Suspended DeKalb school board member Eugene Walker: ‘I will not quit or step aside.’

House Minority Leader: Gov. Deal was right to suspend DeKalb board members for sake of children. | Get Schooled

February 26th, 2013
3:33 pm

[...] In a pro/con today, House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta, explains why she stood behind Gov. Nathan Deal Monday as he suspended six members of the DeKalb Board of Education. Taking the opposite position is suspended DeKalb Board of Education member Eugene Walker Please read his piece as well. [...]

Beverly Fraud

February 26th, 2013
3:38 pm

In sum: Boss Hogg opposes being deposed by Darth Vader.

living in an outdated ed system

February 26th, 2013
3:42 pm

Walker is in denial. He is a joke. He states: “This process is a clear attempt to circumvent or get around the democratic process — citizens electing and holding accountable their elected officials. ”

Is he serious? If he read the statute, the removal is not a “permanent” measure. It is an interim step until the seat is up for re-election, and then the electoral process kicks in again. The guy is in way over his head, and is not qualified to be on a board. There was a past commenter who said that Walker was removed from another board. Can someone verify this and let us know which one?

Hamilton

February 26th, 2013
3:44 pm

@living, I think he had to resign from the DeKalb Development Authority – involved some kind of conflict of interest with Sembler Cos. Anybody have a better memory?

Beverly Fraud

February 26th, 2013
3:47 pm

Re: Walker is in denial. He is a joke.

True; but Mark Elgart and SACS and what they have wrought is no joke. And if we don’t recognize the absolute harm that are capable of on the macro level, because we are just that disgusted with Boss Hogg, then it is we who are in denial.

FM Fats

February 26th, 2013
3:54 pm

He’s got a problem matching singular subjects to singular predicates.

Hamilton

February 26th, 2013
3:54 pm

@ living – My memory is refreshed.. http://atlantaunfiltered.com/tag/eugene-walker/

bootney farnsworth

February 26th, 2013
4:02 pm

fight the power, Gene, fight the power. stick it to the man!
get Jesse, Al, Louis, and the usual cast of race baiters down here to help ya!

fight for your right to do God’s work by: rampant nepotism, cronyism, fiscal mismanagement, destroying the educational opportunities of poor black kids (and some white ones too if yer lucky), and to cozy up to the Fernbank crowd.

fight on brother, fight on! damn the man!

just one teeny, tiny thing. where was this level of outrage and determination when the county was going under.

bootney farnsworth

February 26th, 2013
4:04 pm

my favorite part is the line about passing a “responsible” budget.

Father of 5

February 26th, 2013
4:16 pm

Sickening arrogance. He hides behind the constitution to save his job, but his responsibility to “the voters” don’t matter at all when his total incompetence leads to loss of accredidation (reportedly the only county in the nation in such jeopardy). My oldest graduated from a top Dekalb County HS last May with a 3.6, but she could not pass a remedial reading class at Gwinnett Tech. That has to change. I also have a junior and a freshman at the same school, and their PSAT scores qualify for Nat’l Merit Scholarships. Will the diploma from a DCS mean anything when they graduate, or do I have to move to Gwinett before Dekalb implodes?

Those issues should concern you Mr. Walker — not whether or not you keep your job. Most “voters” who “supported” you don’t even know who you are. Come down off that horse and do the right thing. Get out of the way.

Chamblee Dad

February 26th, 2013
4:17 pm

Most dangerous guy in the room? The one who proclaims God is on his side.
The people to watch the closest? The ones who believe he’s right.

I dropped my fried twinkie

February 26th, 2013
4:21 pm

Make the State spend money on Trial.

Billy Ray

February 26th, 2013
4:22 pm

Just go away, Mr. Walker. Just go away.

GuestStarr

February 26th, 2013
4:28 pm

Unfortunately, Mr. Walker is correct in many of the things he has pointed out regarding SACS. However, it is more unfortunate that his leadership skills were not proactive enough to get ahead of many of these problems that have existed in this system for quite some time. I do think that SACS is very arbitrary and subjective when it come to applying their “rules” to systems. Dekalb makes Clayton look like a Sunday school and it took them this long to get action on it from SACS. Only for the sake of the children do I suggest Mr. Walker step aside. Argue the due process and representative democracy at a different place.

Mountain Man

February 26th, 2013
4:30 pm

“we have passed a responsible budget,”

When did that happen? When they knowingly used underestimated costs? When they ran an illegal deficit? When they then decided to pay for that illegal deficit over four years, essentially have four MORE years of illegal deficits?

skipper

February 26th, 2013
4:32 pm

That is the most full of sh*t thing I’ve heard…..incompetency gone to seed!

Mike Geigerman

February 26th, 2013
4:36 pm

Mr. Walker you have failed the kids and citizens you have been paid to serve. Time to find a lawyer.

DunMoody

February 26th, 2013
4:37 pm

If Mr. Walker truly cared about the students he’d resign, along with Cunningham and Copelin-Wood, and relieve this county of the onerous legal fees they are creating – on top of the millions already misspent. Their resignations would end the legal battle, set up the school system for some breathing room, and allow the democratic process to proceed in 2014.

But it really isn’t about the students, is it?

Concerned Parent

February 26th, 2013
4:38 pm

Since one issue seems to be democracy and the voting process here is an idea. The suspended 6 step down, hold a special election and let the people of Dekalb county speak. Let’s see what the people of Dekalb county have to say about who remains in their position and who goes.

Beverly Fraud

February 26th, 2013
4:47 pm

Pretty sure it was a typo; think it was supposed to read, “reprehensible budget.”

Melanie

February 26th, 2013
4:47 pm

DunMoody, why not ask all six to resign? That is the right thing to do.

northern neighbor

February 26th, 2013
4:48 pm

I agree with Dr. Walker that the process stinks, but the citizens of Atlanta have repeatedly demonstrated that they cannot elect capable school leaders. I suppose an alternative would be for the State of Georgia to withhold school funding. Let the elected Atlanta school board then figure out how fund their schools.
As much as I agree with Dr. Walker about the process, the only other alternative is let the schools fail/fall further. Unfortunately it is only a short term fix. Who is to say the same people won’t be reelected?

Concerned Parent

February 26th, 2013
4:51 pm

Since democracy is a key point that is being stressed, here is an idea…..suspended 6 step down, have a special election and let the people of Dekalb speak. If any are re-elected then so be it but if not then the people have spoken and let’s move forward.

RAMZAD

February 26th, 2013
4:52 pm

The people who elected Eugene Walker also agreed that SACS is the outfit that is going to supervise school systems. So, this is, in effect, another vote by the electorate of DeKalb County and school districts all over Georgia. SACS is not on trial. There is no dispute that the DeKalb County school system is on probation.

Are we to assume that the election of the school Board is valid but the selection of SACS is not? Or is one decision of the electorate convenient for Walker- the one to put him on the school Board- and the one to have SACS do its work inconvenient?

Walker is a DeKalb County travesty.

living in an outdated ed system

February 26th, 2013
4:53 pm

Wow. Thanks @Hamilton.

@Beverly, I suspect your POV is in the vast minority. There is nothing wrong with the state and removing board members and inserting placeholders until the next election. We can debate SACS another day. I confess some of their methods are suspect, but there is NO denying the governance violations incurred by this board. And again, SACS only placed one school system out of 1,000 on probation! There is no argument that supports Walker here, and there is no reason why DCSS should foot the legal bill for his refusal to comply with an executive order.

B.F. Pierce

February 26th, 2013
4:56 pm

He’s a doctor. Why doesn’t he just resign and go back to his practice?

Contractor

February 26th, 2013
4:57 pm

Just looking at the guy and hearing what he has to say you can easily tell he is a black man that is simply taking advantage of his position and his people by screwing them over in the end. No telling how much money he has embezzled and wasted on personal use outside of his high income. Everyone involved in this is a joke, and shouldn’t even be considered as relevant in the county ever again.

I hate to tell ole boy, but it doesn’t really matter if he “will not quit or step aside”, because luckily there are others that will make the decision for him. He simply knows he has done wrong, and now he does not want to give up the lavish job and income he once had for failing the citizens and children of his county. It’ll be nice if DeKalb and Clayton counties ever get their act together and those citizens learn to vote for representatives that will do a good job instead of only pandering to them during election time.

skipper

February 26th, 2013
4:57 pm

It is a direct indication of the level of incompetency of the voters. As long as the administraion is one of “us”, not another dad-gum thing matters!

Regina C.

February 26th, 2013
4:59 pm

All I know is my son is a 7th grader in a Dekalb school that had no paper for several weeks. I also know that the teachers have not had raises for several years and that the ‘current’ board is /was responsible for hiring superintendents that they are so quick to relieve of their duties. They pay these people HUGE sums of money to move to the area and THEN pay them to leave. I’m sure Micheal Thurmond’s salary is NICE. Where are the funds coming from for that? The deficit comes from years of misuse and any BOD that have been there for more than 2-3 years is a part of the problem.

