pacify SACS will be like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
I live in Dunwoody and have no children in school, but I would gladly pay more taxes for a Dunwoody School System separate from DeKalb.
RCB
December 18th, 2012
11:22 pm
Decatur is a good example of how having its own school system has enhanced the entire area. You pay dearly in property taxes, but if I still had children in school, it would be worth it. Someone had foresight a long time ago for Decatur to escape Dekalb.
Payback
December 18th, 2012
11:27 pm
DeKalb has directed a middle finger at the Northern end of the county for a long time, and this is why the cityhood movements in Dunwoody and Brookhaven gained traction in the first place. Schools are next. If the Dekalb elected officials would have expressed just minimal interest in voter concerns, this breakaway mentality would not have gotten off the ground. After all, nobody wants an extra layer of government, right?
Another comment
December 18th, 2012
11:28 pm
The answer is yes, yes, yes! Most of the top performing States in this country are made up of small local town or village school districts.
These districts consist of one or two high schools and their feeder schools. Several of my friends and I who either grew up in the Midwest or the Northwest frequently discuss, how sad we feel that our children are loosing out by not having this educational model that we had or our siblings children’s enjoy the advantage of. Our siblings do not even have to think about going to a private or charter school. Everyone in these small town districts goes to the local public districts. The corporate CEO’s children, doctors, lawyers, bankers, maids and labor’s all send their children to the local public school.
It is completely false that these small school districts cost more. First, everyone knows each other, so there is more accountability. The Supt. at these districts make on average of $150k per year. There are no area Supt and Asst Supt. positions. The principals are direct reports to the Superintendent. No fraudulent friends and family purchases for $12 million dollars can slip by. There is no constant redistricting with millions of dollars eaten up by this. Busing costs go way down, as the school district is much smaller. No cross county bussing. Small school districts can and do share the costs of Vo tech schools for Juniors and seniors. Curriculim can be tailored to the community. For example, I went to a high school that had an FFA chapter, the next school district to the one I went to did not. It was in a more suburban part of the county.
Dave
December 19th, 2012
12:17 am
Yes.
And then Vinings / Cobb inside I-285 needs to incorporate and begin its own school system as well. The only negatives about the area – and it’s a deal breaker for those who can’t afford private schools – are the Cobb public schools.
could be a good idea
December 19th, 2012
12:23 am
Is it possible for the Dunwoody area to stay in the Dekalb system and basically change its schools to charter programs? Off topic, but can someone explain why the Clayton County schools are so weak?
Starik
December 19th, 2012
12:58 am
This is a wonderful idea. DeKalb does not respect attendance zones, Too many football transfers, and kids bussed (or transported) across the County for the sake of destroying diversity.
The Deal
December 19th, 2012
1:36 am
Thank you, Dunwoody, for speaking out and forging ahead. Your hard work and dedication will help the parts of the county that are not well enough organized to do this themselves.
I don’t live anywhere near Dunwoody, and I do not begrudge them their successful schools. I have never cared about the makeup of the students my children go to school with. I have always had the biggest problem with the adminstration, lack of accountability, and the effect their bad decisions have on all schools.
This county could be sliced and diced in any shape, and the smaller districts would be in better shape simply by that action. It is all about accountability and responsibility. If a “good school” is lumped in with a “bad school” but there aren’t 500 layers of bureaucracy above those schools, you can bet the “bad” will have a much better chance of being transformed than when it is basically invisible to the administration 30 miles away and 10 levels higher on the (missing) org chart.
Forge ahead, Dunwoody!
WillinRoswell
December 19th, 2012
2:31 am
Mercy, where is Jim Cherry when we need him?
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
6:00 am
There is only so far the Eugene Walkers of the world can get with the race card. And did someone actually make the argument that there would be more bureaucracy, as if though there could possibly be more bureaucracy than exists in DCSS?
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!
Pardon My Blog
December 19th, 2012
6:03 am
Perhaps splitting the current system into a North district and a South district would make more sense although more power to Dunwoody if they can get this done. The system is too large and what works in one area will not work in another. @Payback stated the problem succinctly and it seems to boil down to retribution, pure and simple.
The State needs to remove the entire Board, probably the Superintendent, cease all payments to the so-called “consultants”, cease paying legal fees for people who committed criminal acts against the system, remove all the leaders in central office, review pay rates and adjust accordingly, remove those who do not even qualify for their positions in the first place (even so-called secretaries at the local HS level who can’t even do their job). There will continue to be discord in DeKalb, no businesses will want to be here and our tax dollars will continue to flow to the private schools for kids who know how to work the system.
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
6:09 am
“If you bought a house in Dunwoody (before or after it chose to declare itself a city) you knew what schools you were districted to and that you were buying into a county school system. You should spend your time trying to make effective changes in the school system you bought into, instead of trying to gerrymander a new one….”
Why? What moral imperative is there that DeKalb County Schools remain as currently constituted?
Because the “friends and families” of Eugene Walker and company need jobs?
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
6:15 am
From Agent Deal:
Do you hear that sound Mr. Walker? It’s the sound of…inevitability. It’s the sound of the end of your tenure on the DCSS school board.
And no Mr. Walker, your name is not Neo.
redweather
December 19th, 2012
6:23 am
Why not elect all board of education members at large? That way we might get countrywide representation and not all this “my schools” business. If the legislature is going to change anything, I would rather they start with that.
redweather
December 19th, 2012
6:24 am
I meant countywide.
Big Mama
December 19th, 2012
7:49 am
Yes, Dunwoody (or any other city/community) should have the right to establish their own, independent school system. The best system my child has attended was a small system in N. CA. The system was served by 1 high school, 1 middle school, and 3 elementary schools. The community was diverse in both income levels and ethnicity. The district office was within walking distance of 2 of the schools. The district employees (all 4 of them) would cover the vacation time for the school admins. And we did not have a dozen or more admins per elementary school. Only the principal, 1 full-time secretary, 1 part-time clerk, and a nurse. The system had social workers that moved between the schools as needed. They also welcomed volunteers from the community. It was a great community to live in and a wonderful educational experience. Why can’t we borrow good ideas from other systems or states?
bootney farnsworth
December 19th, 2012
7:50 am
sure. DCSS is on the way to making Clayton county look organized and professional by comparison.. if the city of Dunwoody can put one together, they should.
they should also make sure to fund it by a user or consumer tax so the pain is spread to the entire community and not just homeowners.
bootney farnsworth
December 19th, 2012
7:54 am
also. it would be good to see red meat Fran involved. let him put his theories in action and see if they work.
George P. Burdell
December 19th, 2012
8:01 am
A separate Dunwoody would be hard pressed to actually incur more overhead per student than the current DCSS does. I am very accustomed to working with detailed budgets to pull information and I can tell you the DCSS budget is a total mess. They try to give the impression that they provide lots of information but what they really do is drill down on minutae for the unimportant things and either hide or make it very difficult to find useful information on things like teacher salaries, central office expenditures etc. You can find out exactly how much revenue is generated by the afterschool program at any school in the county but it is next to impossible to find out how much is spent on the big ticket items by school. And if Walker’s attitude isn’t enough to convince you that we have a serious problem then nothing will. He basically shrugged off the accredidation report even though he was specifically mentioned in interfering with hiring decisions that have absolutely nothing to do with his role on the Board.
I for one hope Dunwoody is successful. For those of us with kids in the school right now, we don’t have time to waste on hoping pressure will lead to results. By the time this is all settled for better or worse, our kids will have missed out on several years of education. I’m all for the greater good and making things better, but I simply do not have time to wait when it comes to my child. I am pretty happy with the education my child is getting now, but you can see that morale at the school drops every time the Board does pay cuts, denies the central office is bloated, etc. while the people actually doing something pay the price. Dunwoody as a separate system will have its own issues and may not do any better, but it certainly cannot do worse.
bootney farnsworth
December 19th, 2012
8:02 am
if this isn’t egregous to Eugene Walker, I’m scared to wonder what is.
when is there gonna be a RICO investigation of these fools?
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
8:03 am
Unless something has changed with the talked about legislation, the legislation would not be specifically about Dunwoody, but much broader. It will certainly be a uphill battle, but a battle that has to be fought.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
8:05 am
@bootney, apparently the DeKalb D.A. has requested a copy of the SACS report. Of course, that is probably as far as it will go. Heck, who cares that $12 million for textbooks cannot be accounted for.
Ga Tech Rules
December 19th, 2012
8:12 am
Dunwoody is an enclave of upper middle class, highly educated people. Why should their children be held hostage to the very expensive but poorly performing APS? I say change the state law, allow Dunwoody and any other city to break away from large failing school systems. One more thing, for all you proponents of expanded mental health (at someone else’s expense) please note that fox news and drudge are reporting Adam Lanza was being threatened with commitment to a mental hospital by his mother, and this is thought to be the reason for his rampage. Note the cause was not a lack of mental health care, mom was very well off, but the threat of involuntary commitment!
Ga Tech Rules
December 19th, 2012
8:14 am
That should read “Dekalb Public Schools,” not APS, though APS certainly qualifies as a large failing school system, imho!
james
December 19th, 2012
8:18 am
Back in the 70’s Dekalb had great schools including Dunwoody,
Lakeside, Tucker, Peachtree HS, Henderson, Braircliff, Druid Hills,
etc…
Its a shame things have changed so much around Atlanta and in
Dekalb,Clayton,Fulton(APS)schools are for the most part terrible
and not safe….I know there are a few decent ones left….
Corruption, no responsibilty kids, etc are the main reasons and its not
going to get any better….
Why would anyone live in these areas that has school age kids?
Pardon My Blog
December 19th, 2012
8:33 am
Well, when you have totally incompetent morons running the systems whose only goal is further enrichment of self, friends and family and are constantly trying to beat the system while knowing they are doing wrong, this is what you get!
AnonMom
December 19th, 2012
8:37 am
DCSS (and probably other systems in GA) need to be broken into smaller pieces — the administration in these systems takes up way too much of the money — problems are hidden and buried under rugs and the kids are losing — big time. In states like NJ and Texas, things are handled at much smaller levels – think school level — instead of superintendents with staffs with salaries costing millions — there are 1-3 in charge (I think) and salaries are at a fraction (per system) — so more systems but fewer at the top within each system so more focus actually on the children rather than on the adults. I’ve argued with friends and relative in NJ that they may need to consolidate some of theirs — too many up there and they need to have some economies of scale… but we really need to get resources back into the classroom both in terms of dollars and adults in charge focused on what is actually happening at the schoolhouse level.
GTFAN
December 19th, 2012
8:39 am
We have become Clayton County. How scary is that? It doesn’t take the incompetents long to screw up anything…..ignorant voters and ignorant board members are a bad combination!
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
8:41 am
“Its a shame things have changed so much around Atlanta and in
Dekalb,Clayton,Fulton(APS)schools are for the most part terrible
and not safe….I know there are a few decent ones left….”
And thus we have The Four Horsemen of the Incompetence
If not for that, would we have so readily embraced the Deal with the Devil™ that is the charter school amendment?
skipper
December 19th, 2012
8:43 am
Lets throw it out there: successful folks do not want to send kids into a frickin’ nightmare. The race-card and diversity have been overplayed. How about STUPID board members and a corrupt system that would make prohibition times Chicago blush. How do you solve problems by forcing Dunwoody kids into this largely (not toatally) but largely ‘hood culture, then say they are racists, etc. because they may think they can do better for their kids???
S
December 19th, 2012
8:54 am
As fed up as I am with DCSS I would NOT want my city to attempt its own school system. Of course, I live in Doraville LOL!
markoo
December 19th, 2012
8:57 am
Yes, in other states the suburban schools are often the best public systems there are. Too bad Georgia gives way to much control to generally incompetnet county school boards.
jarvis
December 19th, 2012
8:59 am
@Edugator, the 80’s were a long time ago.
Tancred
December 19th, 2012
9:03 am
How can a metro area have such an entrenched culture of incompetence on so many levels? Clayton, Fulton, Dekalb, City of Atlanta; all so dysfunctional and corrupt, it almost defies belief. And on the same day that the AJC has articles about Dekalb schools loosing their accreditation and Fulton “Science Academy” having their charter revoked, they place a fluff piece in the editorial section that claims Atlanta is some kind of technology “ecosystem,” whatever that means. If it is an ecosystem, it is one that supports a small population of privileged college grads while public schools are polluted with entitled bHow can a metro area have such an entrenched culture of incompetence on so many levels? Clayton, Fulton, Dekalb, City of Atlanta; all so dysfunctional and corrupt, it almost defies belief. And on the same day that the AJC has articles about Dekalb schools loosing their accreditation and Fulton “Science Academy” having their charter revoked, they place a fluff piece in the editorial section that claims Atlanta is some kind of technology “ecosystem,” whatever that means. If it is an ecosystem, it is one that supports a small population of privileged college grads while public schools are polluted with entitled bureaucrats that care little for anything but their next paycheck and a secure pension. And the new supply of entitled workers lines up with their diploma mill credentials and the whole thing starts all over again. Why would a graduate from Georgia Tech or Emory want to stay in this area? Why wouldn’t Dunwoody want it’s own schools?
Susie Squaw
December 19th, 2012
9:04 am
In schools inthe south…more diversity = more problems in school, worse leadership
skipper
December 19th, 2012
9:08 am
How can the population be so stupid as to elect incompetant people time and time again and then rant and rave about how things are going. To the dummies (yes, dummies) who voted in these buffoons, you are getting what you asked for; what in the world would make you think anything different? And you think folks who actually care about a real education should sent their kids into this cluster? This is why when people look at this nasty system years from now they will say: I thought it could not get worse, but it did!”
samantha
December 19th, 2012
9:11 am
Cities should not be allowed to break from counties without EVERYONE that reside in that county voting on it. NOT the people that reside in that particular area. Dunwoody should not have it’s own school system. The only way they should be allowed to have their own school system is if they did not use ANY Government money to do so. Other than that, NO.
bootney farnsworth
December 19th, 2012
9:11 am
back in the early 70s, DCSS was the gold standard for how to run a system and educate kids. people moved from all over the state to have their kids in DCSS..
40 + years later, DCSS is a complete joke.
samantha
December 19th, 2012
9:19 am
skipper you are such a racist trailor trash idiot! You really need to go back to school, complete elementary school and GET EDUCATED! You sound like the FOOL you are. Get off the couch in your trailor and GO BACK TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. You bufoon!
Betsy Parks
December 19th, 2012
9:20 am
I’ve started the petition “Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia State Board of Education: Review SACS findings, if accurate REPLACE the Dekalb County School Board. ” and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now?
Please share with your friends!
http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-nathan-deal-and-georgia-state-board-of-education-review-sacs-findings-if-accurate-replace-the-dekalb-county-school-board
DagnyT
December 19th, 2012
9:24 am
Yes, I’ve told friends moving into the area to avoid Dunwoody because DeKalb is on its way to losing accreditation. They would be taking a huge risk buying anywhere in DeKalb right now. Dunwoody is a nice area and they would like to live there. A city school system would improve property values there and attract young families communities desire.
DagnyT
December 19th, 2012
9:27 am
Maureen- I asked this question of you a few months ago too. Birmingham did something similar when forced busing came along. Now the suburban districts are tops in the state and the parents have a lot of input in how things go. They also have nationally ranked athletic teams, band and orchestra programs. I don’t see a downside to Dunwoody having its own system, other than it might cost more in taxes. It would be cheaper than having to send your kids to private schools because DeKalb was no longer accredited.
Blue dog
December 19th, 2012
9:29 am
Local control of public schools is the problem. All schools should be ran under the same administration, under “statewide” authority.
The entire public school system needs to be paid out of the “General State Treasury”, not with local property taxes. You change these two things and you eliminate disparity between local school systems and you also save a ton of money on non teacher salaries.
Think about the “other” state government…the state employees. Their personnel dept for the entire state is located in Atlanta (with a few sub offices located within departments).
There is no reason to have 150+ systems each having elected school boards and superintendents.
But, changes like these will never happen for two reasons…Parents think their kids will do better if they have control on the local level and The local euducrats will never promote a change that eliminates their jobs.
Decaturite
December 19th, 2012
9:33 am
FYI that the Superintendent of City Schools of Decatur earns WAY over $150,000! So our smaller school districts are not as frugal as those up North. I think all Superintendent positions should be lower paid–then we’d get leaders who are motivated by service, not by money, power, and politics.
Scott
December 19th, 2012
9:43 am
A Dunwoody school board would have its act together. The board failures are the reason that DeKalb County Shools are on probation. Personally, I don’t get why this SACS has been given so much power. Their reasons don’t ever cite anything having to do with quality of education. If the state is going to allow this private organization to cause so much damage to the citizenry, the state should give us the power to reorganize so that we aren’t paying the price for the actions of officials we don’t even have the power to elect. I am a parent of two elementary school children in Dunwoody. I have been happy enough with the schools, but I’d rather have a separate school system than have the schools lose accredidation because of corruption in other communities.
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
9:43 am
Clayton, Fulton, Dekalb, City of Atlanta; all so dysfunctional and corrupt, it almost defies belief.
Again and again we see The Four Horsemen of the Incompetence
Will anything short of educational Armageddon destroy the monolith?
