What would you tell the state board today about the performance of the DeKalb school board?
Today, the DeKalb Board of Education appears before the state Board of Education to answer this summons:
It is hereby ordered that the Members of the DeKalb County BOE should appear on Thursday, January 17, 2013, at 1:00 p,m. before the State Board for a hearing and to present evidence as to why the State Board should not recommend to the Governor that he suspend, with pay, the Members of the DeKalb County BOE pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-73.
Once the state board hears the evidence, it has two weeks to send its recommendation to Gov. Nathan Deal. If the governor opts to suspend the DeKalb board members, he must suspend all of them and appoint replacements. The replacements would serve the remainders of the term of the members they replace, so their tenures would vary.
I asked DOE to check with its legal folks on whether Deal can choose to reappoint current board members since three DeKalb board members are brand new, Melvin Johnson, Marshall Orson and Jim McMahan.
It appears he can. Here is the response from Gregg Stevens, DOE Deputy General Counsel: I am unaware of any provision in law that would preclude the Governor from reappointing a board member that was removed from office as part of the proceedings under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-73.
In 2010, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue removed Warren County’s school board, but the state Supreme Court overturned that decision. In response, the General Assembly passed a law in 2011 that gave the governor the legal power to remove errant school boards who jeopardize their district’s accreditation.
Last year, Deal used the new law for the first time to oust the entire five-member Miller County board and appoint all new members.
My prediction on DeKalb: The state board will grant the DeKalb board members more time to respond to concerns and to offer up a corrective plan before it moves to advise the governor to oust them.
There is a precedent; the state board twice summoned the Miller County board to Atlanta for hearings to discuss the problems. It was only after the second hearing that the state board voted unanimously to recommend that Deal dissolve the board.
I can’t imagine that the state board would not afford the DeKalb County board the same opportunity to reform itself before taking the dramatic action of overriding county voters and removing elected officials.
While anyone can attend today’s 1 p.m. hearing in downtown Atlanta, the state board will not take public comment. Get there early if you want a seat in the main board room. I understand there will be overflow accommodations.
A reader sent this request:
I am one of the concerned taxpayers and community members in DeKalb. I am also a longtime resident who is witnessing the county’s complete erosion due to horrible administrations and self-serving boards.
I was wondering if you could put a blog post out today asking DeKalb residents what they would tell the State Board of Education members and jurors at tomorrow’s hearing for the DeKalb Board of Education members. Would they request unseating all the members (I hear that it is an all or nothing option) or would they give these current board members more time to get their act together?
The State BOE needs to hear loud and clear what DeKalb wants and understand that the Board cannot do its job because of the issues in the administration, but a decent Board can set policy to help stop some of the abuses in the administration. I know that the state education honchos read your blog, so I thought it would be a great reference document.
What would you tell the state board if you had a chance to address the members at their meeting tomorrow?
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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126 comments Add your comment
Dekalb Dad
January 16th, 2013
1:42 pm
I agree with JohnA. Why suspend/punish those BOE members who are always in the minority – trying to make changes but being consistently outvoted. I agree most should go, but it makes no sense to suspend Nancy Jester as one of the few reasonable voices on the Board who is trying to make a difference. Losing Nancy would be a great loss to the taxpayers of Dekalb.
Dr. John Trotter
January 16th, 2013
1:54 pm
When Crawford Lewis was hired, this was the first big mistake. The school board should have hired, in my opinion, the then Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Jim Williams. He went on and quetly retired. He served admirably under several superintendents. But, Lewis has been a P. E. teacher at the formerly all-white Montgomery Elementary School in earlier days and was closely aligned with the white voting bloc on the board. (At the time, I think that it was still a five vote majority, as hard as that is to believe. How soon we forget.) I don’t think that Crawford Lewis was that capable of the job. Then he put the Reed (or is that Reid?) lady in charge of Operations. What a disaster.
Dr. Doyle Oran was a good school man working at the Central Office back then, but ole Doyle was the wrong color. At this juncture, it had to be a black person, and I understand this thinking. I am not finding fault with it. Race does indeed dominate school board decisions.