Mom of 3

February 26th, 2013
5:16 pm

Mr. Walker- I respect that you want to hold onto your job. But you need to face reality that you did a poor job as a board of education member and leader. I could get past the not getting along with other board members. But you didn’t take care of the basics. (budget, teachers, books) Instead you chose to focus on the peripheral stuff that had no impact on most of the students in the county. The board accomplished more on Monday (1 Day) than they have in years. Can you truly look in the mirror and think that you are a good board member? I think you need to have that conversation with god.

Dekalb Parent

February 26th, 2013
5:16 pm

Eugene Walker: The State, the Governor, SACS, they are not the problem; you and the other selfish members of the Dekalb Board of Education are the problem. Educating the children should be the one and only focus. Frivolous lawsuits, nepotism, meddling in the schools are all by products of your bad leadership. You and all of the board are more concerned about keeping your seats and doing God’s will than you are about the success and welfare of the children of Dekalb county.

Pompano

February 26th, 2013
5:17 pm

Not sure why the state is bothering with all of this as it will only provide a temporary fix. As soon as the elections roll around again, the citizens of Dekalb will insert a group of individuals no more competant than the current crop.

cgregister

February 26th, 2013
5:23 pm

Dr. Walker is an arrogant fool. He thinks his word is “law” and that is one of the reasons Dekalb is in the mess(es) they are in. He would, once again, waste taxpayers money to fight what the citizens of Dekalb want. If he had to use his money to fight, would he?

DunMoody

February 26th, 2013
5:23 pm

Why not all 6? Absolutely. Then let the voters decide in 2014. Though I fear that the three long-timers who have been part of the problem for far too long may return.

Booger Fling

February 26th, 2013
5:28 pm

Walker- you suck. You will get out… or be thrown out. You choose!

sliderule

February 26th, 2013
5:31 pm

Can the state not make a candidate for a school board have some minimum qualifications? Perhaps a bachelors degree or make 100 on an IQ test.

I realize Dr. Walker has a PhD in history. It makes me concerned for the quality of Duke graduates.

Beverly Fraud

February 26th, 2013
5:32 pm

Re: @Beverly, I suspect your POV is in the vast minority.

I’m not surprised. There is a good deal of ignorance concerning just how insidious SACS is.

Sure there probably isn’t anyone they’ve gone after that isn’t Clown Central, but those they haven’t gone after have committed sins every bit as egregious as Boss Hogg.

Actively conspiring with Beverly Hall to delete emails and cover up evidence of widespread, systemic cheating and Markie Mark not only says nothing he tries to (according to this very paper, correct me if I’m wrong Maureen) maneuver you into becoming head of the school board? I would suggest a much stronger word than that to describe that action.

Re: but there is NO denying the governance violations incurred by this board.

Hence the moniker Boss Hogg…

Re: And again, SACS only placed one school system out of 1,000 on probation!

Given what else has gone on in Georgia (Macon for the latest) isn’t that just as damning an indictment of SACS as it is of Boss Hogg?

Re: There is nothing wrong with the state and removing board members and inserting placeholders until the next election.

Where does the slippery slope stop @living? When an effective, ethical board gets removed than for no other reason than SACS screams “poor governance” because they dare to get rid of a SACS approved superintendent? We might have found the answer to that question in APS if Hall hadn’t been at the end of her contract, and we might not have liked the answer anymore than we like Boss Hogg.

skipper

February 26th, 2013
5:33 pm

Look at Bibb County, Albany, Sumter, Dekalb, Chatham…..see any connection?????

sliderule

February 26th, 2013
5:36 pm

Hmmm, on second thought perhaps publishing the IQ of ALL candidates might be of benefit to the voters. Maybe I’m on to something.

Probably wouldn’t be of interest to DeKalb voters though.

Road Scholar

February 26th, 2013
5:37 pm

“…some of which I agree with, but all of them were developed unilaterally in a shrouded process.”

No, your and the boards actions were out there to be seen! What responsible budget? When? Isn’t the school system short millions again? Why are you using taxpayer monies to defend the boards’ actions. As individuals (you haven’t acted as a coherent Board yet) YOU screwed the system with YOUR politics! Pay for your own defense or resign.

JBoswell

February 26th, 2013
5:40 pm

This sort of special pleading is nauseating. Walker is and has been a big part of DeKalb’s problem, from his cronyism to his laxness in financial oversight. If he cared about kids and their education — which seems an afterthought in everything he says and does — he would step down. His concerned over constitutionality is only a smokescreen for an arrogant attitude. Please go away!! I dislike the governor, but his actions are correct and I hope they are affirmed.

Andy Steinhauser, Ed.D.

February 26th, 2013
5:40 pm

As inconvenient as it is to admit, Mr. Walker is 100% correct. The Constitution of Georgia has a remedy to deal with a rouge board of elected official(s). It is called a recall. No where does the Georgia constitution or U.S. Constitution recognize a private company or a Governor, as a legitimate tool by which the will of the people may be separated from their ballot box choice.

Instead of giving the Governor the ability to “fire” other duly elected official(s), Governor Deal should have taken the more difficult path of reforming the Recall Laws. However, Governor Deal (and his legislative friends) chose to take the easier path of pushing for legislation which blatantly flies in the face of our republic form of government,

The slippery slope of legitimizing this type of actions could potentially lead a “less stellar type of accreditation agency” to require local elected boards to purchase certain services or use their preferred vendors in the future to avoid possible sanctions.

Furthermore, the property rights of the constituents in the affected districts are also put at great risk with this knee jerk type of legislation. In other words, to allow a private company or even an elected governor to declare that a school system is incompetent has a direct negative impact on the value of homes and property in the district.

I say, train your eyes on any illegal acts or acts of gross negligence which would be cause to support a recall. Governor Deal, admit you may have over-reached your grasp and allow the will our government to work as our founding fathers had envisioned.

The simpler solution, being implemented, is fraught with problems; which eventually will end up on attack on all of us.

Dr. John Trotter

February 26th, 2013
5:47 pm

I just got in and read all of the comments but did not read one diatribe against Dr. Walker which cogently ripped apart his arguments. I think that his arguments are sound and solid. I have never met Dr. Walker, but I too think that the Governor has flaunted the U. S. Constitution and the Georgia Constitution. It is never right for appointed people to sit in judgment on elected people. It is certainly not right — in fact, it is unconscionable — to allow a private, operate-in-the-dark company which answers to no one to be allowed to have this kind of influence over our public schools. Let the voters decide on the fate of the school board members. If you don’t like whom the voters choose, like I said before…you can (1) get heavily involved in the political process, (2) home school or put your kids in private schools, or (3) move out of DeKalb. But, getting the Governor to circumvent the democratic process for you is simply not right. In fact, it is wrong.

How about laying off the ad hominem attacks and engaging in a dialectical discussion of the issues point by point? I am sure that Dr. Walker is quite adept at taking on any of you on that level. But, name calling is so immature and small-minded too.

Bernie

February 26th, 2013
5:57 pm

Jeremiah 1:17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.

Beverly Fraud

February 26th, 2013
6:04 pm

How about laying off the ad hominem attacks and engaging in a dialectical discussion of the issues point by point?

I guess some of us did both in regard to Boss Hogg. And Darth Vader. Ha! (Hate to steal a tagline, but it just fits here)

And talking about not being able to rebut an argument: No matter what one says about nepotism or other ethical shortcomings I have yet to hear anyone adequately explain why Markie Mark’s action of strong arming the APS board to name as board chair a woman who actively conspired to cover up cheating isn’t every bit as unethical as anything Boss Hogg has done.

And we want to trust this guy, who has demonstrated such ethical missteps, to tell us who Deal should and should not remove? What’s the term we are looking for? Ah yes; slippery slope.

hoopcoch

February 26th, 2013
6:08 pm

Does NO one mention the $$$$ the state sends to Dekalb when Mr.Walker speaks of “local control.” IF you do NOT want to be subject to State Laws, then accept NO STATE $$$$. Fund Dekalb schools solely though “local funds” and do NOT worry about CERTIFICATION. Imagine that (if you can)!!! Yes, the STATE has a vested interest because there is MORE STATE $$$$ in Dekalb than LOCAL $$$$.

Dr. John Trotter

February 26th, 2013
6:08 pm

Bev, you hit the nail on the head when discussing the disingenuousness of Markie Mark, especially relative to his reprehensible actions in Atlanta.

bu2

February 26th, 2013
6:10 pm

@Mom of 3
Nice post. But I don’t think he will listen to your listings of his failings. Nor will Mr. Cunningham. Maybe Ms. Copelin-Woods would.

Real Doctor

February 26th, 2013
6:11 pm

Sit down Mr. Walker, you’re fired. Don’t worry the idiots that elected you haven’t learned and will likely reelect you. Dunwoody needs its own school system.

Jeff Kellar

February 26th, 2013
6:16 pm

Mr. Walker mentions a need for more state funding in DeKalb for education. Let’s look at how he and other board members currently spend tax dollars.

In addition to an overly bloated central administration budget, below are Maintenance Costs per Student (benefits calculated at 20%) for several metro Atlanta county school systems. Mr. Walker and the DeKalb BOE spend MORE THAN TWICE the amount per student of Cobb and Gwinnett counties, and over 40% MORE than Fulton county (see below for details).

Governor Deal, Rep. Stacey Abrams and others from both political parties made the right choice!

DeKalb County Schools – $137 with 95,481 students
Fulton County Schools – $90 with 89,920 students
Rockdale County Schools – $89 with 15,582 students
Cobb County Schools – $63 with 106,619 students
Gwinnett County Schools –$60 with 159,814 students

Source: http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/dcss-spending/the-cost-of-maintenance

bu2

February 26th, 2013
6:16 pm

The legislature, Governor Deal and Dr. Walker all share in our problems.

The legislature wrote a sloppy law that they still aren’t sure what it means.

Dr. Walker contributed greatly to put us on probation, create financial issues and reduce student achievement.

Governor Deal has put us in limbo, so we are in worse shape than before. Anyone paying any attention would know that Dr. Walker would not go away quietly. So unless the Governor has a deal on another job at Georgia Public Broadcasting, we are in for a long, messy fight, while the main job gets ignored.

Doing what feels “right” when it creates a bigger mess is not the “right” thing to do.

Nan

February 26th, 2013
6:28 pm

DeKalb’s children and parents deserve the governor’s action. To watch them go without a accredited schools would be the equivalent of allowing a Sheriff to ignore an abused child just because he is an elected official. Some political crimes just can’t be ignored. I do think the legislature needs to consider passing requirements for BOE candidates just as they do for teachers. That seems to be one solution but would not have prohibited the likes of Walker who is supposedly educated.
BTW, Dr. Walker, what is wrong with home schooling. I believe it is an acceptable way to provide an education by law and should not be treated prejudicially. I wasn’t and haven’t home schooled but am a former college teacher who found to my amazement that many of our brightest and best students had been home schooled. If it weren’t for the social isolation of some home schooled students I might become a fan of it.

Fred ™

February 26th, 2013
6:30 pm

What is sad is not that Walker lacked the moral integrity to step down, we all know he’s scum, but that his constituents continue to re-elect him. Or is he one of the blithering idiots who wasn’t up for re-election this time?

Either way, shame on him. He places his own pride and bloated sense of self worth ahead of the children of our community. If I was a part of a group that had screwed the schools so badly, I wouldn’t only resign, I would open my veins. What a no good scummy piece of snail dung this poor excuse of a man is.

Fred ™

February 26th, 2013
6:34 pm

What saddens me the most about Walker is that until now he HAD such an impressive resume. Duke doesn’t just pass out PhD’s with the canapes.

Where did he go wrong? Where did his pride and pigheadedness get in the way of what one was a great mind, an iron will, and a good man? When did he decide that he was more important than our children?

Daniel

February 26th, 2013
6:41 pm

isnt he the pizza guy who lined his pockets after becoming a BOE member to the tune of an extra $20,000 ayear?

Fred ™

February 26th, 2013
6:44 pm

Daniel? Say WHAT? Do you even have a clue as to the subject? Do you know what day it is even?

RedandBlackPeachy

February 26th, 2013
6:48 pm

This might be more genuine if it came from someone who wasn’t a suspended school board member. On its face, it is correct. However, we have a higher duty to those who needed the greatest protection. In this case, it isn’t Eugene Walker or his cohorts. It is to the children who are the unintended, but very real victims of his and his cohorts incompetence. The worst the state could do would be to sit back and do nothing. And mark my words, if Deal had done nothing and the situation worsened, he would have been castigated as a racist for not exercising the power this statute provided. In any event, this was best for the children of the DCSS.

Dave

February 26th, 2013
6:48 pm

So it isn’t about the children.

mountain man

February 26th, 2013
6:52 pm

“Bev, you hit the nail on the head when discussing the disingenuousness of Markie Mark, especially relative to his reprehensible actions in Atlanta.”

Beverly Fraud and Dr. John – you sound like the guy who is caught for speeding who says – “you didn’t catch that guy right behind me and he was traveling just as fast”. Perhaps SACS did NOT do the right thing in APS, but that is not what we are arguing here – there seems to be PLENTY of dirt on the Dekalb BOE – starting with illegal deficit spending. Defend that, if you can.

mountain man

February 26th, 2013
6:59 pm

“True; but Mark Elgart and SACS and what they have wrought is no joke. And if we don’t recognize the absolute harm that are capable of on the macro level, because we are just that disgusted with Boss Hogg, then it is we who are in denial.”

So, Beverly, if SACS had not acted, how would Dekalb problems have been addressed? Not by its constituents, obviously. The answer they would not have been. Dekalb would have continued to sink.

bu2

February 26th, 2013
7:02 pm

@Daniel
No. Mr. Cunningham is the one with the pizza business.

concernedmom30329

February 26th, 2013
7:03 pm

bu2
The Fernbank and Druid Hills community can lead the recall effort for Dr. Walker. Why not start that process now?

concernedmom30329

February 26th, 2013
7:07 pm

And I will contribute time and money — knocking on doors, standing outside of grocery stores and on street corners. Anything I can do, but the effort must be led by someone within his voting district. that isn’t me.

mountain man

February 26th, 2013
7:09 pm

“I just got in and read all of the comments but did not read one diatribe against Dr. Walker which cogently ripped apart his arguments. I think that his arguments are sound and solid”

Dr. Trotter – Did you happen to read mine that brings up the problem of illegal deficit budgets – voted on after it was pointed out that costs were deliberately underestimated. Then, Dr. Walker states that they passed a responsible budget! It is neither responsible nor legal – it is still a deficit budget.

Gloria Y Fredericks

February 26th, 2013
7:09 pm

Members of the De Kalb school board ought to place first and foremost the future of the students of De Kalb County, their education, offering the students first class education, and the best possible preparation for higher education, rather than simply guaranteeing themselves a salary. No School Board member who lacks dedication to academic excellence but instead sits on the board for selfish personal reasons, can justify serving on the board. Seems that the DeKalb School Board is in need of new blood coming in with new ideas, dedicated to excellence and willing to make bold changes absent of politics and selfishness , determined to invest their time to benefit the DeKalb County students and the community. The record of these six School Board Members appears mediocre, if not abysmal and they ought to step down if their priority is the students education.

mountain man

February 26th, 2013
7:11 pm

“The Fernbank and Druid Hills community can lead the recall effort for Dr. Walker. Why not start that process now?”

Why would the Fernbank community want Walker out. They bought and paid for him, and he delivered millions back to their community at the cost of all the other systems. He is their paid dog, and he has been very obedient to them.

Mr. Georgia

February 26th, 2013
7:22 pm

Dr. Trotter, your reflection is absolutely correct and should be read aloud in the town square!! To call Mr. Walker out of his name is weak and shows that those who are doing this nonsense have no real argument to the truth he is speaking. It is unconstitutional, just as I have been expressing in this post for the last week or so and he should fight all the way to the Supreme Court on the Dekalb, State of GA taxpayers dime! The law allowing this BS should be repealed. If these individual board members are so bad, how were they elected? A diverse board will rarely see eye to eye on any matter. Those posters who are crying about their kids not being properly educated should take some responsibility and realize that the DCSB is not responsible for your children’s education YOU ARE!! Get the facts!!! If laws were broken or money stolen people would be indicted!! SACS should be investigated and held accountable for their attempts to bully this and other boards.

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
7:22 pm

Dude is trolling.

OriginalProf

February 26th, 2013
7:25 pm

I suppose that I will be pilloried for expressing this opinion–and when I’m not even a DeKalbite– but I have a strong hunch that Dr. Walker is not doing this simply for personal reasons. I think that he considers this whole matter as a Civil Rights issue in which the expressed will of several black communities to be represented by certain black school board members (who have been re-elected several times too) is being set aside by white politicians and white SACS officials.

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
7:25 pm

realize that the DCSB is not responsible for your children’s education

Mr. Georgia, I’ve worked with enough kids without parents, that I ask you to re-evaluate your philosophy.

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
7:36 pm

Dr, Walker has a .phd from Duke University, I’m kind of not getting the part about how he has not been effective in creating a foundation for other persons, young people, to have the foundation to attend such an absolutely top level and no doubt difficult university that is miles outside of what most Georgia students can attain, many of who go to college and fail out in the first year.

I’ve seen this before. I had a boss (principal) who was well spoken, well written, and had been schooled in another state, and yet wanted to take me to task for building these same skills with my students, that absolutely and directly are determinative in their ability to attend a top university. In this case, I think the principal was suffering outside interference from greater (local) masters, however this did not make it any less wrong and severely unethical.

old teach

February 26th, 2013
7:37 pm

great post, Dr. John!

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
7:38 pm

whom

whathedidn'tsay

February 26th, 2013
7:49 pm

The most telling thing about Mr. Walker’s “speech” is that not once did he mention the students. Tells me all I need to know.

Teach

February 26th, 2013
8:00 pm

I just want to know whose the tea partier on the BOE?

honkus

February 26th, 2013
8:01 pm

I just read a long diatribe that was all about “Doctor” Eugene Walker. Where is the talk about the children of the county system? This is the same person who refused to acknowledge he represent the ENTIRE county during the state meetings. Oh and by the way, these were meetings he couldn’t even stay awake for.

He’s a derelict and he needs to go. Enough of his exploiting the system for personal gain and getting incompetent relatives hired into jobs they aren’t qualified for. Eugene Walker, Jesse Cunningham and Sarah Copelin-Wood, please just go away.

Lee

February 26th, 2013
8:07 pm

Once you get past the fact that Walker is an incompetent, affirmative action Phd who helped drive the school system into the ditch, he makes a few good points.

Personally, I think a court will rule the law is unconstitutional and that barring severe ethics or criminal indictment, the governor didn’t have legal standing to remove the idiots from office.

Frustrated in DeKalb

February 26th, 2013
8:11 pm

Anyone else understand that Dr. Trotter has several alter egos on this blog?
Beverly Fraud, bootney farnsworth, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Dr. Trotter hates Elgart because in spite if all his flaws, he correctly pointed out that the greedy Trotter and his joke of an organization, MACE, were two of the major reasons Clayton list accreditation. As another blogger pointed out last week, Trotter and MACE have no power or influence in DeKalb. They are jokes that no one takes seriously. Employees and parents look at their paid picketers, shrug their showers, laugh, and walk away. Trotter is living in a delusional world in which he believes he has influence and power. He is a bully cut in the mold of Crawford Lweis and other Clueless Superintendents. But give him credit, he is laughing all the way to the bank while he pockets the money of MACE members in DeKalb who he leaves adrift with no effective representation. If he was really helping MACE members, he wouldn’t have so much Fred time to blog his self- serving posts!

mountain man

February 26th, 2013
8:16 pm

Teach, I hope your moniker does not mean you are a teacher.

who’s, not whose – it is a contraction of who is, not a possessive

And I was a TERRIBLE English student.

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
8:21 pm

Just by coincidence, as one who recently drove around east of Moreland Ave and noted the boarded up apartment complexes, I wonder if God is going to take kindly to Dr. Walker’s repeated use of God as a political prop.

Why is he talking about “east of Moreland Avenue?” That’s not even his district. He’s trying to equate himself with the tough area? Sounds like he’s the one who needs to be setting foot “east of Moreland Avenue.” I don”t get it. Let me re-read. I place my faith in God and the voters of DeKalb County, not elitists under the Gold Dome who never set foot east of Moreland Avenue.

Hey, I object. I thought it was a very calm area with a lot of wide open spaces as the density of the city lessens. I certainly did not feel threatened there, as with some areas just north of the airport where it is a little scary for real, as in getting your head caved in. What’s the problem with Moreland Avenue, and why it is an object of derision? On of the cooler things I’ve seen are (the not talked about) Sunday night car rallies and racing in the area. From looking at the District map /. schools, it is Dr. Walker who is the one representing some very nice and wealthy areas. Why is he pulling out “east of Moreland Avenue” like he has something unique or personal about that area, as if he has any more connection to it that the people in downtown? I really doubt Dr. Walker is driving over to “east of Moreland Avenue” to buy his lunch. I bet you a dollar Private Citizen has more recently “set foot east of Moreland Avenue” than has Dr. Walker.

Eric

February 26th, 2013
8:23 pm

“God Man” bitching about “shrouded process” .
Are you kidding me?
From the guy who who took his posse inside for private votes at every conceivable opportunity.
Eugine. YOU ARE A JOKE- PLEASE GO AWAY!!!

bootney farnsworth

February 26th, 2013
8:27 pm

ahhhh frustrated

I’m a lot of things, but I’m not John Trotter.

making these kind of wild asses assumptions, no wonder you’re frustrated.

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
8:37 pm

Never seen anything like it before in Georgia, really spontaneous, ricers with neon, the Impala bunch (black 20 something year-olds with a 90s Impala car club, with the car club name on their cars). It was just the coolest thing, as the sun went down, all of this car club mayhem, and it is very friendly, too. Check this out. Moreland Avenue is FUN! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SboCnubodFU

Andy Steinhauser, Ed.D

February 26th, 2013
8:38 pm

Prediction: Governor Deal will wish he had never gone down this path in about 6 months.

theoriginaltruth

February 26th, 2013
8:41 pm

Don’t you get it folks?

They DON’T WANT TO EDUCATE THE KIDS !!!!!!!!!

If the KIDS were educated they WOULD NOT VOTE FOR WALKER AND HIS CRONIES !!!!!

bootney farnsworth

February 26th, 2013
9:03 pm

@ Dr. John

it remains to be seen if Deal has a constitutional right to take this action or not. for the moment it is his legal right to do so.

regardless, there is ample precedent for requiring an elected official to stand down when under a cloud. there are enough serious legal concerns to make the suspension valid

bootney farnsworth

February 26th, 2013
9:04 pm

Gene the machine is a classic example of how an educated man can be as stupid as a dead hog in sunshine

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
9:22 pm

Can you say HOME-BOY? Moreland Avenue is where it’s at! -Nice out there – wide open spaces. Is that an Oldsmobile 442 convertible?! That car’s worth a fortune! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDDOuhGBhoo#t=4m09s

Jennifer

February 26th, 2013
9:25 pm

@ mr Georgia. The board has been running a deficit, which those of us who watched the hearing last week know is illegal in the state of Georgia. so yes, illegal activity has been undertaken. This should be grounds for removal. To the poster who asked if Walker was up for re-election this year. No, he was not. I believe that all the incumbents who were up for re-election were defeated.

Frustrated in DeKalb

February 26th, 2013
9:27 pm

@bootney
Birds of a feather flock together. Stop acting like Trifling Trotter and his buddy Clueless Crawford!

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
9:29 pm

$50 million in lawyer payout? It’s like you need to … it’s just very difficult to relate to. Just an opinion, but this guy is totally not square and has gotten so used to himself. He’s openly contemptuous of both state government and basic accreditation concepts. Tax payers should be loco over how their money has been spent.

Outside of the BP lawsuit, can anyone name an example of anyone or thing or entity that has spent this kind of money is attorney’s fees?

Todd

February 26th, 2013
9:32 pm

And the point by point analysis begins…..

By Dr. Eugene Walker

The governor is wrong in his decision to suspend members of the DeKalb County Board of Education. (no, the Governor is and was not wrong….he is operating under the color of law that is currently constitutional. You and the Board in general also have made decisions under the color of law)

The DeKalb School District has been placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a private accrediting institution with considerable sway in the education community. SACS has made a multitude of allegations, some of which I agree with, but all of them were developed unilaterally in a shrouded process. (first, much like many allegations, cries, and whines i have heard with this issue, we didn’t hear a peep about the shrouded process until it turned sour on the Board. If the process was so bad, why did you permit SACS to come and interview anyone? Second, the minute you got notice of the SBOE hearing, you and your compadres had subpoena power. You could have subpoenaed any one of the sacs people and had your attorney ask them questions….ANY of your attorneys. That is like one the students complaining that they didn’t know what was going to be on the test (but, Dr. Walker the test was shrouded) and the test was open book. Third, you heard Elgart say that the notes were around….why didn’t your attorney army get them? Last, which recommendations did you agree with? I can’t tell since any of them are wholly omitted from your piece.)

The leadership of SACS is not elected by the public, does not have to conform to open meetings and open records laws, and is not subject to constitutional due process as SACS sits in judgment of public institutions and elected officials. (again, all things you knew well before probation….perhaps if you had such an issue with it, you could spread even more money around to lawyers to challenge SACS itself. Moreover, SACS sits in judgment of no one. As I read the law, the ONLY think a change in accreditation triggers is a hearing (dare I say it) the exact constitutional due process you now complain is absent. And open meetings and open records compliance? Was I dreaming or wasnt the Board questioned as to WHY it went into executive session….one of many in the past three weeks….over hiring a law firm not for legal advice but for training. Didn’t several folks get their jobs back in Dekalb as a compromise in exchange for Dekalb NOT having to comply with Open Records for text messages?)

The DeKalb Board of Education, like all school boards, is a public institution. We have open meetings, open records, due process, and we are accountable to the people who elect us into office. If there is cause to remove a member, such as an indictment or if a member resigns or passes away in office, the voters return to the ballot box to name the successor. (so is the state board of Ed and the office of the governor. And holy cow, you are NOT accountable to the people who elect you….for goodness sake….you are accountable to the kids!!! Notice that you didn’t take a referendum on every issue you’ve voted on….you are required to act in the best interests of the children. And at least your position is clear…..you believe there is absolutely NO circumstance WHATSOEVER that justifies any removal of any elected official by someone OTHER than the voters. You do realize that such is a historically untenable position, right?)

It is the democratic process: the electorate chooses its representative leadership. My constituents elected me, my colleagues’ constituents elected them and Gov. Deal’s elected him. It’s the model our founding fathers took great pains to create. It’s the way it should be. (yes, it is the way it should be….following this logic, the people elected the legislators and the legislators passed this law. Then the governor elected by the people signed it into law. Thus, you should agree with the law…..except you don’t. You believe that there is NO circumstance that justifies any intervention by anyone not elected by your constituents. As you say above…..even an indictment wouldn’t do it. Guess you would disagree the governor power to remove on that basis as well. I wonder….if an elected official pled guilty to stealing from the public, that wouldn’t qualify either right?)

What we have here is the state of Georgia once again meddling in local affairs. Rather than funding local school systems properly, the General Assembly chose to write Senate Bill 84, a popular but undemocratic law to impose state will on local politics. The governor has been hamstrung by an onerous law that gives an inordinate amount of power to a private company, SACS, and an appointed state Board of Education. One member of this board was appointed only last week and home schooled her children to boot. (first, let me get this out of the way as it represents the absolute height of hypocrisy on the most morally bankrupt level you can stoop to….if it matters where/how someone in power educates their own kids, why did your hire Thurmond? He LIVES in DeKalb and yet sends his kids to private school. Would it be that you didn’t ACTUALLY care about that? Yes, I think you wouldn’t and shouldn’t as parents educate their children in the way they choose for a variety of sometimes unknown and always tremendously personal reasons. But for some reason, you seem to discount and demean the SBOE member’s opinion about your situation because of hers. Now, onto the rest….”local affairs? The kids just happen to live in DeKalb but the kids in Dekalb have just as much of a right to an education as the kids in Cobb, Gwinnett, Screven, or any other county in Georgia. Simply because the kids are located in your fiefdom does not make it a local affair….look where you will be on Friday…..that’s not in Dekalb, is it? If you had such a problem with SACS and the SBOE and the law, why didn’t this come up in March 2012 or October 2012?)

This law, which requires the state Board of Education to recommend the removal of all or none of the school board members, if it were constitutional to begin with, replaces the legitimate will of the voters with that of an appointed group. This process is a clear attempt to circumvent or get around the democratic process — citizens electing and holding accountable their elected officials. (this process that you describe happens all of the time, until the next election is held. And when you were appointed to offices in the past, you never seemed to have a problem with it.)

We have had problems on the DeKalb Board of Education. The DeKalb Board of Education is composed of Democrats, Republicans, black, white, men, women, liberal, conservatives and tea partiers. (who cares what party the Board members are? Your real constituents cannot even register for ANY party….because they are children.)

By virtue of the electoral process, all are represented and have a seat at the table. The wisdom of the voters created the diversity, which is good and healthy for a representative democracy. (I thought, by your account, the people’s vote is supreme and untouchable. What difference does it make if diversity results from the vote? If the people want homogeneity, that would be good too right? Because the people voted it that way, right?)

These problems of communication and respect for each other have been brought to our attention, and we are working on them. We have hired a new interim superintendent, we have passed a responsible budget, we have identified resolutions to many of the issues raised by the mighty SACS and I have resigned my chairmanship to effectuate the additional changes that are needed as we move forward. (first, the communication issues have LONG been a problem and your attention is just now focused on it, you’ve got bigger issues. Second, working on them? Not good enough. How long does that last? I would guess until just after the next election cycle. Third, you resigned your chairmanship to effectuate the additional changes? Why didn’t you do it sooner if it was the linchpin in moving forward? If SACS is so terrible, how is that their report and intervention made the lightbulb brighten over your head? If you fell on your sword, how is that two votes were taken to vote you again as chair……and then another week passed before Dr. Johnson garnered seven votes? If you fell on your sword, wouldn’t you have declined to allow the first vote to proceed with your nomination? You passed a responsible budget???? You want a cookie or a medal for that? You should get as much credit for that as for taking care of your own children…..it is what you are SUPPOSED to do. In fact, you are required by law to pass the budget…..will you next take issue with that law for interfering with local affairs of county budgets? And way to pass it on the last day possible, perhaps if you hired even ONE less lawyer, you all would have had the time to look at the budget sooner.)

It is against this backdrop that I take a stand to fight for and preserve the democratic process and remain hopeful that those who believe in and support the U.S. and state Constitution will join. I will not quit or step aside. Gov. Deal is wrong to thumb his nose at the U.S. and Georgia constitutions, and he knows he is wrong. (don’t forget to adjourn to executive session when all of the legal fees are added up….oh wait, they won’t be because a) some of the lawyers are on flat fee and b) you don’t really care about how much it costs and how much better the money could be spent educating kid, and c) I’m not sure anyone can actually count that high anyway)

I place my faith in God and the voters of DeKalb County, not elitists under the Gold Dome who never set foot east of Moreland Avenue. (they would have to pass through the fiefdom, is that it? I guess you declined your Pardon and Parole post since you never were behind bars, right? No? Or you were a prosecutor? No? Defense attorney? no? Wait, wait…cop? No? The reality is that your belief that no one is entitled to offer an opinion or meddle (as you say) in DeKalb when they haven’t lived, worked or played there is specious at best. But, I will say it offers the clearest evidence yet of what you actually believe.)

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
9:47 pm

One of the things I picked up on the Sunday evening car meet-up is that these are industrious folk who work M-F or M-Sat, and make regular imcome and live regular lives and then have “fun Sunday” as a form of recreation to blow off some steam and have some community. The sense of groundedness and worth ethic was evident. -Just as a little counterpoint to this school management finance mayhem. I like people who know to turn a wrench and clean the edges of their windows with Q-Tips (also known as “detailing”). These folk do their own work and do not pay other people to represent them. Like me, they spend their own money on their own wrenches. They pay their own bills with the money that they earn. There is not a one of them who has an “expenses” allotment or “car allowance” in addition to their pay.

Frustrated in DeKalb

February 26th, 2013
9:50 pm

@bootney
A rose, is a rosé is a rose.
A bully, is a bully, is a bully.
Gene Walker, Crawford Lewis, Kendra March, Ron Ramsey, Sara Copelin-Wood, Zepora Roberts, Mark Elgart, Burrell Ellis, Mike Jacobs, Alisha Morgan, Wendolyn Bouie, Nancy Jester
And by the way
A liar, is a liar, is a liar’
Message to all of the above from GOD:
If the shoe fits, WEAR IT!

Lynn

February 26th, 2013
9:55 pm

Where was all this oppostion when this happened in Clayton County? Is this not why the policy to remove the school board members who were to egotistic to step aside for the benefit of the children past in the first place.

Frustrated in DeKalb

February 26th, 2013
9:55 pm

And how did I leave out the Premiere Bully: John Trotter? Oh, now I remember, he is like the Emporer with No New Clothes: A JOKE of a sideshow! You are so much like Crawford Lewus it is beyond eerie!!!! You have deluded yourself to believe your own bs. How often do you and your BFF, CL meet for lunch every week?

interestedbystanderss

February 26th, 2013
10:07 pm

I hate Dekalb County

lbrad

February 26th, 2013
10:18 pm

Please!!! Mr. Walker just stop it….You don’t have too step aside just move…..

Scooby

February 26th, 2013
10:24 pm

Stand up Gene! These folks are trying to power grab again. I remember when the Feds had to come in and try to fix the racist system that just shifted north. Now with the help of the good ole boys at the Cap, they want to make up law as they go. Maybe it’s time to have the Feds come in to check Deal and his cronies.

Let the Feds come in and remove the folks that has this state in 48th place nationally. This ain’t the 60s folks we will not put up with the BS in 2013.

lbrad

February 26th, 2013
10:30 pm

And then he start selling them at the schools that he was over to the childrens everyday after school….I thought that everything that is made at a school the money goes back to the school? How can you have two board members over the same school but it states that they are in two different districts..

Private Citizen

February 26th, 2013
11:21 pm

His concept of cultural representation is weird and leaves a lot of people out. Democrats, Republicans, black, white, men, women, liberal, conservatives and tea partiers.

He leaves out Latin, Asian, Indian, African, Muslim. DeKalb County has all of these in abundance. He expresses cultural diversity and representation as black / white, and political. That’s a big deal, right there.

ashley longworth,Ph.D.

February 26th, 2013
11:45 pm

skipper is “on to something” The electorate in these education districts such as Dekalb and Clayton make poor choices because of their own mental abilities or lack thereof. Let them elect their own kind for, say, Dogcatcher, and that’s it. Appoint the school boards. No multi-million dollar “contracts” No more out-of-towners from who-knows-where; no more hyphenated names. Lose the administrators. The PTA could do a better job.

BossHoG

February 27th, 2013
12:05 am

Academicians in America are all too often like 5 wheeled bicycles. Not good at what they are, not capable of doing anything else. This thanks to a Federal and state takeover that robs local control and the powerfully inept teachers union, NEA.
These school board aw-ficials care nothing about what’s best for the students or the schools
They can’t get another job paying anything close to their present pay, if they can even get another job.Of course they won’t go quietly! Good job Gov, run these slobs out of DeKalb County too.

RAMZAD

February 27th, 2013
12:47 am

Only in DeKalb County could an incompetent, inept, apologetic, and racist lightweight like Eugene Walker be scrounged up, trumped up, flushed up, hurried up and talked up to be perceived as the second coming of Jesus Christ, while 99,000 children lay in dire terror about the pending meaning of their school certificates. Eugene should be ashamed enough to leave DeKalb County for good.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
1:04 am

Leviticus 19 “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. But in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”

Good advice. I pray the Board members will receive righteous judgement.

JANET

February 27th, 2013
5:42 am

This is the problem—-selfishness on the members of the board—-it is not about them,it is about the children.

John

February 27th, 2013
6:35 am

Will this bozo please step down and shut up. He is a joke and how he was elected to start with is beyond belief. Has anyone actually understood one word that comes out of his blubbering mouth. He is a joke and needs to away ASAP.

Wandering Tao

February 27th, 2013
6:39 am

Walker’s argument for retaining his position covers a wide range of topics, including SACS, Founding Fathers, God, democratic process, elitism, politics, and representative government, but includes not a single word about the 100,000 children in the DCSS. For Walker, its all about him.

markoo

February 27th, 2013
6:43 am

Walker does a nice job of attacking those who are accusing him of acting improperly instead of actually defending himself. That right there tells me all I need to know.

Pardon My Blog

February 27th, 2013
6:43 am

@Hamilton – thank you for finding those clips on Walker’s previous misdeeds. His only interest is in keeping all the income streaming in. He like several others are profiting big from being on the Board.

Rep. Abrams did the right thing and stood up for the students and taxpayers and against the black power base. Walker and Crew and had many opportunities to do the right thing but didn’t because he felt he was above the law. The Governor had to step in before the system was irretrievably lost.

catlady

February 27th, 2013
6:43 am

Funny that he cites open meetings, when his group, under his leadership, has failed to do so.

He will go down swinging, taking as much lawyer money as possible with him. On principle.

However, I would like to see this law NOT dependent on SACS accreditation, a bogus “accolade.”

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
6:57 am

@ frustrated,

did you have a point somewhere? anywhere?

markoo

February 27th, 2013
7:00 am

To quote Dr. Eugene
“…not elitists under the Gold Dome who never set foot east of Moreland Avenue.”
Those “elitists” you criticize were elected by the same democratic process you praise so much. So tell me Dr: How is the process good when it elects you and bad when it elects them?

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
7:02 am

I understand Gene the machine feels wronged. and I understand the desire to vindicate oneself.
however, its not like Gene is facing charges -he should be, but that’s for elsewhere- or he his losing his benefits and primary income.

if he wants to fight this, fine. his right to do so.

but the honorable thing to do, and the more politically effective thing to do, is to step aside during the process

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
7:03 am

@ catlady

there does seem to be a Hitleresque quality to this. if I can run DeKalb, I’ll burn it to the ground.

Littleman1

February 27th, 2013
7:21 am

One thing I noticed about the current boards bio’s Is only one has any true business experience. Most Bio’s indicate community organizer, parent or volunteer.

tim

February 27th, 2013
7:22 am

The man just doesn’t “get it”.

He should say he’s embarrassed and he failed the children of dekalb.

When is he going to use that race card……like some are already doing.

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
7:34 am

Levitas said his proposal came as a response to a situation this year in which Walker, as chairman of the DeKalb Development Authority, was prepared to vote on tax incentives requested by an Atlanta developer. The plan would have exempted Sembler Co. from paying 20 years of property taxes on portions of its planned Town/Brookhaven mixed-use development.

Sembler interests donated more than $20,000 to Walker’s 2008 campaign for the school board post. Walker delayed disclosing virtually all of the money on campaign finance reports until he had won a Dec. 2 election runoff.

Walker resigned from the authority after growing criticism of the contributions and of his dual role sitting on both the school board and the authority’s board.

http://atlantaunfiltered.com/2009/12/08/dekalb-school-board-tables-discission-of-ethics-code/

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
7:38 am

that quote / article begins:

Dec. 8, 2009 — A combative Eugene Walker on Monday talked the DeKalb County school board into holding off on discussing a proposed ethics code for board members.

Walker, a former state senator, took a shot at state Rep. Kevin Levitas in doing so. Levitas last month proposed a state law giving the DeKalb board “a clear set of principles” to follow.

“It baffles me to no end,” Walker said, “that because a legislator really of no standing is saying he wants to pass an ethics bill against the DeKalb school board, this board is going to get upset and act on it.”

At Walker’s request, the board tabled consideration of a six-page code of ethics before school board attorney Judy O’Brien even had a chance to make her presentation on it.

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
7:38 am

Gene, point by point:

-the governor may be politically wrong, but as of today he has the right to do this. as former chair, Gene should understand with power comes the right to use it.

-SACS: no kidding SACS is an out of control entity. where were these protests before? while they are an unelected entity, its one he chosen to work with until the BOE excesses got so bad even a good old boy club couldn’t ignore it. and SACS is not obliged to do ‘due process” as you see it.

side note-the SACS chair Belle Wheelan ….black female.

-due process? open records? the DeKalb BOE? in what universe?

-the democratic process? try again. yes, the board was elected. so were the state legislators, and (sadly) governor Deal. and working within that process, they established rules and reg to govern the state, especially when it comes to usage of state money. this IS the democratic process. BTW: Gene, did you vote for Obama?

-someone home schooling is totally unrelated to Gene’s misdeeds, or the right/ability to do a job.
but it is a shameless strawman intended to stir the educational community to his side.

-when DCSS is wasting and abusing state money, the door is open for the state to ask and act.
it is not a violation of citizens rights – it is an enforcement of them. if DCSS got by on only local taxes, donations, and federal money then Gene might have a point. but not now.

-you have had problems with the BOE, then list the traditional political buzzwords, while throwing in Tea Party for strawman effect again. yet you fail to mention exactly what these problems are. the problem IS the out of control board and its messanic former Chair.

- you JUST NOW discovered issues in the board? JUST NOW?

-your interim super was hand picked by you. and lead off by talking about how much he needs you.
and you resigned under pressure, not out of any moral imperative. your selection of Mr Thurmond is a direct violation of the democratic process you claim so vital and infallible

-please stop wrapping yourself in the flag and shoveling horsecrap at the same time. Gene is not standing up for truth, justice, and the American way. Gene is standing up for Gene. fine. just don’t try to convince anyone otherwise.

-as covered before, until shown otherwise, Gov Deal IS acting within his legal and constitutional rights. if Gene is so concerned about constitutional and representative purity- he should request Mike Thurmond to resign

-nice race baiting “east or Moreland” there Gene.

-quit referencing God. please. God is not invested in your holding on to power. perhaps He should be, and it would not be in your favor, but He has much bigger issues to fry than a corrupt county level despot.

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
7:39 am

quick notes:
sorry about spelling and swapping of 1st / 3rd person pronouns.

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
7:41 am

@ tim

I’d say Gene “gets it” very well.
which is why he’s fighting so hard. he’s trying to forestall an investigation which would likely trigger a long overdue RICO investigation.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
7:47 am

“The governor is wrong in his decision to suspend members of the DeKalb County Board of Education.

The DeKalb School District has been placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a private accrediting institution with considerable sway in the education community. SACS has made a multitude of allegations, some of which I agree with, but all of them were developed unilaterally in a shrouded process.

The leadership of SACS is not elected by the public, does not have to conform to open meetings and open records laws, and is not subject to constitutional due process as SACS sits in judgment of public institutions and elected officials.

The DeKalb Board of Education, like all school boards, is a public institution. We have open meetings, open records, due process, and we are accountable to the people who elect us into office. If there is cause to remove a member, such as an indictment or if a member resigns or passes away in office, the voters return to the ballot box to name the successor.

It is the democratic process: the electorate chooses its representative leadership. My constituents elected me, my colleagues’ constituents elected them and Gov. Deal’s elected him. It’s the model our founding fathers took great pains to create. It’s the way it should be.

What we have here is the state of Georgia once again meddling in local affairs. Rather than funding local school systems properly, the General Assembly chose to write Senate Bill 84, a popular but undemocratic law to impose state will on local politics. The governor has been hamstrung by an onerous law that gives an inordinate amount of power to a private company, SACS, and an appointed state Board of Education.”

In PRINCIPLE, I agree with the above. Again, IT IS THE CITIZENS’ job to hold these elected officials accountable, ESPECIALLY FOR ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. Again, if these Board members BROKE THE LAW REGARDING AN UNBALANCED BUDGET, WHY HAVE THEY NOT BEEN PROSECUTED?
Removing them unconstitutionally without a criminal indictment UNDERMINES THE CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS FOR POSTERITY! How LAZY AND SELFISH of you, Dekalbites! Is it illegal to hire relatives? If so, THEN PROSECUTE THEM! THIS GOES ON ALL OVER THE COUNTRY! ALL RACES! If you would like that to be against the law, then get a law passed! Remember, God will judge you RIGHTEOUSLY. Be very afraid

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
7:54 am

Walker’s not even from DeKalb. he might have “the Look” but he moved to DeKalb.

And the Bushes aren’t from Texas, either. They’re from Connecticut and New Hampshire. But they moved to Texas and put a big hat on and the Texas people fell for it – hard. The quality of living in the state rocketed downhill, too. I knew a teacher out there, real square right wing type, and when GW was governor, she said she hated his guts, he was so incompetent.
___________________

Waker is a con man. He has a technique. He insults any politician who tries to regulate him and then he plays stubborn and righteous and calls upon God. He refuses to even address the things that are not square, so this does not confuse the simple people. It is a method he does and he is consistent: he ignores the issue that he is a part of (like a sociopath) – which is one reason he is an incompetent manager, he refuses to address anything and gets offended about his duties, then he insults the politicians trying to correct him or protect the county, and then he calls upon God and mixes it up with some church / civil rights vibe.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
8:06 am

If the PUBLIC schools are failing your children, Dekalb, it is your DUTY as a parent to use your ALTERNATIVES, private or home school. Can’t “afford” it? WELL WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? You made FREE WILL financial and marriage/divorce/baby daddy choices. Don’t put your PERSONAL FAILURES onto other citizens, AND UNDERMINE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS! Your choices just may have CONSEQUENCES. Now you run to “Uncle Deal” TO FIX IT.
SHAMEFUL!

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
8:12 am

“HILLARY CLINTON’s not even from New York. She might have “the Look” but she moved to New York.”

Judging RIGHTEOUSLY…..

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
8:14 am

“Waker is a con man. He has a technique. He insults any politician who tries to regulate him and then he plays stubborn and righteous and calls upon God.”

He has been RICHLY REWARDED for his behavior. If what he does is ILLEGAL, why haven’t you PROSECUTED HIM??????

Judging RIGHTEOUSLY…….

glenp

February 27th, 2013
8:22 am

FM Fats

February 26th, 2013
3:54 pm
He’s got a problem matching singular subjects to singular predicates.
————————-
HE HAVE??

Alton McLendon

February 27th, 2013
8:23 am

If Mr Walker’s position is that the law used by Gov. Deal to suspend the board members is constitutional, my question to him is “when did you come to this realization?” Was it when the law was applied to you? I would assume that as a responsible board member, when the law was passed, you would have been concerned about the constitutionaly of it at that time and would have moved to address the matter then. Instead, your crying foul when the law is used against you just demonstates your selfishness and feeds your delusions of grandeur. Drop the challenge and go live your life. You have given plenty of years to public service. Let youth and new blood have an opportunity to serve.

Bobby

February 27th, 2013
8:27 am

Eugene Walker as well as most of the other older black members of the Dekalb school board have no interest in the education of black students. They only worry about themselves. And that is the disgrace of Eugene Walker. His doctorate degree is a joke as is he himself.

Bobby

February 27th, 2013
8:30 am

Bring on the City of Lakeside and Lakeside public schools so children in our district can have the education they should be entitled to as we were in our youth.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
8:37 am

“so children in our district can have the education they should be entitled to as we were in our youth.”
@BOBBY

So when can I expect your check for $10,000? My home school is ENTITLED to this money so we can have TOP NOTCH resources.
DFACS will be paying your home a visit if you don’t comply.

Judging RIGHTEOUSLY….

Don

February 27th, 2013
8:41 am

Mr. Walker and the other DeKalb School Board members have shown they care about one thing, and one thing only – keep their jobs anyway they can. They rarely mention any actions they have taken to ensure a good learning environment for the kids under their watch. They have shown they do not know how to run the school system and have no idea of what is happening under their watch (i.e., the lost millions that was suppose to go towards new school books). They need to be removed and replaced with some competent people. The real scary thing is that the just-removed members of the School Board were elected, so it is really the fault of the electorate that those members were on the Board. Hopefully, in the future, the electorate will do their due-diligence and elect competent people for the Board.

Doris M

February 27th, 2013
8:48 am

The Dekalb Board members do need to go, but the procedure in getting them out is the problem. Does the governor have power over the voters of DeKalb County? SACS is a private concern answerable to whom? I guess these kinds of questions will be answered in court. Now just who pays for the lawsuit? You guessed it — The Taxpayers!!

FDNH

February 27th, 2013
8:49 am

Gene…go AWAY. Just go away. Sit your [butt] down.

Travesty

February 27th, 2013
9:05 am

The idea that the ONLY way to remove a public official from office is just plain wrong. Impeachment is a mechanism outside of the voting process that can be used to remove public officials from office. Some impeachment measures call for a public vote, but many do not. Maybe SACS has too much power, but that’s a wholly separate issue than whether he has a right to retain his chair. Now he chooses to waste taxpayer money to fight this ridiculous claim? Screw that clown.

George

February 27th, 2013
9:12 am

Dr. Walker please go home ,you have had your chance and you have failed

Light

February 27th, 2013
9:15 am

I agree that the Governor having to step in do and take action reeks of unconstitutionality. But at least it has everyone’s attention now that there is a problem in DeKalb. The true test to me is what will the taxpaying citizens of DeKalb do to protect their children’s educational rights, because I fault the apathy of the voters for not being engaged enough to vote people who are right for the job, not because you like them because they are popular or their name is familiar with them. We should demand more of all of elected officials in DeKalb and hold them accountable and quit letting them snowball us with their feel-good antics. Many are ego-driven and just care about being in a position of leadership and power, now the children or the county.

Light

February 27th, 2013
9:19 am

CORRECTED POST: I agree that the Governor having to step in and take action reeks of unconstitutionality. But at least NOW it has everyone’s attention that there is a problem in DeKalb. The true test to me is what will the taxpaying citizens of DeKalb do to protect their children’s educational rights, because I fault the apathy of the voters for not being engaged enough to ELECT people who are QUALIFIED AND COMPETENT for the job, not because you like them because they are popular or their name is familiar. We should demand more of all of OUR elected officials in DeKalb and hold them accountable. We should stop letting them snowball us with their feel-good antics. Many are ego-driven and just care about being in a position of leadership and power, NOT the children or the QUALITY OF LIFE in the county.

George

February 27th, 2013
9:19 am

Bobby Lakeside has drugs,violence and every other issue that Dekalb has.Girls having sex at school all Races are disrespectful to teachers and staff good luck Bobby it is every dam where and Lakes side is no exception PLEASE

Ned

February 27th, 2013
9:32 am

Dr. Walker states: “We have open meetings, open records, due process, and we are accountable to the people who elect us into office.”

I think one of the issues–and I happen to doubt the wisdom and constitutionality of the ‘removal process BTW–is that closed meetings (Exec session) are used excessively and inappropriately, that accounting records are anything but open, and that therefore it is quite difficult to hold board members, not to mention the army of appointees at DCSS headquarters, accouitable to the public.

Pardon My Blog

February 27th, 2013
9:33 am

@George – Lakeside has the same issues that St. Pius has, Marist has, GAC has, should I go on? I remember when St. Pius was the school that the kids that got kicked out of Lakeside went. It just gets swept under the rug at the Private Schools.

I would like to see the teachers command respect, I have too often seen them laughing at some of these “bad actors” instead of disciplining them. Same goes for the secretaries in the office.

bu2

February 27th, 2013
9:45 am

So the leader denigrates the other side for ignoring the poor people and children in his district. Yet he’s grandstanding and badmouthing the other side instead of paying attention to the task at hand and doing what he is supposed to do. The Republican side wants school choice and wants an Alamo with lots of casualties including their own rather than compromise an inch. There hasn’t been a legal budget in years. Voters on each side accuse the other of being racist or stupid or electing idiots while theirs are good.

Well if you think that calls for removal, you’ve got to kick out President Obama and all of Congress. But the Constitution is a bit of an impediment.

These problems aren’t unique to Dekalb. Across the country there’s been a lack of rational discourse and a group of egotistical leaders more interested in getting elected or “winning” than doing their job.

Artagus

February 27th, 2013
9:46 am

Did I miss it, or did he in no way say anything about what’s best for the school children??

Who stands for the children?

February 27th, 2013
9:49 am

Mr. Walker: You do make some good points; however, you should have thought of them and acted on them years ago. On your issue of due process. Was due process used when a job came open; were all applicants considered; can you this day give the voters a complete list of family/friends who are on the county payroll. Sir, when you speak of the founding fathers, yes, they were passionate about the people’s rights to elect their representatives; however, they also recognized that there was a counter point to that. Should that representative be found to have committed a wrong while in office, there was a higher authority (sorry, Gene, the founding fathers left God out of it); to remove that person. Case in point: President Richard Nixon who occupied the highest office in the land. He woke up to the reality that he was not above the law. There was a higher authority ready to remove him had he not mercifully spared the country by resigning. It’s often referred to from the highest office to county offices as checks and balances. In short, the Gov. simply had to do what he did. The voters didn’t particularly care for it, but understood nonetheless. Now, you state that the School Board did have its problems. You go on to state the Board is made up of diverse backgrounds. So, we know that. You left it at that. Expound on the problems if you will, and expound on how those problems grew to the proportion they did. In short, Mr. Walker, too little too late. Please step aside as gracefully as you can and let’s see if we remedy this situation as best we can, not so much for us, the taxpayers (although we do need a break from having to swallow the Board’s legal fees—but that’s another story), but for the children.

Ken wilson

February 27th, 2013
9:52 am

Thank you Gov Deal, now when are you coming to Sumter Co. to solve the same problem with our county?

Cynthia

February 27th, 2013
10:02 am

I just read an article in the NY Times in which Michael Thurmond states, “replacing the board would erode public confidence and that racial differences could be at the root of some of the board’s discord and needed to be discussed more openly”. First of all Mr. Thurmond, public confidence is already eroded! Second, racial differences? Really? Why don’t you openly discuss what you mean by “racial differences”?

R Hearn

February 27th, 2013
10:23 am

This is one of the few times that I do think that Gov. Deal did the right thing in suspending the Board Members. Sorry Eugene, but perhaps if you were a little less self serving, and a little more caring in your actions as a School Board member, you would not be facing a judge on Friday. The kids have to come first, not your own special interests and pet projects. Be a man, step aside!

OriginalProf

February 27th, 2013
10:25 am

**Formerly Prof for more than a year, I find someone else has registered under that name with AJC–not me. So now Prof is OriginalProf.**

I just want to explain Dr. Walker’s allusion to “east of Moreland Avenue.” Moreland Avenue is the boundary line between Fulton County and DeKalb County. East of it is DeKalb, and west of it is Fulton County.

glenp

February 27th, 2013
10:35 am

he’s been getting back at “da’man”

alm

February 27th, 2013
10:46 am

Dr Walker
Until this school year I lived in District 9. While I still own the house, I had to move my kids to a different school district. Due to the cuts in the classroom and the overall direction of the school system I did not feel my kids could get a good education in DeKalb. This saddens me because I’ve lived in DeKalb my whole life and I still care very deeply about it.

I will not call you names or ask for your head on a plate.

I know that you have a good case and that you could win it. But at what price?
Of the more than 98,700 students of DeKalb 71.13% qualify for free/reduced lunch. A long court fight will only hurt them as well as ALL the students of DeKalb. We already spend too much of our resources outside of the classroom and this will only make it worse. Please, PLEASE put the needs of over 98,700 students first. Please stand down and drop your case.

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
11:15 am

Hey, gotta gotta payback
(The big payback)
Revenge, I’m mad
(The big payback)
Got to get back, I need some get back
Payback, payback
(The big payback)
That’s it, payback, revenge
I’m mad!

(Polydor Records – 1973)

performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cDuwibflL4

dekalbite@Hamilton

February 27th, 2013
11:41 am

“@living, I think he had to resign from the DeKalb Development Authority – involved some kind of conflict of interest with Sembler Cos. Anybody have a better memory?”

“The developer who wants a $52 million tax break for a troubled project in north DeKalb County poured thousands of dollars into the political campaign of an official with influence over the fate of the request.
People affiliated with Florida-based Sembler Co. spent $18,000 last year helping Eugene Walker win his seat on the DeKalb School Board.
Walker is also chairman of the DeKalb Development Authority, which could vote Thursday on whether to give Sembler what officials say is an unprecedented subsidy in the county: a 100 percent property tax abatement over 20 years for part of the company’s Town Brookhaven project near Oglethorpe University.
Campaign finance records show that five Sembler executives gave Walker $2,000 apiece on Sept. 27. Then, on Nov. 19, those same executives and three of their relatives each gave Walker an additional $1,000.
The donations did not exceed legal limits, but they did contribute to Walker’s financial advantage in the election. He had six opponents, and he raised four times more than all of them combined. Sembler gave him about a third of his total.”
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/semblers-investment-in-dekalb/nQG4B/

The AJC followed this religiously and the public outcry resulted in Walker resigning his chairmanship of DeKalb Development Authority and retaining his seat as BOE member.
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2009/08/18/eugene-walker-resigns-from-dekalb-development-authority/

Dirty Dawg

February 27th, 2013
11:53 am

I live in DeKalb but don’t have any kids of school-age, nor am I, due to age and income, any longer paying school taxes, but this whole thing reeks of the sustained, pervasive initiative as represented by ALEC and the rest of the ‘conservative’ majority to undermine and/or ‘flank’ the constitutional rights of a certain local citizenry. I don’t know how bad this guy Walker was or is, but I do have faith and confidence in Michael Thurmond and for Deal, a man that I do know and have absolutely no faith and/or confidence in – other than he’s proven that he is a self-serving crook of the first order – to have appointed Thurmond to take over and fix the problems of DeKalb’s School System only to turn right around and ignore his plans and efforts, strikes me as just an effort to put a ‘black mark’ next to Michael’s name. All this is compounded by a State Board – appointed/elected by a Republican majority and Governor(s) – that judged the DeKalb Board as unfit and should be dismissed, and also this SACS. group that first decided that DeKalb should lose its credidation…I mean who appointed them to their jobs and who evaluates the quality of their work? Somebody pulled a pretty quick trigger on DeKalb and Deal decided to take advantage of the situation in order to discredit the County and it’s electorate, and at the same time marginalize Michael Thurmond…and it’ll probably work because the local media won’t dig any deeper than what’s on the surface, and the State Democratic Party is incapable of standing up to any of em.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
11:58 am

“It’s often referred to from the highest office to county offices as checks and balances. In short, the Gov. simply had to do what he did. The voters didn’t particularly care for it, but understood nonetheless.”

@Who stands for the children?
QUIT LYING.
The “higher authority” is YOU, the voters. The voters can vote OUT the likes of Dr. Walker. Yet they chose not to. Prove CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT, and the Judiciary becomes the “higher authority” and can remove them and put them in jail.

In my opinion, the white NOBLE NORTHERNERS of Dekalb are the GREATEST THREAT to our Constitutional freedoms. They REFUSE to remove corruption, if it indeed exists. PASSING THE BUCK TO THE GOVERNOR REWARDS CORRUPTION. Please remove yourselves from the public school system. YOU ARE AN ECONOMIC DRAIN ON HONEST LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
12:05 pm

@ dr john

can’t say anyone didn’t deal with his points anymore

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
12:06 pm

on thing we all can agree on. this will get race ugly before its over.

OriginalProf

February 27th, 2013
12:06 pm

@ Dirty Dawg. You really need to read up on this complicated case before commenting…perhaps by going back over the blogs here for the last few weeks. For example, the DeKalb BOE appointed Michael Thurmond as Interim Superintendent, not Governor Deal, and they also voted to let SACS appraise them for accreditation.

OriginalProf

February 27th, 2013
12:08 pm

@ bootney farnsworth, 12:06 pm. It already is.

Maude

February 27th, 2013
12:08 pm

How can one adult man put his needs above the needs of 99k children? I read somewhere that he said he was working for God, well he isn’t working for the God I believe in.

Inman Parker

February 27th, 2013
12:22 pm

The man has no conscience.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
12:40 pm

@PROF
“they also voted to let SACS appraise them for accreditation.” –

Was the Board required by law to do this? How many RFP’s were sent out to various accrediting agencies? What was the winning bid?

Please solve this mystery; before being gobbled up by Advanc-ed, SACS and all the other regionals were independant 501c3’s. Is Advanc-ed (the holding co.) now a 501c3 as well? An LP?

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
12:42 pm

@Maude
“well he isn’t working for the God I believe in.”
What God do you believe in?

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
1:04 pm

South DeKalb posts? