Lunch and back to business: Should DeKalb board go or stay? Thurmond goes to bat for board.
Afternoon session of state Board of Education hearing on whether to oust the DeKalb County Board of Education. (See earlier blog on what happened in the first half of the day.)
Waiting again for Sarah Copelin-Wood who was on the stand when the hearing broke for lunch. I am listening to the hearing online and the microphones are picking up general chatter around the board table. Some board member is complaining about how long Copelin-Wood is keeping them waiting. “No respect. No courtesy.”
DOE attorney Jennifer Hackemeyer is back to the email and whether it went to school employees. “Your earlier testimony was that you did not send to a list of employees. I have given you this email and ask that you take a look at it to see if it refreshes your recollection. It appears it was sent to at least one DeKalb County employee. Is that true?”
Copelin-Wood: “Not me, I did not send it. I didn’t sent it to her. Maybe, she was on her personal email. I never would have sent this to our school system address. Period.”
“Your recollection is not refreshed?” asked Hackemeyer, who is now dropping the email challenge. Wilson protests that the email discussion should be struck since the email was not entered into evidence. Nor was there any verification that she sent it to anyone at a DeKalb school address.
State board is now asking Copelin-Wood questions: She is being asked how and when the contract reviews contracts for legal services. This is not her finest moment. She is inconsistent in her answers about contract approvals, sparking one board member to say: “You are telling me your approve contracts for legal services over $100,000 after the monies have been spent?”
(My take: Copelin-Wood did not help the board’s cause at all.)
Michael Thurmond is now testifying. He is giving his family history, including about why he decided to take the interim job. “Nothing could be more important than helping to lead this school district beyond the problems it faces,” he said.
Thurmond is being questioned by Wilson, so the tone is friendly and positive. Wilson is leading Thurmond into explaining what positive steps have been taken, including the pledge from the board to work with him. He asked each, “Are you committed to make the tough decisions that needed to be made?” “What is your level of commitment?”
Thurmond is making another — as I believe Dunwoody Mom called it — a “stump speech.” He is a good speaker and a confident one. He is selling himself and the district, and his belief that he can succeed with this board.
The second question he asked board members, he says: “How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve these goals?”
Wilson: Did every board member give for affirmative response to each of those two commitments?
“Yes,” said Thurmond.
Wilson: Do you believe yo can work with each and every member of this board?
Thurmond: “Yes, I think true leaders listen to those who may have opposing views, to learn from each and every person you meet and use that knowledge to lead in a positive way.”
As he told me the other day, Thurmond now has been meeting with “stakeholders.” And as he did for me, he is listing all the groups he has met with thus far; he again listed the chamber, the legislative delegation, a parents group. He again did not list teachers.
Now, Thurmond is addressing the missing textbooks cited in the SACS report. He said he was concerned about the missing books after what he read. “I read that somehow, through mismanagement, co-mission or omission, books were not purchased and no one could account for the missing $12 million.”
Wilson: Can you account for book and the $12 million?
“We can document where every book rests today, not just in which school, but in which classroom. And we can document every dime that was not spent.”
And Thurmond said it took only two days to track the books and money, so he was uncertain why SACS could not do it.
Also, Wilson asks Thurmond was SACS correct in its report that only 30 percent of schools had connectivity,
Thurmond says that was not true, that the system has 100 percent connectivity, although not all wireless.
Wilson is getting Thurmond to say as many ways possible that he can work with this board, each and every member. Thurmond repeated what he told me the other day: Board made courageous decision in hiring him.
I think that at some point Thurmond has to say that he can still succeed if this board goes. But Wilson is not letting that question come up asking him yet again “If this state board does not recommend removal, do you believe you can move district forward with thsi board?’
Thurmond goes to bat big time with this answer: “I just don’t believe it, I know it. I’ve staked a 30 year reputation personally on the fact that we can do it.”
Wilson: “Do you want them to give this board the opportunity to do it with you?”
Thurmond: “I see this as an opportunity for DeKalb to finally get it right.”
He talked about the racial divides that still haunt public education, citing his high school reunion where 40 years later, blacks and whites still went to separate sides. He suggests that racial divides split the board, and that they have to work to overcome them. He says the board has evolved but has a ways to go.
He says DeKalb parents have told him that they like their school board member. It’s the other ones who need to go.”What we can all do is evolve and grow,” he said, and see the district as a whole.
Thurmond’s rosy view of DeKalb and textbook-gate is now being punctured by Hackemeyer, who points out that the missing textbook money was not a fiction, but a concern of his predecessor Cheryl Atkinson. She asks whether he is aware some of the funds were shown to go to prior textbook purchases and legal fees. He says he is unaware of that.
Upon questioning, Thurmond says if the governor ousts the six members, he will have to deal with 15 board member since those six won’t be unelected. Those shadow board members — duly elected, ousted by the governor, fighting in court — would be impediments to his success.
“I can manage nine. I can’t manage 15,” he says. Thurmond warns that ousting the board will create more rancor and divides in DeKalb, which is already far from a peaceable kingdom right now. (He doesn’t say racial divides but that is clearly what he means.)
In questions, skeptical state board member Brian K. Burdette asked why, if Thurmond could track textbook money in a matter of two days, the board couldn’t do manage to do it in a matter of months? He also doubted that Thurmond could make the difference, that a single person could outweigh a dysfunctional board and years of entrenched inefficiencies.
“Even if you don’t believe I can succeed, give me the opportunity to fail,” said Thurmond, still in full campaign mode.
State board member Linda M. Zechmann questioned Thurmond’s opening story of getting a call from someone from DeKalb asking if he were interested in being superintendent. She said that there is a process for hiring a school chief and that didn’t seem to follow it.
Thurmond said DeKalb was in crisis, a house on fire, and they had to act outside convention. (I think we ought to pay attention to how Thurmond was hired; if it turns out to be a mistake, it may well be that this haste in hiring could be a factor.)
School board member Donna Edler is now speaking about deciding to run for school board in 2010 even though she was recently diagnosed with cancer and underwent a mastectomy that July. She took office six months later in the middle of radiation treatment. “That is part of the commitment I bring to this district,” she said. “Each of the board members here — I have learned a great deal from each of them.”
Edler is going through all that she learned from her fellow board members, including Copelin-Wood’s testimony today. Elder ends her speech by asking the state board to retain the DeKalb to give the community “a chance to heal.”
Hackemeyer is asking Edler about the two lawsuits filed by the DeKalb board to stop the state board hearing today and whether the board took those votes to sue in open session.
“No, we did not,” said Edler. Now, Hackemeyer is asking why the board is spending $150,000 to hire a law firm for governance training. Edler said she could not comment because that discussion occurred in executive session. (Not sure how discussing training — which is how Thurmond characterized the McKenna Long & Aldridge contract to me – required ducking behind closed doors.)
A board member is asking Edler how the board could defend going into closed session to discuss governance training. Edler says the law allows them to go into closed session for governance, but this was training. She does not make her case with her winding response.
“I get the feeling the board overuses lawyers,” said one state board member. Edler disagrees, saying the board hired McKenna Long & Aldridge for governance issues, not legal ones.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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92 comments Add your comment
Guest
February 21st, 2013
1:37 pm
where is this being broadcasted?
Chamblee Dad
February 21st, 2013
1:38 pm
Now Sarah Copelin-Wood is channeling Homer Simpson – “doh”
TAX PAYER AND PRIOR DEKALB PARENT
February 21st, 2013
1:41 pm
SHE IS LIKE THAT AT ALL MEETINGS AND IN PERSON ALWAYS DISRESPECTFUL AND SHE ONLY ACTS NICE TO EUGENE WALKER
Jayson
February 21st, 2013
1:43 pm
Bye Bye Copeland.
And good riddance.
Aquagirl
February 21st, 2013
1:54 pm
where is this being broadcasted?
Comedy Central would be the most appropriate channel.
BlondeHoney
February 21st, 2013
1:57 pm
Aquagirl…LOL
Chamblee Dad
February 21st, 2013
1:59 pm
Maureen is now channeling the Clash:
“Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know”
Problem is it should ne Sarah & company asking that question, and of course I know my answer
Mountain Man
February 21st, 2013
2:00 pm
“SHE IS LIKE THAT AT ALL MEETINGS AND IN PERSON ALWAYS DISRESPECTFUL”
In some neighborhoods, “dissing” someone is a killin’ offence.
living in an outdated ed system
February 21st, 2013
2:00 pm
http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/State-Board-of-Education/Pages/Live-Webcasts.aspx
AP Teacher
February 21st, 2013
2:04 pm
Thought I heard Thurmond talking on the feed (its crapping out on me) Sounds like he’s grandstanding.
bu2
February 21st, 2013
2:22 pm
“(My take: Copelin-Wood did not help the board’s cause at all.)”
That’s exactly why they had her first and they didn’t want to change the order. They want that to be the first impression of the SBOE. The board members are thinking now, “How can we possibly leave the running of a district with an $800 million budget in the hands of people like this?”
They all aren’t THAT bad.
dekalbite
February 21st, 2013
2:23 pm
Reading the Brookhaven Patch Live Blog – Thurmond says they can account for every textbook (where is his proof) and also says all classrooms have Internet connectivity (what about the trailers). Teachers have been complaining for years about the lack of technology. Vanderlyn ES parents put in a completely separate network that they pay for with PTA dollars to ensure connectivity for their students. It runs parallel to the DCSS network. It is up when our DCSS network (which BTW took almost all of our SPLOST II technology dollars – little left over for computers or software – just hundreds of millions for a network with no equipment to hang off of it – talk about the ultimate in poor planning and tens of millions for an IT group to “tend” the network that has so little access for students).
Thurmond should have brought proof with him or better yet submitted the proof to the SBOE beforehand.
dekalbite@bu2
February 21st, 2013
2:24 pm
” “How can we possibly leave the running of a district with an $800 million budget in the hands of people like this?””
Well, that’s a good question.
Concerned DeKalb Citizen
February 21st, 2013
2:24 pm
I tried the webcast link and it will work for 2 minutes and then freeze up. The small part that I did catch made me scratch my head in wonder as to why voters consistently elected Woods for over 10 years. Thurmond sounds and looks like a politician with canned answers. He promises a lot but I guess he must in order to keep the large salary DeKalb plans to pay him along the departing superintendent.
TAX PAYER AND PRIOR DEKALB PARENT
February 21st, 2013
2:28 pm
WALKER, GOT THURMOND TO COME ABOARD THEY THOUGHT IF THEY GOT HIM HE COULD POLL WITH THEM WITH THE STATE MEMBERS, THEN HE KNEW SINCE HE WAS ATTORNYE HE HAD THE ANSWER AND TO FILE SUIT AND HIRE THE OTHER ATTORNEY. WALKER AND COPLIN HARRASSED CHERYL (PAST SUPT) AT HOME DURING HER FATHERS ILLNESS AND PASSING AWAY, THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE DURING THIS HARD TIME FOR HER. THE OLD BOARD NEEDS TO BE OUT ALL OF THEM EVEN THE NEW ONES WICKED AND DISRESPECTFUL THEY ALL ARE. I WILL NOT NEVER VOTE FOR NOTE ONE OF THEM AGAIN.
bu2
February 21st, 2013
2:28 pm
She may be a very nice person with the best intentions for the students, but she is so unfit to be a school board member that she doesn’t understand she is unfit.
Shar
February 21st, 2013
2:28 pm
Thurmond has no business cheerleading for this Board. His priorities have to be 1. Students, 2. Teachers, 3. Taxpayers. The current Board has ridden roughshod over every one of these groups, concentrating on building their own fiefdoms and lining their own pockets regardless of the cost to anyone else.
Sarah Copelin-Woods may be the most egregious example of a racist, entitled, self-interested ignoramus, but she is not the only one. The entire Board needs to be removed and investigated for criminality.
Dupri
February 21st, 2013
2:30 pm
I am a proud graduate of DCSS when Robert Freeman was superintendent. I was proud of our school system at that time and decided to purchase a home and send my kids to school in DCSS. That was probably one of my biggest mistakes. I want this board out of here as soon as possible! This should not be difficult if we call come together and demand change. I admit, I am African American and believe that the African American board members are indeed racist and are trying to keep it all black. Well its not working. WhiIe believe that the board is racially motivated, I also feel we all as adults need to throw the race card out of the equation and focus of the future education of our kids. They are incompetent and are an embarrassment to our state. My job requires travel. I feel so ashamed when my peers who don’t live in my state remind me of all of the negative things that are coming out of our county. Let’s enforce a change!
chillywilly
February 21st, 2013
2:31 pm
It appears that Dr. Trotter is right about SACS & Mark Elgart. With all due respect, I wish that Ms. Woods would just resign from the school board.
Pardon My Blog
February 21st, 2013
2:31 pm
Why is Thurmond interjecting race? Is this the tone we want from our interim superintendent? Is he setting the stage to say that all this is due to the white parents on the northside not happy with the Board due to the color of their skin? That is exactly what Walker has been intimating!
TAX PAYER AND PRIOR DEKALB PARENT
February 21st, 2013
2:32 pm
I CANNOT BELIEVE NOT ANY PARENT TOLD THEM THAT THEY LIKE THEIR BOARD MEMBER. REALLY
Just Sayin.....
February 21st, 2013
2:32 pm
They should go… ALL of them. If they had listened to SACS and been truly contrite, there might have been a chance. But they all went into the “its not me, its him/her” mode, so I knew that the only path out of this mess is to clean out the board and start over. A month later, instead of taking SACS to heart and attempting to improve the situation and show the progress that they have made, they file a law suit at taxpayer’s expense to stop proceedings. Again, their actions tell me everything that I need to know. EVERY member of this board is full of hubris. EVERY member needs to be removed.
Ray
February 21st, 2013
2:35 pm
So sounds like Thurmond put to rest all of the breathless innuendo about the supposed $12M in missing textbooks. Nice investigative work on that SACS.
TAX PAYER AND PRIOR DEKALB PARENT
February 21st, 2013
2:36 pm
@Just Sayin….. YOU ARE SO CORRECT ALL NEED TO GO THE NEW ONES ALSO FOR THEM EVEN SITTING ALLOWING AND WATCHING THE OLD ONES BE OF NO GOOD. PARDON THE CAPS YOU ALL ON MY SPEAKING I AM AT WORK AND WE HAVE TO TYPE IN CAPS. SWITCHING SCREENS BACK AND FORTH. I HOLD A VALUEABLE STAKE IN THIS.
Aquagirl
February 21st, 2013
2:36 pm
She may be a very nice person with the best intentions for the students
And my cat might be a three-toed sloth with a very good penchant for disguise, but I’m not really banking on that either.
AP Teacher
February 21st, 2013
2:36 pm
Enough pontificating…time to light the torches and sharpen the guillotine
Jennifer
February 21st, 2013
2:37 pm
Did he talk about sending his child to private school because his school stunk and he ‘loved my child more than I loved the school?” how does he hope to fix this mess when he wouldn’t try to fix his own school?
Roach
February 21st, 2013
2:39 pm
If the board survives, Thurmond will own them. Can they really provide oversight when *they* will owe their jobs to *him*? If the board is incompetent and corrupt, then maybe disempowering them makes things better, but it’s usually bad when the chief exec has a board full of lap dogs. It becomes risky to leave them in place.
Mountain Man
February 21st, 2013
2:41 pm
Is Thurmond intimating that if the State BOE removes black BOE members and replaces them with white ones, there will be a race riot?
Pardon My Blog
February 21st, 2013
2:42 pm
@Roach – You are sooooo correct!
Roach
February 21st, 2013
2:43 pm
The “mine’s board member is OK, but the rest of them stink” is a familiar phenomenon. Lots of people are fond of their own Congressman but think Congress in general is a bunch of idiots. Clue: most people in all the other districts think that the member from your district is one of the idiots.
Ray
February 21st, 2013
2:45 pm
Sounds like this hearing and everything is all primarily directed at two board members: Copelin-Wood and Walker. Those are the two that they have specific allegations against.
Pardon My Blog
February 21st, 2013
2:47 pm
I am so sick of hearing people scream racism when their hand is caught in the cookie jar. Outrageous behavior is just that, plain and simple, regardless of who did it!
dekalbite
February 21st, 2013
2:53 pm
“As he told me the other day, Thurmond now has been meeting with “stakeholders.” And as he did for me, he is listing all the groups he has met with thus far; he again listed the chamber, the legislative delegation, a parents group. He again did not list teachers.”
I found that odd as well. It’s like he doesn’t understand the school system would not exist without teachers. Who does he think is responsible for the ONLY function the school system is established for?
Lisa
February 21st, 2013
2:55 pm
“Even if you don’t believe I can succeed, give me the opportunity to fail,” said Thurmond
We can’t afford giving him the opportunity to fail. Its not right. They must go to save the school system! Please do the right thing and remove the 6.
Grasshopper
February 21st, 2013
2:58 pm
Great job Maureen!
Mountain Man
February 21st, 2013
3:01 pm
“So sounds like Thurmond put to rest all of the breathless innuendo about the supposed $12M in missing textbooks. Nice investigative work on that SACS.”
Yeah, Superman Thurmond did all that in 2 days, wheras Supt. Atkinson and the Board could not find the answers anytime before he was hired. Of course, he has no proof, so , hey, just trust him, OK! We can now refer to him as Super Blackman!
Grasshopper
February 21st, 2013
3:01 pm
“Even if you don’t believe I can succeed, give me the opportunity to fail,” said Thurmond
Can you believe he said that?
In other words, “Let me play around with your kids future…maybe it will work! If I fail, well…that’s too bad. Let me worry about my reputation, not your kids education.”
Mountain Man
February 21st, 2013
3:04 pm
“Thurmond warns that ousting the board will create more rancor and divides in DeKalb, which is already far from a peaceable kingdom right now. (He doesn’t say racial divides but that is clearly what he means.)”
OMG! Lions and tigers and bears! Oh, my! Just leave us alone and I will singlehandedly solve all our problems in the next month.
sam
February 21st, 2013
3:08 pm
Well, it is DeKalb, and of course it is dominated by one race, otherwise we wouldn’t have the twit Hank Johnson as our representative. South DeKalb outvotes North, and so we entrust all of our children to incompetent, mostly poorly educated, self-indulgent racists. Anything this Board touches is destroyed. Get rid of all of them, and get Thurmond out too. What the heck does he know about education?
justbrowsing
February 21st, 2013
3:09 pm
Agreed there are issues with how Thurmond was hired. Where is fidelity to the protocols in place. Who just calls someone up and inquires if they want a job with so much accountability and they have no experience? Did the deputy super not want the job? Dekalb looks bad on so many fronts and levels.
Ray
February 21st, 2013
3:09 pm
Mountain Man: If President Obama removed a bunch of white school board members in your area and replaced them with black democrats, would you be fine with that? (I couldn’t resist.)
Roach
February 21st, 2013
3:10 pm
Wait a minute–the whole hearing is about a board not following established procedures. That, at its core, is what SACS is complaining about. Yet the solution is to hire a new super without following established procedures? Someone is not getting the message.
Woodrow
February 21st, 2013
3:18 pm
Bd Member Edler just disclosed the details of discussions during yesterday’s executive session to elect a new char. That should seal the decision for any of those state board members wavering on whether the current board must go. #governance
Ray
February 21st, 2013
3:20 pm
Good grief you people whining about them hiring Thurmond quickly. The State BOE gave the DCCS board only one month to make improvements and get back before them for this hearing — ONE month — that was the State BOE’s idea. Supt. Atkinson was not performing at top level and I believe had not been to work for weeks due to a death in the family, and so the DCCS board decided to act quickly. And they went out and found a credible, respected manager In Thurmond that most everyone has good things to say about. You can bet that if the DCCS board had left Atkinson in place we’d be hearing whining about that today.
Aquagirl
February 21st, 2013
3:21 pm
“Each of the board members here — I have learned a great deal from each of them.”
Saying you learned anything from Ms. Copelin-Wood should be immediate grounds for dismissal.
Oh wow, after a long rambling speech on her breast cancer treatment, the fantabulessness of every other board member by name, and her effusive thanks to the director, screenwriter, and lighting technicians who made this academy award possible, Ms. Edler actually mentioned the students of DeKalb County.
Maureen, I hope you’re getting paid well to sit in that room.
Eugene Walker Must Go
February 21st, 2013
3:24 pm
I was at Oak Grove Elementary yesterday. Let me sum up Michael Thurmond. He sends his kid(s) to private school, he has no stake in the school system. He said his top 3 priorities were SACS, SACS and SACS. He also said DCSS made a tremendous hire in hiring him and that loss of accreditation would cost the county $10 billion.
First, he is looking to pad his bank account and live large on his taxpayer funded expense account. Two, he is looking to charm SACS to make his pal Burrell look good. Three, he is trying to keep his pal Eugene from getting in trouble and being replaced. And finally, he wants to run for Saxby’s Senate seat.
He has no interest in improving the school. If he can keep SACS from dropping the hammer on DCSS, he can say he saved the day when he goes off to fry bigger fish. Don’t trust him.
Fire The Board
February 21st, 2013
3:24 pm
The north and south is finally united on one thing: getting rid of this incompetent board. Sarah In-A-Fog-Wood needs to be the first one shown the door. Wow, and I thought I had seen it all in Georgia politics…
living in an outdated ed system
February 21st, 2013
3:29 pm
@Maureen, why could Edler not comment because of a discussion that occurred in “executive session.” It would seem that there is testimony pertinent to this hearing that is being withheld. Can you educate us on the protocol of these hearings?
Great TV
February 21st, 2013
3:32 pm
Wow, what a show this has been seeing the DeKalb BOE on display in all it’s glory. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction. I can’t wait for “Foghorn Leghorn” Walker to get up to talk. I honestly hope they don’t have to wake him up when it is his time. Or, he could go and hide like Copelin-Wood did when it was her turn.
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
February 21st, 2013
3:33 pm
Edler learned how to pull the race card more often from SCW. That’s about it.
Who stands for the children?
February 21st, 2013
3:33 pm
O.K. State Board: Now is the time to act; you may not get another chance. Remove all of the Board members. Those fit for office (competent is the criteria) run again, and, if they are fit, can go back on the Board. The voters in Walker and Woods’ districts, however, should take notice of how incompetent and unsuited to office these two are. Next, research how a Superintendent is hired, going by the rules. If Thurmond was illegally hired, then, remove him and if he wishes to apply for the job according to rules and regulations someone else would have to go by, then let him. Use whatever powers you have, State Board, and right the wrongs that have been heaped upon our children and our teachers.
Concerned DeKalb Mom
February 21st, 2013
3:36 pm
They can go into executive session to discuss legal matters. Training is not a legal matter, but maybe they think they can discuss that in executive session because they’re hiring a legal firm to do the training?
Maureen Downey
February 21st, 2013
3:37 pm
@living. I think Edler was wrong: I can’t see how that discussion warranted a closed door meeting. Here is what the state law allows:
DeKalb Inside Out
February 21st, 2013
3:43 pm
Ray,
Atkinson and Thurmond were not our only choices for Superintendent. I’m aware of the train of people that went in and out of executive session. Thurmond is arguably the least qualified of those options.
Shar
February 21st, 2013
3:44 pm
What ever happened to the legislation that limited Boards of Education to 7 members? I seem to recall that, for some reason, it did not apply to APS but did to DCSS and that the sitting Board chose to ignore the legislative mandate to downsize. Is the Board’s removal an opportunity to remove two seats and thus shut the door on the return of at least two Board members?
George P. Burdell
February 21st, 2013
3:46 pm
Maureen:
Thank you for your coverage of the hearing and your insights as well. This Board seems to be doing themselves more harm than good every time they open their mouths. That alone should speak volumes to whether or not they should remain in charge of the system.
Ray
February 21st, 2013
3:48 pm
DIO: Thank you for your top secret info and conclusory statement. Who did Nancy Jester think was the most qualified candidate?
Married with (School) Children
February 21st, 2013
3:55 pm
“Thurmond said it took only two days to track the books and money”
So, where are they?
Mr. Thurmond, please how us the books that you have tracked down. Please show show us the money and how it was spent!
curious
February 21st, 2013
4:00 pm
What’s going on? Are they on a break?
Maureen Downey
February 21st, 2013
4:02 pm
@Curious, Yes. And I have to be in traffic for an hour. If anyone is watching on the web, please fill us as I will be en route to pick up one of my kids.
Maureen
curious
February 21st, 2013
4:05 pm
Dr. Kathleen Howe up next.
dekalbite
February 21st, 2013
4:07 pm
“Thurmond said DeKalb was in crisis, a house on fire, and they had to act outside convention. ”
So put the torch to the house if not the Board of Education members who run the school system. They set all policies, procedures and practices, approve every hiring decision and every tax dollar spent.
In essence he said that the BOE created a terrible mess and they just hired him 9 days ago to straighten it out. They want a “do over”. If they were not competent to provide for students’ education before, what makes him think they are now. He has as much as admitted that the school system is a mess. Why would he want to keep a Board of Education in power who created the mess? His job as superintendent is supposed to be about financial efficiency and increasing student achievement. He obviously does not understand his role.
living in an outdated ed system
February 21st, 2013
4:09 pm
@Maureen, thank you. It doesn’t look like Edler was correct which is again showing their incompetence.
DeKalb Home Owner
February 21st, 2013
4:13 pm
This board has had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing and repeatedly goes in the wrong direction. For years, it has been obvious their missions are politically motivated instead of driven by improving the education for DeKalb County’s students. Why should anyone in DeKalb County or anywhere else be up for giving them a “do over?”
DeKalb Inside Out
February 21st, 2013
4:14 pm
Ray,
I haven’t heard any opinions about the other candidates. I’ve been told by a number of people who went in there and I am quite familiar with a few of them. Thurmond was the least qualified as far as I can tell.
Tancred
February 21st, 2013
4:15 pm
The damage that the “leaders” in DeKalb are doing goes so far beyond the schools. Just think of all the folks that are creating their own towns to do away with DeKalb. Next it will be the new town of Lakeside, and then Oak Grove. Segregation by race and income, all because certain politicians thought it more important to have reparations for themselves and their friends rather than do what is best for all. Georgia is the worst of both the white and black worlds. I’d rather put illegal immigrants in positions of power.
dekalbite@Ray
February 21st, 2013
4:17 pm
“Good grief you people whining about them hiring Thurmond quickly. The State BOE gave the DCCS board only one month to make improvements and get back before them for this hearing — ONE month — that was the State BOE’s idea.”
That is what Maureen was pointing out and she made a very good point.
dekalbite
February 21st, 2013
4:19 pm
If you go to Brookhaven Patch, they have live blog coverage:
http://dunwoody.patch.com/articles/patch-s-live-coverage-of-the-dekalb-school-board-s-hearing
Eugene Walker Must Go
February 21st, 2013
4:21 pm
“Thurmond said DeKalb was in crisis, a house on fire, and they had to act outside convention. ”
DCSS is an alcoholic who doesn’t think he/she has a problem and has only one question, where is there a Happy Hour tonight?
tired
February 21st, 2013
4:25 pm
I am truly sad reading all this that these people are so concerned with themselves than the 99k children they are supposed to be serving in this county. I hope those who are deciding their fate will look at the entire picture and not their friends or by the color of their skin. If anyone of them had any decency or integrity they would resign immediately.
bu2
February 21st, 2013
4:33 pm
@aquagirl
I don’t know Ms. Copelin-Woods personally so I’m not going to cast any aspersions on her character or motivations. What I do know is that she is not competent to be a board member.
bu2
February 21st, 2013
4:46 pm
@Shar
It was our incompetent legislature at work again. The school board will be reduced to 7 in the 2014 elections. They figured out during redistricting that there were constitutional questions about reducing existing board members terms. They had thought they could just eliminate at large districts in 2012, but Walker threatened to sue.
Deja vue, they think all board members need to be replaced and this month they figure out that the law doesn’t apply to new board members. They need to replace the SBOE if they can’t figure out what they are doing any better than that. This is kind of an important step and they don’t have any more clue what they are doing than Ms. Copelin-Woods.
bu2
February 21st, 2013
4:48 pm
Ms. Edler sometimes seemed unprepared for board meetings. With cancer treatment, maybe there is some excuse for that.
catlady
February 21st, 2013
4:53 pm
Roach at 2:39 has hit upon something very important!
bootney farnsworth
February 21st, 2013
4:54 pm
seems Thrumond is fighting for his sugar daddies.
can’t blame him – he had and is the process of losing a plum gimmie job.
sorry- Mike needs to go, too.
bootney farnsworth
February 21st, 2013
4:57 pm
gotta give MIkey credit – when in doubt, imply racism.
oldie but goodie
Chamblee Dad
February 21st, 2013
4:57 pm
Every now & then when I see public figures like SCW, I am reminded of the SNL Reagan skit where he is senile & pathetic in public, but gets into a room with just his inner circle & goes into diabolical genius, in charge of everything master of the universe mode. But her, no way. I’d almost respect her a bit if that was the case, but you run out of adjectives trying to describe her in action. If this was a criminal matter (and yes in many ways it should be) I don’t think she’d be ruled competent for trial. Can someone please help her to elevator & make sure she gets home safe.
Outraged Mom
February 21st, 2013
5:00 pm
If the board is removed, how long do they get paid. When the new ones are appointed, how much will they get paid and by who?
Things are atrocious. They need to go. If the state does not recommend removal, I think we should have a massive 1 day pullout of all the kids and go the county office en masse.
When does Walker come up?
Chamblee Dad
February 21st, 2013
5:02 pm
Wait, I just figured it out – SCW has the books & the $$! Crazy like a fox indeed.
catlady
February 21st, 2013
5:04 pm
It seems clear to me that this board has wasted enough money, and enough lives, that it should NEVER get another day to “work”. It seems all too obvious that Thurmond was brought in because of his speaking ability. If anyone could convince the SBOE, it would be him. However, he needs to be fighting for the well-being of the students, teachers, and taxpayers. Can them all!
bootney farnsworth
February 21st, 2013
5:04 pm
when is Krusty the Clown testifying?
teacher in dekalb
February 21st, 2013
5:07 pm
The entire board except the newly elected members needs to be wiped out. They have let the entire school system down over the past two or three years. How many supers are we going to continue to pay for. None of us have had step raises in years, they take away our pay and they are not in the classroom like we are. We are in the trenches with these kids and it looks like we are the only ones who care what happens to the kids. Lets pole the teachers and staff and ask how they feel about how they and the school system are being treated. We dont want you Michael Thurmond, you again have no qualifications, just what we don’t need. Just another lawyer telling everyone what they want to hear.
Aquagirl
February 21st, 2013
5:07 pm
I don’t know Ms. Copelin-Woods personally so I’m not going to cast any aspersions on her character or motivations. What I do know is that she is not competent to be a board member.
If your school system is about to lose accreditation, that’s kind of a sign things are not going well.
Plenty of people have informed Ms. Copelin-Woods that her performance is not up to snuff. It’s not like she’s in a bubble with no feedback.
At a certain point when you ignore negative feedback and criticism and complain everyone just hates you, then you’re a jerk. You’re actively ignoring reality for your own self-indulgent view as a poor misunderstood martyr. That’s narcissism, not lack of awareness.
Ms. Copelin-Woods passed that point long ago, now she’s just a jerk who can’t even get her @$$ back from lunch on time.
teacher in dekalb
February 21st, 2013
5:10 pm
All of the stakeholders need to protest. Parents, kids, teachers, staff, bus drivers, cafe workers. This happens all of the time in other states!
Stn Mtn/Lithonia Mom
February 21st, 2013
5:21 pm
I am very disappointed to hear Michael Thurmond defend this Board. Since he is newly APPOINTED, he should be neutral to this point. He hasn’t has been on the job long enough to formulate anything other than a personal opinion. He lost some credibility with me.:-(
Old timer
February 21st, 2013
5:52 pm
A recall would be quicker and very legal…
Catlady
February 21st, 2013
6:39 pm
Old timer: recalls are infinitely more difficult than most think. On purpose, those in power have made it difficult to even get the matter up for a vote. You have to gather a certain significant number of verified voter signatures before there can even be a vote.
Twelve hours and counting on DeKalb school board hearing: School board members up next | Get Schooled
February 21st, 2013
7:24 pm
[...] The hearing is to determine whether the state board will recommend dissolution of the DeKalb board, save the three new members. (See first blog for how state is not looking to kick off those three newly elected members. The second blog features new school chief Michael Thurmond’s comments.) [...]
Bernie
February 21st, 2013
9:40 pm
State board member Linda M. Zechmann questioning of mr Thurmond was on point and should be given more follow up into what discussions into the decision making in his selection and most importantly the decision of the pay package agreed too.
The Hiring of Mr.Thurmond no matter how wide the support is politically, is way outside the norms of operation and consideration. There a specific guidelines in place in fulfilling this position and more than any other position with in the System. the Superintendents position should be upheld to HIGHEST STANDARDS. No matter if the School system’s Main office is in full FLAMES!
The Captain must always be a qualified Leader no matter what. If Mr.Thurmond fails how could the entire system stand? Everyone should be making a more in depth inquiry of this process for it surely stinks of something rotten to its very core. The acceptance of this process with a wink and a nod sets
up for future decisions to made with same cavalier attitude.
State board rejects DeKalb’s ‘death bed repentance.’ Votes to suspend six DeKalb veteran members | Get Schooled
February 21st, 2013
10:48 pm
[...] to read the blow-by-blow that I did on today’s hearing, go to these three blogs: Morning, Afternoon and Evening segments of the marathon [...]
mountain man
February 22nd, 2013
7:05 am
“Mountain Man: If President Obama removed a bunch of white school board members in your area and replaced them with black democrats, would you be fine with that? (I couldn’t resist.)”
If our white BOE members had made a mess like Dekalb out of our school system and Obama replaced them with black leaders that were effective – I would be GREAT with that.
But then again, I am not a racist. I don’t vote for people just because of their skin color.