The last choice for superintendent still mystifies me. Right next door in Rockdale County you had the Georgia Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Sam King. He is now in Norfolk, Virginia. He wanted to go to DeKalb, but the board reached, after many designed fumbles, all the way to Little Loraine, Ohio to bring in the current superintendent. I don’t know her. I am not trying to cast aspersions her way. She just might not have been that capable of running a very large school system. But, the interim before her wasn’t either, in my opinion. Perhaps Dr. Atkinson will grow into the job. I don’t know.
Bad decisions bring about bad outcomes.
Concernedmom30329
January 16th, 2013
1:55 pm
Dr. Trotter,
I thought you were concerned about the teachers. That is your website’s name, The Teacher’s advocate. As long as this board is in place, teachers in DeKalb will suffer. This Board hired a superintendent who has turned out to be terrible — what are you hearing about Kendra Marsh, her right hand person? This Board protects administrators first and foremost something you generally rail against.
In a perfect world, the voters of DeKalb would recall these board members and maybe they will. In the meantime, DeKalb’s students and teachers need assistance from someone,
Dr. John Trotter
January 16th, 2013
2:09 pm
@ Concernedmom30329: My previous post right before your last one deals with the superintendnents, including Dr. Atkinson. I also said earlier that the real problems in public schools are the small-minded and weak-kneed administrators. I know the problem. But, I am also a constitutionalist, and school board seats are Constitutional Offices, and I don’t take it lightly when certain people try to circumvent the democratic process.
I am indeed a teacher’s advocate. At MACE, we don’t believe that you can have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions. It is just that simple. As Norreese Haynes says, “Order is the first law of the Universe, and schools have to have order.” No doubt…the DeKalb School System is short on order. Discipline is out of control. Does this mean that I want the Governor to take over the schools? No. First of all, I am a Constitutionalist. When we start allowing the Governor to appoint the school board members, then these appointed members will only be accountable to the Governor who appointed them.
The Deal
January 16th, 2013
2:10 pm
What the heck was the purpose of advisement if not a warning to get their act together?? Six months here, two years there, another election cycle here adds up to an entire school life in limbo. ENOUGH! Get rid of them all, fire the superintendent, and fire the top 2 levels of the central office.
Souther Opinion
January 16th, 2013
2:11 pm
Never should have purchased a “shopping center” for the board of education building!!!!!! Are you kidding? They stopped paying the TSA funds to teachers to cover “legal expenses”, etc. Teachers now make less than 10 years ago – REALLY!!!!!! Families will move due to the pure ludicrous nature of the board’s manipulation.
Ernest
January 16th, 2013
2:16 pm
I planned to post a comment but after reading what Dr. Trotter has said thus far, I’ll simply say I agree with him.
Rush
January 16th, 2013
2:27 pm
Cry all you want, Trotter but the governor has the power by law to remove the boards. Not sure how you refer to that as illegitimate but you do since you do not agree with it. Sure seems you have a lot of time to spend on the blogs….shouldn’t you be back in Clayton County screwing up something there again?
Private Citizen
January 16th, 2013
2:34 pm
Claudia Stucke, Classrooms are overcrowded, which is problem all over the country; and textbooks are in short supply–to the point that students in many classes are not allowed to take books home but must share the same classroom set with students in other class periods
Is it not notable that one does not hear a peep from Arne Duncan on this matter? But he wants to indulge in his authority fantasy as law ad everyone goes along with it. Resist the Borg! Confront! Was it Whitman who said Respondez-vous!
Dr. John Trotter
January 16th, 2013
2:46 pm
@ Rush: There is a Constitution in Georgia. Govenror Perdue thought that he too had the power of by law to remove school board members, but the Georgia Supreme Court set aside his decision. I am not crying. Just pointing out facts that you obviously don’t want to hear. You let me take care of my travel plans, OK? I’d say I’m dong a pretty good job “screwing up things” (as you call it) from long distance. Ha! These computers are pretty amazing. So is the good ole Magic jack phone. I’m just a shout away, and Delta is always ready when I am. And darn if that last voyage wasn’t very comfortable…First Class all the way! I must had two or three glasses of chamgagne before the take off itself. Life is good!
Rush, you need ot rush on down here, and the Mrs. andI will show you around. Don’t miss Cristo Redentor! It’s one of the Eight Wonders of the Modern World. By the way, I just read an article in The New York Times the other day, and the number one place that The Times recommended to visit this year was Rio. Do yourself a favor, brother.
Dr. John Trotter
January 16th, 2013
2:48 pm
Forgive my typos, Rush. Thanks, buddy.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
3:00 pm
John Barge,
What says you, sir? Are you the State Superintendent or not? What are you going to do about about the educational malpractice going on in Georgia?
My take
January 16th, 2013
3:13 pm
The new folks are sharper than the ones they replaced.
Todd
January 16th, 2013
3:19 pm
@Dr.John–Putting aside for the moment whether or not the Governor CAN remove the school board members (as he clearly can since the law went into effect and remains so until otherwise), I am curious as to what circumstances, IF ANY, do you think the Governor (or ANYONE other than the voters) SHOULD step in? From your numerous posts, it doesn’t seem like you believe that there is ANYTHING (either act or omission, intentional or negligent….or criminal) that would justify doing so. If simply allowing the voters to decide is the answer, then why not kick them all out and if the people want them back, the voters will vote them back in?
@Dr. Trotter
January 16th, 2013
3:20 pm
I assume you are aware that one of the districts was recently gerrymandered to ensure a new BOE member with close ties to the old administration would qualify as a member of that district. How are citizens to enact change when district lines are being redrawn to ensure the continuation of the status quo? This doesn’t seem like the pure democratic choices you are espousing.
While it is lofty to say that the citizens of DeKalb need to wait on change, too many students are still sitting in 40+ classrooms with no toilet paper in the bathrooms and textbooks that hang together with glue. How long do students have to wait for a fiscally responsible administration (superintendent and BOE) that will put student acheievment first?
Perhaps you need to address your ideas to those students packed into classes like sardines with teachers that are being mismanaged and ill treated. Ask the students in those classes if they agree with you. After all, the school system is supposed to be set up SOLELY for their benefit. They may not vote, but it is after all THEIR educational experience that is at stake.
Justwondering
January 16th, 2013
3:30 pm
It will be sad if were stuck with that this board for the next six months. They have continually showed that they are unwilling to do their job of oversight and enforcing policy. Nancy Jester along with Don and Pam often ask hard questions but almost never gets answers. It will be interesting to see how Orson manages. I know both Jester and he very well and don’t believe that they are on the same page politically at all. They have very different visions for public education.
Right now, McMahan is in Orson’s pocket. I don’t know if we can expect him to be an independent thinker anytime soon.
It is important to understand the Dr. Walker has nearly a dozen family members who are employed by DeKalb County schools.
If Orson will ask hard questions and demand answers we will be in better shape than we are today. However his desire to eliminate an evening meeting is very worrisome to me because it seems like he’s trying to take the work of the school system out of the public site. That is problematic.
Hollywould
January 16th, 2013
3:37 pm
This has nothing on the farce going on in Macon. Money is flying everywhere except for the kids. The voodoo priest brought in there has put everyone under his spell but now some are fighting back.
Check some of it out in the Macon Telegraph.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
3:49 pm
Mr Orson,
During the Work Session & Business Meeting, the administration doesn’t know the answers to many questions. If you do everything in one day, as you suggest, how do you vote on items for which you have open questions?
Thanks.
My Take
January 16th, 2013
4:03 pm
Dekalb Inside Out, Can you give an example of what your are talking about?
My Take
January 16th, 2013
4:04 pm
you- not your
Tucker
January 16th, 2013
4:16 pm
I cannot speak to the potential of the other two newly elected members, but Jim McMahan would be an excellent appointment by Governor Deal to the replacement board. Mr. Mahan was an overwhelming choice in his runoff with the incumbent, and a clear choice by the voters to inject new membership on the board.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
4:21 pm
My Take
For example, the Work Session board meeting is generally 4ish hours long. The board asks numerous questions of the staff. From time to time a board member will ask for data or clarification regarding an agenda item (usually HR or Finance) that the staff doesn’t have or can not answer.
The budget is obviously quite complex. Perhaps the board would like to drill down into a category and see what items that total is made up of. Obviously the staff can not provide that on the spot.
The staff can not be expected to have all data and answers on the spot.
StnMtnMOM
January 16th, 2013
4:25 pm
The current Board has already been given sufficient enough time to get it right. They obviously don’t care about the students over themselves. If the law calls for firing all members as opposed to select ones, fire them all. However, the BOE needs to already have in mind suitable and qualified replacements so there is no delay in the transition. It is truly disheartening and inexcusable parents have to manuever to get their children in a decent school district, all because of incompetent and money hungry administrators. Oh, the BOE also need to look at firing the SUPER as well, because wasn’t she was recommended by current members of this Board or recently outgoing members?
Peter
January 16th, 2013
4:33 pm
I worked for DeKalb County for 10 years. I didn’t work for the BOE but I use to work in the IT department which is pretty much controlled by the CEO. I can’t speak on the BOE but if ts’s ran like the other parts of DeKalb county government it’s in total disarray and it’s irreparable. The only way to fix the issues that DeKalb is to dismantle it start all over. The best way to start the dismantling process is to SEND SOME PEOPLE TO PRISON!!! A few of the corrupt officials (trust me the word few is not strong enough) need to do some prison time so they can become an example of what will happen if you travel down their path. Think about it. When a well beloved highly decorated 25 year plus veteran police officer who worked hard and rose through the ranks to become police chief suddenly retire without a going away party or even a goodbye leaves in that fashion, that should tell you that something is totally wrong. My heart goes out the average employee and to every citizen of DeKalb because they’re really getting screwed. To quote Gil Scott Heron “I’m sorry, the government you have elected is inoperative.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
4:34 pm
Tucker
Didn’t Jimmy Mac vote to approve more lawyers at the Work Session last week? I can only assume he understands the financial constraints of DCSD. I further hope he understands the desire of the taxpayers to stop paying for all these legal fees.
Jimmy Mac thus far seems like another rubber stamp.
Sally
January 16th, 2013
4:39 pm
They need to go! The governor gets to appoint a temporary new board right? So, it’s fine if he reappoints those who have just been elected. The rest of that bunch of criminals need to be run out of the state. Yes, I do consider it criminal what they have done to what used to be the best system in the state.
Concerned Biologist
January 16th, 2013
4:52 pm
@ DIO
“Tucker
Didn’t Jimmy Mac vote to approve more lawyers at the Work Session last week? I can only assume he understands the financial constraints of DCSD. I further hope he understands the desire of the taxpayers to stop paying for all these legal fees.”
They did not vote to approve more lawyers. They voted to continue with the ones they have now. Like it or not, they are entitled to legal counsel and continuing the current attorneys is much cheaper than hiring new ones. As I understand it this was regarding the lawsuit over the graduation coach RIF’s. There is no way around paying SOME legal fees, but certainly we need to use counsel wisely. In this particular matter they took the correct, most cost-effective action.
My Take
January 16th, 2013
4:57 pm
” In this particular matter they took the correct, most cost-effective action.”
Refreshing. I expect more to come.
Concerned Biologist
January 16th, 2013
4:59 pm
@ DIO
“Mr Orson,
During the Work Session & Business Meeting, the administration doesn’t know the answers to many questions. If you do everything in one day, as you suggest, how do you vote on items for which you have open questions?
Thanks.”
Gwinnett’s BOE manages just fine with this format. They meet once a month and the staff are expected to know all the answers to the questions put before them. This minimizes the amount of time staff must chase information but also creates the expectation that information will be prepared, accurate and available at the monthly meetings. It also reduces the frustration for parents who cannot drop everything and run out to multiple weekly meetings. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Tracie Scott
January 16th, 2013
5:01 pm
This is one of those times when the enemy of my enemy is my friend. DOE and Governor Deal, please be a friend to us in DeKalb. Too much is at stake to give this board another chance. The charges are too serious to ignore.
We need people who are dedicated to all of DeKalb, not just their constituency. I know people like this are out there because I’ve worked with them over the past several years. I will be glad to nominate some individuals who will put the needs of all of our children first.
Flabberghasted4sure
January 16th, 2013
5:10 pm
I’m with Concerned Dekalb Mom – most are at a loss for what to do and how to save our children’s education. No one has listened in years. Not SACS, not the state BOE, not DeKalb legislators, not Dekalb commissioners, not the Chamber or local business leaders. No leaders have been willing to stick their neck out and help us. What is clear is that doing the same thing gets us the same place. For that reason, I would ask the state Board to remove all BOE members including the new ones (heed the words of SACS about their interference even before taking office) and re-instate Jester and Speaks. They are the only ones willing to vote no to administration requests and hold the administration accountable. The current board with its 3 new members has not kept their own policy already – stalling the election of the chair and vice chair which policy states is to be done at their first meeting in January. Mr. Orson told the senators recently that the personality issues were with members of the BOE no longer serving. Not true – there are others on the current Board.
This whole mess is not only about the BOE. The adminstration has failed us miserably -they ignore votes by the BOE if they don’t suit their needs, they can’t find textbook purchases, they don’t have answers and are unwilling to answer questions when the Board asks so that the BOE can make informed votes, they botch school organizational plans, request new cars, say they want parent involvement but don’t walk the talk, cut teachers and salaries/benefits, increase class sizes, retract statements about redistricting, promote administrators guilty of book deals (make a mistake in DeKalb with taxpayer money – we forgive you – keep working for us!)
This Board has proved over and over that they can’t fix the problems. There have been ample opportunities for the BOE and administration to make strides on fixing the problems. Time is up. Three new members is not a majority so no matter how hard they try to make changes with their votes, they are still 3 votes. And they can only vot ethings up or down per SACS – heaven help if they ask a question!
If not the governor, who is going to help and when? Elections for the voters to make a difference is 2 years off and certainly no guarantee they will vote differently.
Concernedmom30329
January 16th, 2013
5:13 pm
biologist
To compare DeKalb to Gwinnett is ludicrous. They have a dictator strong superintendent and board members who have served 20 plus years. Parents have virtually no voice . Which is ok in a system that educates children well. DeKalb does not.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
5:15 pm
Concerned Biologist
said “continuing the current attorneys is much cheaper than hiring new ones” – Is that right? If you’re in the know then do tell how much cheaper?
If you’re guessing, DCSD has a legal department and employs two law firms. What’s wrong with any of those options? I’m guessing the internal legal department is much cheaper. Law firm rates vary from $100/hr to $900+/hr.
Dr Atkinson is entitled to a lawyer, but not the best lawyer money can buy. I’m guessing the internal department and the two law firms DCSD engages just weren’t “good enough” for Dr Atkinson.
Concerned Resident - Out With Them!
January 16th, 2013
5:19 pm
We are a joke. My home value is going in the toilet. These folks are a joke. Too much nepotism. No professional folks who know anything about schools and kids. Buying books from insiders and friends, contracts. Don’t get me started today. Off with their heads. Let’s make DeKalb proud again as it was in the late 70s and early 80s.
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
5:22 pm
Biologist
Meetings are streamed on TV and the Internet. The format of one day meetings is all over the county. The “engaged” board members I know hate that format. The board members that aren’t engaged LOVE the format. That’s my perception.
This minimizes the amount of time staff must chase information but also creates the expectation that information will be prepared, accurate and available at the monthly meetings.
Riiiiiiight … pull on my other leg and it plays Jingle Bells
Concerned Biologist
January 16th, 2013
5:33 pm
DIO, I would presume that the legal department and/or the firms on retainer do not have the expertise to handle this particular matter. It is common for companies with internal legal departments to go out and hire outside firms with expertise in particular matters.
“If you’re in the know then do tell how much cheaper?” Cheaper by the number of hours it would take a new attorney to familiarize his/herself with the case, which could be many billable hours. Hiring a new attorney would basically trash the work done and money spent on the old attorney as well.
You don’t hire an attorney solely based on low hourly fees – you also must have an expectation that said attorney will have a proven record of competence and success.
I am not saying there is no problem with the overall approach to the system’s handling of legal representation. There is way too much redundancy and certainly no need to have TWO firms on retainer. However, as I said before, IN THIS INSTANCE, the board made the right move.
Concerned Biologist
January 16th, 2013
5:35 pm
“To compare DeKalb to Gwinnett is ludicrous.” Why? What’s wrong with looking to what they are doing since they are obviously doing something right?
@concernedbiologist
January 16th, 2013
5:51 pm
@concernedbiologist,
It’s a shame you aren’t paying close enough attention. The board approved the hiring of two additional firms for a specific legal matter. It wasn’t just one. Did you not catch that? There were dissenting votes. One law firm continued and one joined the fray. That’s on top of the two firms already working for the district. How did they get into this pickle? Kudos to those who voted no. Please don’t try and confuse us with half the truth.
@concernedmom is right about any comparison between gwinnett and dekalb. Why would you aspire to be a dictatorship with mega-schools and no respect for the public or parents? What will happen to their diverse world when their super and most of the board retires? The problems in dekalb will soon become their problems. Our new board members should champion transparency more.
Concernedmom30329
January 16th, 2013
5:59 pm
Biologist,
DeKalb has neither the administration leadership nor the board leadership to function as Gwinnett does.
If I could get the Governor to do one thing, it would be to clone Wilbanks and let him run our schools for a year or two. However, our the majority of our Board of Ed would have a fit if we had such a strong leader. And our parents would as well. (I am actually not much of a Wilbanks fan, but it is what we need now. )
Concernedmom30329
January 16th, 2013
6:02 pm
Also, I suspect that settling the RIF lawsuit is actually the cheapest option. But DCSS has a history of not settling which leads to more and more $$$s spent on legal bills.
Nan
January 16th, 2013
6:19 pm
Dr. Trotter,
You are a doctor of? You earned your degrees at? You earn your living by?
We are a democratic republic not a simple democracy where the majority rules unchecked. Two examples are our US Senate representation and the Electoral College. But being a doctor you knew that. Changes in Constitutions and Laws passed by legislative branches are considered democratic as much as any populist activity. It would be ideal if the three (Constitution, Legislation and Populists) were on the ’same page’ but that seldom happens and never has it been more unbalancedly misrepresented than in today’s media.
When my sons graduated from DC schools their Guidance Counselors informed us we could expect them to be considered for acceptance at any and ALL US colleges and they were not the highest acheivers (though they performed well enough) in their HS. They were accepted by their respective choices at the #1 and #2 best colleges in their field (both outside the south). Unfortunately I do not think DC Guidance Counselors can give parents any such advice today. That is disappointing as the DC taxpayers are paying much more for much less today. Why?
Uninformed voters like illegal immigrants ARE NOT CONSIDERED a RACE so why accuse those who speak out against them as racists?
PSDad
January 16th, 2013
7:02 pm
The problems with DCSS go well beyond the personality issues that were the cause of the Miller County Boards dismissal. If you combine the findings of the SACS report with the findings of the KPMG audit there should be enough evidence of financial fraud and self dealing to justify immediate dissolution of the board and a criminal investigation.
Private Citizen
January 16th, 2013
7:10 pm
Kind of odd how there can be such a difference in management methods in school districts a few miles apart (10-20 miles?). How is it that things can be so inconsistent? Why this opportunity for management indulgence and such variety? -I don’t think the highway department or water provision / treatment works that way. Roadways are pretty consistent throughout the state. Water sanitation is pretty consistent across the state. Why is it you can live in point A or point B and have reasonable expectation re: roads and water, but not school district?
DeKalb Inside Out
January 16th, 2013
7:21 pm
Concerned Biologist
Sounds like you have little confidence in the internal department. I’m inclined to agree.
Cheaper by the number of hours – That doesn’t mean cheaper by total cost. If Southerland costs half as much, it wouldn’t take long to see cost savings. I’m happy to do the math for you on that. Perhaps you can find somebody that knows the actual rates and we’ll do that.
If you’re not counting, we have TWO firms on retainer and last week DCSD voted to continue the services of one firm and start the services of a new firm!! That makes 4 law firms.
Why do we have 4 law firms? – We didn’t need to hire that new firm last week. Southerland handles new cases every week … what’s wrong with them? I’m confident they have the expertise to handle it.
THIS is why DeKalb tax payers are furious! DCSD just hired a new outside firm last week. You said we just continued existing services, but we didn’t. Dr Atkinson’s lawyers are continuing services, but a new law firm was brought on to represent the board. Dude, that’s what I’m talking about. We are always being lied to.
RCB
January 16th, 2013
7:45 pm
@Returning DCSS Parent…I am just returning from work, hence the delay in my response to you. I was responding to an earlier post about those 3 Board members in particular. I did not mention race; you did. A few districts managed to become more informed and replaced their incumbents. Hopefully yours will, too. It’s not a guarantee, and this district is out of time. Six months? That’s almost a whole school year.
Concerned Biologist
January 16th, 2013
8:23 pm
DIO
“If Southerland costs half as much, it wouldn’t take long to see cost savings. I’m happy to do the math for you on that.”
No need to be snarky. If Sutherland does not have the expertise, they would cost twice as much. Sorry, that is the nature of hiring law firms.
If you recall, I said that in this instance, the board did the right thing. And I do not think they hired a new firm in that vote, just approved the continuation of existing relationships. If you have proof otherwise then I stand corrected.
We are in complete agreement (and I believe I have stated this in my previous posts) that we are paying way to many attorneys.
Dekalbite
January 16th, 2013
8:25 pm
Readers and commenters can contact the state school board members directly.
Copied and pasted from the DeKalb County School Watch blog:
Again, contact members of the State Board of Education (click here). If you would like to provide a statement for the State Board to consider, you can email it to either Justin Pauly at jpauly@gadoe.org or Brenda Turner at brturner@doe.k12.ga.us.
If you would like to email the entire state board, here are their addresses as a group for you to copy and paste:
lzechmann@gmail.com, eragsdale2@doe.k12.ga.us, hrice@doe.k12.ga.us, disrael@doe.k12.ga.us, kmason@doe.k12.ga.us, bahampton@doe.k12.ga.us, mroyal@doe.k12.ga.us, wbarrs@doe.k12.ga.us, lwinter@doe.k12.ga.us, bburdette@doe.k12.ga.us, glewis@doe.k12.ga.us, arice@doe.k12.ga.us, mmurray@doe.k12.ga.us, state.superintendent@doe.k12.ga.us
Dekalbite
January 16th, 2013
9:06 pm
Look at the low standards of the DeKalb Schools administration even at the highest levels. How can this not negatively impact the members of the classroom (teachers and students) when ethics violations are not only tolerated but also handsomely rewarded:
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/dekalb-school-official-i-am-not-a-plagiarist/nTycg/
bu2
January 16th, 2013
9:21 pm
Atkinson says its ok to plagiarize as long as you do it as a consultant and charge the school district, but don’t do it as an employee.
Its these sorts of things that worry me when the administration won’t produce its reports of purchases not large enough to require board approval. Buddies who are consultants.
@bu2
January 16th, 2013
9:54 pm
There is a DeKalb County Board of Education “Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy”. Is this a breach of Board policy? Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy applies to staff and students and everyone must sign that they understand Board policy with respect to use of the Internet.
“The Internet provided by the Board is an instructional research and educational business tool for students and staff and shall not be used for private, personal use. Students and staff are responsible for appropriate behavior while using the Internet. All users must sign the Internet Acceptable Use Policy.”
“All users should be careful to not violate copyright laws. ”
“Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
“Users will not plagiarize works that they find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were original to the user. Teachers, librarians, etc., will instruct students in appropriate research and citation practices.
Users will respect the rights of copyright owners. Because the extent of copyright protection of certain works found on the Internet is unclear, employees will make a standard practice of requesting permission from the holder of the work if their use of the material has the potential of being considered an infringement unless the article states it is public domain.”
http://www.dekalbk12.org/internet.html