Ashley
December 19th, 2012
9:43 am
Dunwoody should team up with Peachtree Corners and Duluth to form a new school system.
Change
December 19th, 2012
9:46 am
People always want to pull away from the situation instead of helping to come up with a solution…vote for somebody else next time, better yet run for the position yourself. Need we run continue to run from the problem?!?
bu2
December 19th, 2012
9:49 am
There’s very little downside to Dunwoody for having its own system. They not only have the high value homes, but also Perimeter Mall. Its the rest of the system and the state that would suffer for their benefit.
Education is ultimately a state responsibility, not local. That’s why the city/county issue is different. Counties aren’t supposed to be cities and that’s why metro Atlanta governments are such a mess. You have counties and cities suing each other when they represent many of the same people. Its beyond absurd.
But with schools, the state needs to make sure each district has a reasonable source of funding. Breaking off the wealthier sections of districts is bad for the rest. And noone is talking about breaking up Cobb or Gwinnett, which are larger than the grossly mismanaged APS, Dekalb and Clayton districts.
You also have to consider the domino effect. Should the constitution be changed, you would almost certainly see Brookhaven, Chamblee and a new city of Central Dekalb (which is being discussed) form their own systems. Only the poorest areas would be left in Dekalb.
bbb1467
December 19th, 2012
9:49 am
Dunwoody already has its own schools: Marist, Pius, Pace, Westminster, etc. If you can afford a house in Dunwoody, you can afford these. You just have to choose to buy a non-luxury car and keep it for five+ years instead of the new Lexus lease every one-two years, shop at Belk instead of Neiman Marcus, not have wine and coctails with meals at fancy restaurants, don’t spend $40 a week at Starbucks, don’t have every family member with an iPhone, etc. Most of the lip-service given to wanting “diversity” is just a way to rationalize spending the money on yourself (house, car, clothes, vacations, electronics) instead of your kids’ education.
CJae of EAV
December 19th, 2012
9:52 am
If there is truly a significant degree of galvenized community support behind the idea of a “Dunwoody School District”, why not simply use the existing charter school laws and convert those targeted schools to charter goverance using provisions in the existing laws. This would allow the “community” to direct the academic programs of these particular schools and their fiscal budgets without creating another alternate central office structure to suck up needless resources that should be going to the students.
No need for a state constitutional change if you go this route and the Dunwoody community truely will have the opportunity to put its money where its mouth is. All these efforts to splintering off simply creates mini thiefdom’s to replace the monolithic one that already exists.
G
December 19th, 2012
9:55 am
i guess if they can’t secede from the Union, they need to secede from something to get their rocks off!
bu2
December 19th, 2012
9:55 am
@Scott
This report condemned all the school board members. Its having attitudes similar to yours that enable people in other districts to blame it on other people’s board members. Everyone thinks, “Our guy is good. The problem is other people’s representatives.” Jester asks questions which is good, but she also doesn’t work well with the others and doesn’t seem to understand she is supposed to. That doesn’t mean she isn’t partly driven to that behavior by being excluded, but she does contribute to the problem. All 9 contribute. Some clearly more than others, some like Jester less, but they are all responsible.
Beverly Fraud
December 19th, 2012
9:55 am
“People always want to pull away from the situation instead of helping to come up with a solution…vote for somebody else next time, better yet run for the position yourself. Need we run continue to run from the problem?!?”
People want to pull away from institutional corruption and educational chaos?
Oh the horror!
seminole
December 19th, 2012
9:57 am
I live in Dekalb in an area with poor schools (thank goodness for private school choices) and I realize losing the schools in Dunwoody would hurt DCSS; however, I fully support the residents of Dunwoody creating their own school system. If they have the money and resources, why not leave a broken, dysfunctional, criminal system?
If I could sell my house and get out of unincorporated Dekalb, I’d gladly move to City of Decatur or City of Dunwoody to have access to better schools. I currently have no good choices when voting for school board members and I refuse to run myself, as I can’t stomach the nasty politics of some of the current board members.
I say Good Luck to Dunwoody!!
Inman Parker
December 19th, 2012
9:57 am
We seem to forget from time to time that government in our society is “of, by and for” the people. Taxpayer funded schools are a very large part of government, and when they cease to serve the public the public has the complete right to scrap the whole thing and start over. Including the Constitution. Now, the current DeKalb County School System, once the pride of all DeKalb Citizens, is a disgrace. Do the people have the right to start a new system. You’d better believe it, and state legislators better listen and pay attention. We can change them also.
DunMoody
December 19th, 2012
10:08 am
@bbb1467: gosh, if only your sweeping generalization about the deep pockets of Dunwoody residents were true. Sorry, but the majority of families in Dunwoody CANNOT afford those private school options. So we work very, very hard to make our public schools work, in spite of DeKalb’s dysfunctional oversight.
@edugator: The main reason DHS is still on the block schedule is the lack of funding for sufficient textbooks for students on any other scheduling model and the desire not to burden teachers any further than they already are by giving them 5 or 6 classes a day of up to 40 students per period. Again, a sweeping generalization that does not fit the reality.
George
December 19th, 2012
10:09 am
Well I think Dunwoody should have their own schools also,They should pay for the New High school ,Middle School,and elementary inn cash this summer and take them over say 100 million dollars.I agree and do your thing I can not wait nothing opens certain people eyes until something tragic happens and then you want the world to stop.Do it i say because you have more problems than you think you have right now i can not wait let me get my popcorn.
banderson
December 19th, 2012
10:16 am
No. Dunwoody can’t even decide how to redesign a quarter mile long road or build a path through a dog park. Dunwoody has some educated and pro-eductation residents, but they would be overwhelmed by the anti-education Tea Party group that sticks its nose in every facet of city business. In short, Dunwoody government is disfunctional and adding the responsibility of a school system would compound its problems exponentially.
skipper
December 19th, 2012
10:20 am
Samantha,
It is obvious by your rant and rave that you are satisfied with the present system, and you think it is fine. You are the buffoon. It does not, and never will, make one racist because that person or those persons do not want to participate in what even a vegetable like you MUST SEE is an incompetant system. Let folks form their own school…..and what solution do you have besides name calling? You must mean that dissatisfaction with the board members (which dog-gone near everyone on this blog has pointed out) is without merit.
George
December 19th, 2012
10:21 am
By the way Their are a lot of people living in South Dekalb that will make 75% of the people in Dunwoody wages look like a welfare case including my self people please don’t believe the hype
Private Citizen
December 19th, 2012
10:21 am
Absolutely. Question: If you made a new Dunwoody school system, obviously they would be legally tied to all of the weird mandates and testings and conflicted curriculum. This is the heart of the matter, the automatic required co-opting. And guess what, all of those “tests” are profiling children psychology and kept in database. The surveillance state is oh too real. Some lady from Pennsylvania took her state to court and found out about all of this stuff, difficult to access to, much resistance from her state and the federal. Much of it comes out of the Carnegie foundation. Point is: new school system? Sounds great. Co-opted into indenture following the norm, nothing independent about that at all.
Yesterday met a local professional has a 3rd grade daughter, said the math textbook is unreadable. Child’s teacher is showing burnout and says she had a method that worked well for teaching multiplication, but this year is required to do it according to the book and it is unworkable. Conclusion: the dissonance and dumbing down is real and down with strategy through forcing conflicted logic / brain scrambling for both teachers and kids.
A real “independent” Dunwoody school system would want to make attention to the “force requirements” that come with the title.
bbb1467
December 19th, 2012
10:24 am
DunMoody: Go over to Dunwoody high school and look at the cars in the parking lot…many of them are pretty new, Lots of higher end models form more expensive manufacturers. Look at the carpool lines at Austin and Vanderlyn with the Mercedes, Landrovers, etc. Think hard about it, and be honest with yourself. If it was REALLY your highest priority, you could afford an extra few hundred dollars a month to send your kid to a private school, but you CHOSE to live like you live, send your kid to a school that may soon be unacrredited, and then complain that the education is substandard. I chose to drive a twelve year old generic non-luxury foreign car, live in an old house for 25 years, not eat out at Buckhead/Midtown restaurants, and send my kid to private school.
Aquagirl
December 19th, 2012
10:26 am
If you want a small school system don’t move to a big county or city. The people in these little fiefdoms either need or want the surrounding densely populated area but don’t want to be bothered by the other folks who provide their standard of living. This is pretty much wanting to have your cake and eat it too.
If you don’t need/want a densely populated area you’re free to move to a small town where you don’t have to cope with big city problems. Problem solved.
Right these little cities are trying to escape problems by running away. No matter how fast you run those problems will always catch up to you, that’s a basic fact of life.
Maureen Downey
December 19th, 2012
10:27 am
@George, That would be the main stumbling block — the school campuses within Dunwoody were underwritten by the county and there would have to be some compensation. (Obviously, the share paid by Dunwoody property owners would somehow have to be figured and factored into the equation.)
Folks in Dunwoody who are not interested in the schools might balk at paying a hefty price to either buy or lease the facilities from DeKalb.
Maureen
Hamilton
December 19th, 2012
10:29 am
Dunwoody should pursue the Charter Cluster option. The Dunwoody cluster is already home to three successful conversion charter schools in Chesnut Charter School, Kingsley Charter School and Peachtree Charter Middle School. Those schools excel in raising student achievement with a very diverse student population. At the very least, Dunwoody parents should clamor for Dunwoody High to become a charter school. The shackles need to come off of the high school. Parents save their money by letting their students go to the elementary schools and PCMS then spring for the Marist/St. Pius/Wesleyan/Woodward/Holy Innocents, etc. education. Dunwoody Charter High School is needed. Going fully conversion charter in the cluster is the next best thing to the VERY EXPENSIVE prospect of an independent Dunwoody district.
Charter clusters do not require a constitutional amendment either. Dunwoody has its own core of experienced educational volunteers that could pull this off.
I hope Mike, Tom and Fran are listening. Baby steps, gentlemen.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
10:31 am
@Hamilton…conversion charters are still part of the DeKalb School System.
CTPAT
December 19th, 2012
10:45 am
Many of the school districts in the metro-area, Dekalb included, are too large and too diverse to be served by one model. If the district isn’t willing to self-split governance (and they can still share money based on the #s of students so that poorer areas get the same $$s), then any city should have the right and ability to consider starting their own system. That being said, we have a very complex educational and governmental history in the South and I would fully expect someone to file a lawsuit claiming that allowing the new cities to create their own school systems is some form of segregation. Any “new” system would be best to ensure that they meet certain diversity thresholds. For Dunwoody, although it has some limited parts that are racially and/or socially-economically diverse, if they pursue this goal, they may be better off trying to partner with other nearby municipalities, Chamblee, Brookhaven, Doraville, etc. who have greater diversity to ensure that they can show that they are serving a diverse community so that racism claims cannot be substantiated by the objectors.
Timmy
December 19th, 2012
10:54 am
Obviously, the DeKalb County BOE is broken. The race card will of course be played in an attempt to stop the City of Dunwoody; however, why should the citizen of Dunwoody be trapped by the corrupt DeKalb County BOE. Why not let them set up their own school system. I don’t think it could be worse than the system they are currently stuck with.
Hamilton
December 19th, 2012
11:01 am
@Dunwoody Mom,
I’m not stupid. I’m very aware that conversion charters are still part of DCSS. I have two children that have been in Dunwoody schools. One went to Catholic school then an independent private school until 8th grade. Then he went to DHS. There was a huge difference in quality of education. When he started at DHS, so did 200 NCLB transfers. Absolute anarchy ensued. School building exceeding capacity, scrambling for more faculty, textbooks and trailers.
The other child went to Chesnut Charter. Very good experience, nurturing and encouraged him and his classmates to excel. Sure, the superintendent caused a few problems during that time with administration, but the school and its council weathered that and the school got good academic results. You know that. My child had to endure the Dunwoody Elementary experiment and there was a huge difference in the quality of the educational experience. DES was new and it wasn’t a conversion charter. Now my child attends Peachtree Charter MS and by and large that is a well run school that gets results. Sure, there’s problems that we have documented pretty well in our local blogs. We overcome the issues that DCSS administration creates.
That all changes when my child starts at Dunwoody High next year. As much as you may be distressed with DCSS bureaucracy, going with the conversion charter makes sense because it can be done, the BOE has approved and renewed our local charters and while there are headaches with dealing with DCSS.. you know deep down that an independent Dunwoody School District is a tough sell and a long way off.
I stress doing what’s achievable. Dunwoody schools can achieve despite all of the failures of the Central brain trust. I know that you have been really active in our educational community and I appreciate it, so lets channel our energy into getting the charter high school and while we’re at it, improving Hightower Elementary. They’re part of our cluster community too and they have their own special challenges.
Mary Ann
December 19th, 2012
11:01 am
bb1467– my parents did the same thing as you for several years, and I was subjected to constant abuse from the wealthier students around me for being dropped off in that older car, for not wearing the latest designer labels, and being perceived as “poor” relative to these children of millionaries. When my parents were forced to switch me and my siblings to public school, they were anguished and worried, but it was the best possible thing that could have happened to me. Going to a good public school was like night and day; suddenly school was about learning and friendship and accomplishment instead of status and cutthroat competition. You might want to sit down with your kids and ask them if they are being treated as well as you hope they are by their wealthier counterparts.
Susan
December 19th, 2012
11:13 am
@bbb1467 – FWIW, the homes around Lakeside and Druid Hills are far more expensive than Dunwoody. Watch as Lakeside tries to form a city of “Oak Grove”? and Druid Hills annexes into Decatur. Nobody wants to be under the thumb of this corrupt, inept school system. There is no way to “correct” things when you are consistently outvoted by 5-4. Nancy Jester is outvoted on nearly every issue – that’s essentially taxation without representation.
Further, on the issue of ‘buying’ the buildings — certainly there is equity there that Dunwoody taxpayers already paid. Here’s an analogy: You go to Pizza Hut with 6 friends to share a pizza. You pay 1/6 of the price of the pizza for your slice. Then you decide to take your slice to go – but the others insist that you have to pay again in order to do so. It makes no sense. The citizens have already paid the price – and if the truth be told, the citizens of Dunwoody have probably subsidized some of the other schools around the county. Maybe if the funds were properly audited, the Dunwoody School System would start out with a credit balance!
catlady
December 19th, 2012
11:16 am
With the approval of the new state Charter Schools Commission, how does this square with the Geogia constitution on instituting new systems? If that approval overrules the earlier version of the state constitution, perhaps it also makes legal the ability of cities or other groups to have their own system? Perhaps, due to that vote, Dunwoody can go ahead.
Ed from Chamblee
December 19th, 2012
11:33 am
I love lunch room ladies, whatever creates more of them, I’m for.
FUBU
December 19th, 2012
11:41 am
Nobody wants to talk about the 900 lbs black elephant in the room! Voting has been hijacked by creating a “more diverse” voting district. Now we are left with a majority of “diverse” minorities running the schools, cities, counties, states, and federal governments.
Whites will continue to create their own utopia and they can afford it, too. Minorities will be welcomed as long as they are on the same economic and social levels.
People of economic means are tired of paying for others incompetence, regardless of their race, religion, or creed.
Money for Nothing, Chicks not Free
December 19th, 2012
11:46 am
Samantha, How’s life in south Dekalb?
DunMoody
December 19th, 2012
11:53 am
bbb1467 : Go over to DHS and see how many kids get on the buses. The nicer cars in the parking lot are the exception, not the rule. And I’m at DHS nearly every day, volunteering to support our school. Are you a drive-by observer or are you working to help our community have the best possible public education available? (I don’t need to defend my expenditures self-righteously, but that old car you’re driving is an intelligent choice many parents make who live in Dunwoody. Including our family.)
Eric Oliver
December 19th, 2012
11:55 am
Dunwoody is having problems managing a trail through a park … not comfortable with something really important like our children’s educations being in the hands of current leadership…. Too many CAVE (citizens against virtually everything) People in Dunwoody…..probably not a good idea
Rush
December 19th, 2012
11:55 am
All bow down to water girl as she has received her talking points from Bookman and has now enlightened us all. What a deep and through thought….just move to a smaller city. Brilliant!!
DunMoody
December 19th, 2012
11:58 am
@Hamilton … the achilles heel of conversion charters is that the principals and staff are still employees of the system. How vigorously can they defend charter-based opt-outs and initiatives if they’re threatened by loss of job or relocation? How can they fund the initiatives if the county says “no” and they are hamstrung on grant applications? A charter conversion is not a panacea.
Pride and Joy
December 19th, 2012
12:26 pm
Splitting DOES NOT create more problems than it solves. Look at Decatur city schools. They are exactly that — a small city district apart from Dekalb county and they are thriving.
We absolutely need to break off into small school districts and focus on the children in our own community instead of trying to appease the people who vastly different values and goals.
Money from the community should stay in the community. I am so angry that my federal, state and even local tax dollars are squandered on people who really don’t give a darn about educaiton.
Pride and Joy
December 19th, 2012
12:30 pm
Samantha, your comment is typical of the entitled class. YOu don’t live in Dunwoody and you don’t pay Dunwoody taxes but you feel entitled to tell Dunwoody what to do.
Counties aren’t sacred, Samantha. Just because you live in Dekalb county DOES NOT mean you have a right to push Dunwoody citizens and parents around. You DON’T OWN the people in Dunwoody and you didn’t earn the money they pay ih taxes soooo…mind your own business and BUTT OUT of their business.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
12:31 pm
@Hamilton, those Dunwoody conversion charters are subject to the same staffing requirements, funding requirements, redistricting fiasco’s etc., that the non-charters are subject to. No, the conversion charter route will not solve the educational issues facing us.
Fancy, expensive cars at DHS? Really? I must be looking at the parking lot of a different school…
Edugator
December 19th, 2012
12:34 pm
DunMoody- right on most points, but Dunwoody HS could have avoided the block schedule, as Lakeside and Chamblee did. Bottom line is that the block DHS uses is easier for teachers, kids and parents, and that’s why they stick to it. Since the AB block sometimes leaves kids with an 8 month gap between math and language classes, it is fatally flawed and should be discontinued at a school that purports itself to be academically rigorous.
Mel
December 19th, 2012
12:37 pm
I would take it a step further. Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Chamblee should all seperate and form their own unified school district. It could conceivably be small enough for the local control they want and large enough to take advantage of economies of scale.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
12:40 pm
@Edugator…DHS has tried several times to move away from the 4×4 block. It has been blocked at the Central Office each time. There was a recent letter from the 1st year DHS Principal outlining his reasons for not pursuing this for the next school year. Not saying that I agree with his reasoning, but I think that is also a mandate from the Central Office due to finances.
Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell
December 19th, 2012
12:42 pm
There seems to be some confusion about the cashflows in this system. I know I’m confused.
By my calculations given the average 30338 home value, current tax rates and DCSS per student expenditures, a family with 3 children in the DCSS system for K-12 will not live long enough to be “paying it back” when it comes to the cost of their children’s educations. If you believe Dunwoody is top of the home value heap, and it may well be, then it only get’s worse as you move to other parts of the county.
Funding also comes from state and federal sources, and I suppose Duwoodians (Dunwoodiots? Nah, it’s a Smart City) might argue they pay more (than their fair share) of those taxes. But the fact is homeowner property tax isn’t doing the heavy lifting many seem to think it is, especially in parent-think. Business property tax, perhaps, but not homeowners.
For Dunwoody to start up it’s own school system we would have to assume a change to the constitution and legislation mandating transfer of school property at a nominal cost as was done with the parks when the city was formed. As many have already pointed out government school operations come with many encumberances and a CoD system would be much more expensive than proponents are willing to acknowledge (think: Dunwoody Police Department). I suppose the Carl Vinson Institute would give it a green-light though.
Furthermore there is no evidence to suggesting that Dunwoody would offer anything different or better in way of governance other than consistently pasty faces which in and of itself isn’t “better”. We do have evidence to suggest they might be as bad or worse than what we have now. Dunwoody has polarized internal factions (the “ethics” kerfuffle, the parkway, pathway and peachford building…) and started from day one with “Friends and Family” on the City payroll. Sound familiar?
As a “Dunwoody resident who doesn’t really care about the DCSS” I would not be happy paying more to “school” my neighbors children. I’m not thrilled with what I already pay. I’ve lived here for a few decades and never cease to be amazed at the folks who move to Dunwoody “for the schools” when it would not be a much greater commute to access the far better education offered in East Cobb or North Fulton at pretty much the same price.
Fred
December 19th, 2012
12:45 pm
@Concernedmom30329 – I’m not sure what you mean by Gwinnett Schools becoming more diverse. Perhaps your stereotype image of Gwinnett needs updating. Gwinnett is a majority minority school system and county. Gwinnett is the most diverse county in the Metro area. The student population in Gwinnett is 165,000 kids – fully 1/10 of the state’s student population. I think I saw where 59% of the kids now qualify for and receive meal assistance either reduced or free. We have one of the largest populations of of ESL students (if not the largest) in the state. We are a long way from perfect but we do okay.
Concerned Dad
December 19th, 2012
12:58 pm
I feel everyone has made very valid points. Dunwoody needs its own schools. Fran Millar has been the voice of reason for schools in Dunwoody and speaks for its citizens along with Dick Williams of the Crier and Fox 5 have expossed DeKalb for what it currently is which is an underperforming bloated system.
Dick and Fran we need your help? With DeKalb going on probation and no hope in the near future Dunwoody and its surrounding areas are in trouble and we need you to lead this fight.
We also need the Dunwoody City Council to start a petition and get the City of Dunwoody involved in this debate.
Thank you to our mayor who is hated by the Tea Party Mike Davis for taking up the interests that really matter.
Maybe the Dunwoody Tea Party will choose the will choose the right side this time.
They voted down parks and sidewalks so maybe they wanted DeKalb to maintain control but if you do not support this maybe we need throw all the tea in the Chattahoochee.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
1:18 pm
OT: But the first SPLOST IV monthly report is now available. Has quite a bit of detail – surprisingly.
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/splost-iv/urs-monthly-report-(2012-11).pdf
skipper
December 19th, 2012
1:24 pm
It all goes back to one point………the school system is a cluster, and everybody knows it.
The Hammer
December 19th, 2012
1:28 pm
@bootney farnsworth
“they should also make sure to fund it by a user or consumer tax so the pain is spread to the entire community and not just homeowners.”
EVERYONE pays property tax, not just homeowners. Even retail customers pay a portion of a business’s property tax.
Folks, if you’re going to comment on matters of economics, at least know what you’re talking about.
Susan
December 19th, 2012
1:31 pm
@Thaddeus. It used to be true that the state and fed paid a majority of the cost of education. Recent data tells us that the mix has flipped. Now, local property taxes pay more than the state for education. It’s over 50%.
Christopher
December 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
I doubt most Dekalb County Administrators could even pass the states graduation tests. These people feel they are entitled to their jobs forever.
Private School by default
December 19th, 2012
2:02 pm
I live in Brookhaven and have watched the exodus of families with five year old children for years. Lots of baby strollers in the neighborhood, but hardly any school-aged kids. Parents vote with their feet and their $$. If Dunwoody and Brookhaven could form a school district, I would send my kid there instead of $15k per year private school. No way am I sending my kid to a DeKalb school that is just a jobs program for friends and family. Too many administrators making fat, six figure salaries who don’t care about the three R’s.
David
December 19th, 2012
2:04 pm
@Fred. Gwinnett’s school system is horrible and is teaching a large group of students who will be on welfare or in prison the rest of their lives. How many people move to Gwinnett for their shools? Nobody. Remember 20 and 30-years ago when Dekalb residents were flocking to Gwinnett for their better schools. Those days are long gone.
Returning DCSS Parent
December 19th, 2012
2:05 pm
I say Dunwoody should have their own schools if they can pay for it without any of the money from other parts of the county. I live in South DeKalb and am not happy with the DCSS. I am not poor, uneducated and an ignorant voter. Stop with the blanket comments about people you don’t even know. And yes, there are several minorities in South DeKalb that send our kids to private schools because we are not happy with the caliber of education our children are receiving. Remember, the problems with DCSS predate the current inept board. SACS clearly stated the problems started over a decade ago. As long as my tax dollars are NOT going to be used to create a new school system, have at it Dunwoody.
bu2
December 19th, 2012
2:05 pm
@Dunwoody Mom
Slightly off topic, but since you added the link:
The 600 seat addition at SW Dekalb HS was awarded in October and will break ground this month. Their report last month showed that SW Dekalb HS would have 600 excess seats after the construction. Nobody is paying attention. That contract should never have been let. They already knew it was unneeded (there may be parts of the renovation needed, but not the extra classrooms).
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
2:11 pm
@bu2, true, but since the addition was specifically on the SPLOST IV list, can it be scaled back to just a renovation? I don’t know the legal aspects of this.
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
2:15 pm
Actually, a quick review of the SPLOST IV projects just lists SWD as:
Renovation of Southwest DeKalb HS and Stone Mountain HS
Modifications, upgrades, and renovations to Southwest DeKalb High School and Stone Mountain High School
So, it appears that a new addition is not required. Just a further waste of money.
Jack D. Ripper
December 19th, 2012
2:40 pm
What if two school districts were created? Short of getting rid of everyone and starting over, this would at least reduce the system into more “manageable” units. My suggestion is not just for Dunwoody to separate, but all of the schools in the northern part of the county. This would include Tucker, Druid Hills, Lakeside, Cross Keys, Dunwoody, and Chamblee districts. That would also increase the much needed tax base to support a separate system. It sounds radical, but given where we are right now, something drastic needs to happen. There is a great deal of mismanagement, ineptitude and corruption at the administrative level and we are all suffering as a result. DCSD is a very top heavy district and the “one size fits all” approach has proven to be very ineffective in improving student achievement. After years of hoping things will start to improve, it appears that all we get is more of the same. Teacher pay gets cut each year, yet the superintendent has a personal driver and the district plans to invest in electronic notebooks for middle school students when they haven’t solved their existing financial woes? At the very least I think we need major changes — and soon.
Gwinnett Co. Mom
December 19th, 2012
2:45 pm
I had the opportunity to grow up in Fairfax County, VA and attend the public schools in that system. Fairfax County and Gwinnett County are parallel in size, structure and the ability to merge various diverse factors, such as race, economic level and skills of students into successful, thriving public school systems.
The issue with the other fledgling school systems in the Metro Atlanta area is their lack of care and concern for their students. Across the board, the issues are related to the adults running the system, not the students. The overhaul of these systems need to take place at the top. People, please stop electing these lifetime bureaucrats and get individuals with a genuine interest in your child’s education – not looking for a position to move up in the policitical ranks. In the end, it’s your child who suffers.
say what?
December 19th, 2012
2:47 pm
i said it a year ago! the North DeKalb parents and elected officials were attempting to break from the DeKalb School District. BUT before they did, make sure North Dekalb has its new school buildings updated or built new using the SPLOST taxes that all of DeKalb (primarily South DeKalb) voted to continue.
Shame on the school board members who, along with the North DeKalb parents, knew that they were going to work soley behalf on “their” constituents, using the resources of all the school district.
Shame on Fran Millar for being elected to represent THAT area but be a part of THE DEKALB delagation, which was to work on behalf of the entire county, not just a select few.
The financial cliff of DCSD is in part the behavior of those who are now wanting to break away now that the DCSD has been placed on probation, Don’t allow it! Let them sit and stew in the mess where they have left a BIG footprint made of crap for the rest of DeKalb.
bu2
December 19th, 2012
2:47 pm
@Jack
You just removed all the tax base and put it in one district. The southern one would have next to nothing.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
2:48 pm
With Fran Millar, Mike Jacobs and co. leading the charge, Dunwoody should have no problem getting their own system. While we’re at it, we should just go ahead and create a Brookhaven School System too. Better yet, we could split the county in two – North Dekalb and South Dekalb. We could call the north part of the county Milton County…oops, we may need to see if that name’s still available. As long as the 500 or so people out there who want a Dunwoody System get what they want…that’s what’s important here.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
2:49 pm
Oops, sorry. Change 500 to 1,000.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
2:53 pm
Another solution would be to build a wall around the City of Dunwoody?
living in an outdated ed system
December 19th, 2012
2:53 pm
I have absolutely no problem with this “in principle.” There are MANY changes I’d like to make to the Georgia constitution, starting with the language that says “all citizens shall have access to an ADEQUATE education!” I’d also like to revisit items such as school board governance (perhaps along the lines of @Maureen’s earlier blog post) and also strengthening the ties between public school administrators and local mayors or CEOs, especially in urban areas.
Reviewing the constitution for areas of improvement can become someone’s full time job : )
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
3:03 pm
“EVERYONE pays property tax, not just homeowners. Even retail customers pay a portion of a business’s property tax.”
By this logic then, homeowners just pay more in taxes…
banderson
December 19th, 2012
3:03 pm
Drive through Dunwoody and look at all the signs in people’s yards complaining about things the city wants to do. I know Mike Davis may want Dunwoody schools, Dunwoody Fire Department and Dunwoody sanitation. Most politicians want as much power and budget as possible. But, when your city wastes $50K on a so-called ethics investigation and can’t even get consensus on how to route traffic or build additions to public parks, then it’s clearly not ready for running its own school system.
Brad
December 19th, 2012
3:08 pm
My only question is, “What took so long?” At least out in the burbs, we vote against big government but somehow are unbothered by our enormous school districts. Here in Cobb County, we distrust “big government” except when it comes to our school district. We have 16 high schools, 25 middle schools, 67 elementary schools, over 13,000 employess and well over 100,000 students. Talk to any teacher or principal about any issue, and you will hear the words “central office” more times than you can count. If that is “local control,” then apparently I don’t know what local really means.
Bring on the cities and bring on the city run schools. I’ll take my bureaucrats close and accessible, even if it costs me a bit more. Accountability is worth the price.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
3:10 pm
“When your city wastes $50K on a so-called ethics investigation and can’t even get consensus on how to route traffic or build additions to public parks, then it’s clearly not ready for running its own school system.”
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for this comment! I expect more of the same with Brookhaven.
Hamilton
December 19th, 2012
3:11 pm
@Dunwoody Mom, Tell you what, I’ll just stand on the fact that a working conversion charter is better than what we have now. Nothing will happen fast. When you boil it down we are talking about “government schools” and the top isn’t results-oriented and change comes glacially.
The Governor can replace the Board and a new Superintendent can be hired, but it will take years for new leaders to fix this mess. So act locally with what we can use. It’s called doing something about it.
BTW, the fancy, expensive cars were at DHS in the 80’s, when “Fast Times at Dunwoody High” was a cover story in Atlanta Magazine. Some stereotypes persist for years!
Shari
December 19th, 2012
3:16 pm
I’m a new resident to Georgia and still trying to understand the whole state system. I’m orginially from Texas. The county I grew up in was Upshur and there are 7 school districts in the one county. They range from 3-A to 1-A school districts. No one really has a county system and people like their small schools because kids learn better and there are not bad gang schools. Even in Gregg County (Longview Texas) There are three school districts which range from 5-A to 3-A. Its just weird here in Georgia. Because in Texas if the the city exist it has its own school district, why is that an issue in Georgia. #totallybackwards
Chad
December 19th, 2012
3:16 pm
yes… yes they should
Dunwoody Mom
December 19th, 2012
3:17 pm
@Hamilton…I’m confused as to why you think DCSD conversion charters are some type of different “animal”. My children attended Chesnut and PCMS – they both are bound by the same rules as any other school in DCSD. I’m not sure what you think conversion charters can do that other non-charter schools cannot. Could you give me some examples?
Dunwoody Teacher
December 19th, 2012
3:35 pm
I am a Dunwoody teacher who works for the DCSD. Everyday I go to school with the feeling that my classroom is sufffering due to the incompetent people that I call “boss”. I am not talking about principals. I am talking about the county office who puts themselves and their salaries before any student.
Jack D. Ripper
December 19th, 2012
3:43 pm
@bu2
Well if the northern half of the county is in fact carrying the lion’s share of the tax burden then it seems natural that they would want that money put to the most effective and beneficial use rather than sitting back watching people carelessly squander it away. Does any one have the actual numbers on this?
zyx
December 19th, 2012
3:48 pm
I would normally be against this, but I will make an exception becasue it is Dekalb. Anything to quicken the demise of this failed experiment should be fast tracked.
Of Mice and Men
December 19th, 2012
4:08 pm
Jack D. … don’t have the numbers but believe the disparity is pretty large in taxes paid in the north end versus the south end. Definitely not advocating abandoning the south end schools, but in a way it is taxation without representation as the board politics is heavily skewed away from the north end tax base simply based on population. There are answers to be found in balancing the disparity in performance for low income areas, but if it starts with limiting the potential of the schools in the higher income areas then you exacerbate the counties problems and really aren’t helping those you aim to help either.
Of Mice and Men
December 19th, 2012
4:12 pm
When external auditors advise you to cull the central office staff and you simply reassign them to new jobs instead, how can you expect your constituency to not look for every angle possible to free themselves of your complete idiocy and mismanagement.
The Hammer
December 19th, 2012
4:20 pm
@Bill and Ted
“By this logic then, homeowners just pay more in taxes…”
If their home is valued higher, yes. What, exactly, do you mean?
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
4:28 pm
@the Hammer if I rent an apartment/house and send my kids to the public schools in the county I reside in, how am I paying property tax? Beyond any SPLOST funds collected, how am I contributing financially to the system?
whystopthere
December 19th, 2012
4:29 pm
Might as well go all out and push to be in Fulton County so they can break away when Milton County is reformed.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
4:33 pm
“EVERYONE pays property tax, not just homeowners.”
I’m just confused by that…are you referring to ad valorem tax? That doesn’t fund the school system.
The Hammer
December 19th, 2012
4:38 pm
The property tax that the apartment complex pays is included in your rent. The only portion that is not passed on to the renter is the portion on the land value.
Like I said, if you don’t know about matters of economics, please refrain from commenting on them.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
4:45 pm
If you want to break it down like that, isn’t the land value as much as 35% of the final bill? The original commenter “Bootney,” who comments here often, was remarking on Dekalb homeowners bearing the brunt of the financial cost of funding schools, infrastructure, etc. Homeowners pay more in tax regardless – that is fact. You don’t have to be all snarky either. This is a blog about schools…not tax code.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 19th, 2012
4:47 pm
Also, I know that I paid nearly $5000 in school taxes last year (in addition to penny SPLOST taxes) and don’t want to see that millage rate increased again because Dunwoody needs a new school system. I know that much about economics, chief.
The Hammer
December 19th, 2012
4:52 pm
Apartments pay a much smaller percentage of their taxes on the land because of the density of households per acre (but, generally, are built on more expensive land; in the end, the percentages may tend to even out).
Anyway, the point being: don’t be so quick to label renters as not contributing. Single family residential properties don’t contribute much, either, especially compared to the property taxes paid by commercial properties, and remember, commercial properties don’t have children in the schools! Cities don’t survive on residential property taxes alone, which is why they always want to gobble up commercial districts.
bu2
December 19th, 2012
5:32 pm
And Dunwoody has the biggest commercial property district in the county. And the biggest outside the city of Atlanta in the metro area.
bu2
December 19th, 2012
5:43 pm
@Shari
At some point in time, Georgia stopped the creation of more school districts by prohibiting new school districts in the state constitution. Georgia has done it mostly by county. The counties are small compared to Texas. Fulton, Dekalb, Gwinnet, Cobb and Clayton could all fit in Harris County, Texas (Houston). And school districts are tied into governmental lines. If Decatur annexes area, that area becomes part of the school district. That’s the opposite of Texas where cities can annex, but it doesn’t change school district lines. The Katy ISD near Houston is in 3 separate counties and vastly larger than the city of Katy and includes good chunks of the city of Houston. Its just set up differently here and is a little more logical.
Now except for metro Atlanta, with the small size counties, doing it by county works well. Cobb and Gwinnett don’t get many complaints. But city of Atlanta, Dekalb and Clayton are a mess. Fulton gets mixed reviews.
Dunwoodian
December 19th, 2012
7:48 pm
@Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell
You are one of those “I’m count more than you, because I’ve been here longer” types. Do you think your vote should be weighted according to your longevity? A couple a decades ago I was a teenager growing up in Los Angeles, sorry I wasn’t able to live in Dunwoody at the time. I’ll yell at my mom on the phone tonight.”
“Tired of paying for my neighbors education”? Really Man Really? Dunwoody or New York, or Hawaii, people have a societal obligation to educate children. Are you so callous and closed minded not to see that? Who will work to pay for your Medicare (which I guarantee will payout more for every person than they paid in)? Who will be your doctor, nurse, lawyer, pilot, engineer? I guess in your world, the only person left to help you will be the dude who digs your grave due to his cruddy education.
Wake up.
dnt
December 19th, 2012
9:03 pm
umm ashley nooo. thats just saying that gwinnett should take over dunwoody.
Dekalbite@bu2
December 19th, 2012
9:45 pm
“At some point in time, Georgia stopped the creation of more school districts by prohibiting new school districts in the state constitution. Georgia has done it mostly by county”
This Constitutional amendment was proposed and ratified in the 1940s based on the premise that economies of scale results from larger systems. Consolidation of systems are not prohibited, only splitting systems. In reality economies of scale have not occurred in many Georgia school systems as our population has grown. In fact, just the opposite has occurred.
concernedmom30329
December 19th, 2012
9:59 pm
Bill and Ed,
Across North and Central DeKalb, you can expect the push for incorporation to continue. If there is even the slightest possibility of getting out of the messed up DCSS, you better believe people are going to want to do it.
By the way, at least Dunwoody has an ethics process. DCSS doesn’t.
Sandy Springs Parent
December 19th, 2012
10:53 pm
The facts are that the better performing school systems nationwide are under 10,000 students. Look at statistics that growing a business does not always mean success. Many business can be very sucessful at a small to medium size level, but very few are sucessful at a Fortune 500 level. Many go bankrupt. Why loss of control, loss of corporate culture. Hey it won’t matter if we take a few extra pens out of the supply cabinet of the big corporate company, but if you work for the mom and pop it can be the difference of survival.
My $150K a year numbers for Superintendants are accurate. Two Christmas’s ago when I went home to the suburbs of Buffalo, NY. The East Aurora Advertiser had a Story on how the long time Superintendents of both the Iroquois School District ( from which I graduated and encompasess three towns, Elma, Marilla and Wales) alone with the East Aurora Unified School District ( which included ( the town of Aurora, Village of East Aurora, West Falls, and South Wales) were both loosing long time Superintendants to retirement ( over 20 years). The paper stated that both Districts were offering a Salary of $150K per year. The papers only worry was the two districts would compete against the same candidate pool. The pay was not an issue. Both of these School Districts are repeatedly listed as top schools in the NewsWeek annual list of Top Schools.
My parents grew up on completely different side of the tracks. My father with Nanny and cooks raising him and his siblings. Where as my mother’s parent’s were the gardner and the maid. My mother grew up with six siblings living in the help quarters on an Estate within a mile from my father’s parents. They all went to the same school. No one then or now thinks of sending their children to private school.
My family owns one of 3 Mobile Home parks which my Grandfather and Father started in 1954 on 45 acres of farm land as affordable living. @ Samanatha you are so ignorant that you can’t even spell Trailer correctly. My families mobile home park which I own 1/4 through a living trust is maintained and has stable blue collar workers and retiree’s ( widows) living in it. Since, the state has tough zoning laws and enforcement. We even had an Executive of major Steel Company as a Tenant for several years ( a 1% living in a mobile home, they were thrifty and owned another home in Philadelphia).
We lived within 1/4 mile of the owner and CEO of a Fortune 500 company. His Children went to the same high school as I did. His three children are on as my facebook friends, they are on facebook as friends of other people who live in the mobile home park, even though they are among the wealhiest people in the County.
Just because you are well off, you should not be forced to send your children to a private school. 95% of the country doesn’t even have to consider this option.
The people who live in Vinings/Smyrna in Houses are for a seperate school district. They are not Austell or South Cobb. They are not the underclass. They have Teasley then they have nothing left.
The people who live in Buckhead they want their own school district. They have worked hard to build up Sarah Smith, Morris Brandon, E. Rivers, and Sutton. They fought hard to get the new North Atlanta High School built, because they had repopulated Sutton. Then the Raciests Error Davis and Board Chair Rueben McDaniel pushed the school leaders out mid semester on trumped up raciem charges. All because some raciest black mother cries racism because the white administration won’t through a big party because her son made it into Harvard. Why should any public tax dollars pay for a party for any child? Tax dollars are not suppose to be used for any parties. They never had a party for any other child making it to an Ivey. If raciest moma wanted a party she should have thrown one at her own house using her food stamps. Opps she must have cashed those in for booze or cigarettes.
Brookhaven wants their own school district, Chamblee, Tucker, etc. Every municapality wants there own. Any one that ever went to a high performing school district in another state,wants the local control of small one or two high school districts. Our kids are being robbed of an education and a safe high school and middle school experience in this state.
This is not a third world country that only the rich who can afford $20K plus a year per child education get a desent education. We are a country that was built on free public school education for K-12. We don’t have that in this State.We have a Raciest Corupt Political system that does not benefit the children in Georgia. It is an outragous shame. Every person should be ashamed. Small, local districts take away the racism as well. People have to leave in smaller planned communities where they assimulate. The “Village Concept takes place”. If you have never lived in a “Village” you are missing something special. That is unfortunately, what has happened here in Atlanta area with the lack of zoning and unrelenting suburban and exurban sprawl.
Jimmie Smyth
December 19th, 2012
11:01 pm
Dunwoody Schools not likely video of Dunwoody Mayor and State Representative Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbnNKa7UGPs
Another Voice
December 19th, 2012
11:14 pm
A City of Dunwoody School System? Excellent. And let’s make sure we start with a clean slate. We have some new schools, but we also have a serious overcrowding issue (especially if you look at the demographic projections for coming years). There isn’t a stadium or natatorium to be had – the nearest are at Chamblee HS.
But if we come into this and don’t go the “friends and family” route to staff the new system. Hiring of all administrators and principals should require a true, unbiased search and interview process. Just because someone is working in a Dunwoody area school today should not automatically qualify them to continue in that role in a City of Dunwoody system … just saying.
And let’s remember that we’d have our own elected school board – and that the city council members, as I understand it, cannot take on both roles.
Excuse my sarcasm
December 19th, 2012
11:19 pm
Imagine if all the kids in private schools actually attended public school. Guess what? There would not be a dime more to pay for the additional costs. Imagine if the school system continues to flounder and more families bail out and enroll in private school. Guess what? The $ in would not change but the expenditures per student would by definition rise. Those who cannot “afford” private school need to stop complaining about those who can. The private school folks are effectively paying “double tuition.” Send them a big thank you note. Then set about focusing your jealousy/anger towards fixing the public school system.
My2Cents
December 19th, 2012
11:26 pm
it seems like people think everyone in Dunwoody is wealthy – maybe you could drive around and pay attention to the number and size of apartment communities nd new houses that have been built in Dunwoody in the past 20 years. This is why a new elementary school was needed – it was not an ‘entitlement’, it was needed. And there are plenty of places in the county with nice neighborhoods – stop the bashing. What Dunwoody has are people who are are thinking of alternatives to the status quo – you really have a problem with that?
Pride and Joy
December 20th, 2012
7:35 am
Excuse my sarcasm is exactly right when he or she says “Those who cannot “afford” private school need to stop complaining about those who can. The private school folks are effectively paying “double tuition.” Send them a big thank you note. Then set about focusing your jealousy/anger towards fixing the public school system.”
I pay the private school tax. I own two residential properties and pay heavy property tax on both, then I send my children (plural) to private school, which means, my federal, state and local property taxes go to APS and Dekalb while my children nor I benefit from it.
I DO drive the BEAT UP TEN YEAR OLD Honda and live as if I was poor so that I can escapte the rotten, filthy Dekalb and APS systems…and I am furious I have to do this.
All the whiners in South Dekalb need to take responsibility for themselves and their children.
Quit spending your money on nails, hairdos, cars and clothes and buy your own school supplies!
Just this week Bockman asked Mary Lin parents to donate money for Coan school supplies and THEY DO — gladly and with pure hearts. Yet, the entitled class wants more and more and more!
Go Dunwoody! Pave the way for the rest of us!
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 20th, 2012
9:16 am
“By the way, at least Dunwoody has an ethics process. DCSS doesn’t.”
Listen, I’m not defending DCSS. I get why people want to municipalize. I get why everyone now wants their own little school system. It’s the answer to every problem. My issue is the process by which we get there. It thwarts the will of an overwhelming majority to create redundant layers of government to serve a small minority. When two republican legislators and about 500 people can take $25 million in revenue from the county at large — I find that troubling. Seriously, what is the central point of interest in Brookhaven? The Kroger?
Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell
December 20th, 2012
10:04 am
@dunwoodian,
You’ll find my opinion regarding residency and weight of opinion by google-ing “More Dunwoody Than You”. It should be the first link.
As for paying, specifically what I’m paying for, perhaps the non-air-quotes were less effective than I thought–other than those above I’ll not use them again. I think by all objective measures of educational achievement the US ranks poorly, Georgia ranks amongst the worst in the US and DeKalb is certainly not the best in the metro area. And this we call schooling. At any price, what a value, eh?
Then there is the money. My last calculation, a couple of years ago, indicated that the DCSS burn rate was around $300K per class. In another spreadsheet I modeled the home value, school tax rate, number of children and burn rate per FTE. This revealed that parents of three or more children were not likely to ever pay back the cost of their children’s K-12 education. It’s just numbers. Well, and facts. But mostly numbers.
So yes, when I write that check–it’s not part of my rent or mortgage so it’s The Big Check–it’s really painful to spend that much and get that little, even if you disregard that if it serves anyone, it serves other people’s children. As to socialism–the social obligation–unless there is an equal individual obligation (by that I mean on the recipient’s part, not just mine as a payer) socialism has been shown to fail even when enforced by law. Given a foundation based on social obligation it would be necessary to require 100% participation for public schools to have a hope of success (I still think they’d fail, but that’s just me). Without full participation we simply do not have, well, full participation, and until every parent of every child has skin in the game, more skin than they have now and all in the same game, then that game is not going to improve.
I confess that my disdain for socialism, while based on observable outcomes, is a hindrance to my understanding the full upside potential advocates claim and unrealized potential has long ceased being an intellectual turn-on. It seems to this outsider that these break away factions are min-collectives, seceding from the greater collective and by so doing are asserting a right to some form of independence and self-governance that seems contradictory to that greater, nobler, collective social obligation. There has always been this peculiar paradox of local control vs global subsidy when it comes to bettering public education that has never been resolved perhaps because it is rarely recognized. Rather than forcing these mini-collectives to coalesce and then pull away let’s just cut to the chase and hand out vouchers as the parent(s) are the ultimate mini-collective (once called a family). And for the record: No, I don’t support vouchers either and for the same reasons.)
My $0.02. With that and my property tax check some DeKalb child will get a third world education. If they’re lucky.
TOD
CJae of EAV
December 20th, 2012
1:26 pm
@Dunwood Mom – Conversion charters are granted the same governance capability independant of the local board (DCSS in this case), as a start-up charter would, which is driven by the nature of the charter petition submitted and approved by both parties. I point you to Georgia Code – Education – Title 20, Section 20-2-2062, 2064 & 2065, which help clarify things for you.
Thus based on the aforementioned staffing choices, budget mgmt, academic prog. changes, et al would be governed by the Governing Board established for the conversion charter not by the DCSS Board based on the terms of the charter petition. In fact conversion charters are an even sweeter deal than start-up charters as conversion charters get to keep the existing facility they reside in, although they would likely be required to take on a greater burden to maintain the facility in the wake of conversion. Although, Georgia Code – Education – Title 20, Section 20-2-2068.2 seems to indicated that local board may be forced on some level to even keep up the facility since they would still maintain ownership of the building unless its sold to the conversion charter.
Further, the law for petitioning for charter conversion already exists with the sufficient level of support for the idea clearly demonstrated by the parents and faculty alike, the law pushes the hand of the local board to act on the request within a 60 day window. Thus swift action and no need for legislative action at the Gold Dome.
Bottom line if the Dunwoody community at large, in particular the parents and faculty at the targeted institutions, really want to effect some meaningful change. The ability for them to do so is at their disposal right now ! All they have to do is make it happen. What are you waiting on ?? If you play your cards right you have everything aligned to begin the 2013/2014 academic year under “new management” !!
psdad
December 20th, 2012
1:51 pm
@ Bill & Ed – Stop living in the past, you’ve made that argument against the City of Brookhaven and lost. We are discussing the completely broken school system here, and while the issues are the same (fraud, mismanagement, friends and family on the payroll etc.) there are procedures in available to ensure that S. DeKalb wouldn’t lose revenue per FTE if the system were split. Equalization Grants could be distributed from N. DeKalb to S. DeKalb to that they can supplement or “enrich” the basic program to the same extent as other state systems. Forget the efficiency argument to justify the size of this system; it is one of the largest systems in the nation and one of the most inefficient, plus there are too many examples across the nation of much smaller school systems that are more successful and more cost effective. DeKalb County School systems need to be split-up, so teachers can focus on the needs of their students and administrators can deliver services that address the (unique) needs of their (smaller) school systems.
Dunwoodian
December 20th, 2012
2:07 pm
The Other Dunwoodian!
Didn’t realize it was you- I enjoy your blog, very well researched and written. I agree with you 2/3 of the time or so.
I guess I took it the wrong way, knowing now your past views.
Only suggestion: You’re a bright guy and well informed. We need people like you to help come up with some solutions. Sometimes it appears you only complain, although your disagreements are well founded and rational.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 20th, 2012
3:26 pm
A) I don’t live in South Dekalb B) I don’t really take great issue with Dunwoody carving out their own school system C) I’d really rather not have more of my income used to “supplement” others. I suppose I should just get with the Joneses. Bring on the City of Central Dekalb & the Central Dekalb School System!
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 20th, 2012
3:26 pm
Bring on the future!
Jan
December 20th, 2012
6:03 pm
St. Pius tuition for 2012/2013 school year…. About $11300
A quality education for my kid…. Priceless
Dekalbite@psdad
December 20th, 2012
7:31 pm
“@ Bill & Ed – Stop living in the past, you’ve made that argument against the City of Brookhaven and lost.”
Bill and Ed live in the Fernbank area. DeKalb Schools has worked very well for them.
bu2
December 20th, 2012
8:18 pm
@Bill & Ed
If Dunwoody gets their way, that will be next. And the remaining DCSS will REALLY go down the tubes.
And a Central Dekalb School district would probably benefit me. But its just bad for the county as a whole. (I was all for incorporation of Brookhaven, either as Brookhaven or part of Atlanta-it doesn’t make sense having heavily developed unincorporated areas just miles from downtown with a county poorly trying to do city services-but that’s a different blog).
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
December 21st, 2012
8:19 am
@Dekalbite yes spending almost an entire year fighting being redistricted to a Title I school, that worked really well for us. Also, fighting to not see our child’s pre-K teacher’s pay cut more than 25%, and then being reassigned two months into the year, that “worked well” also. Save it.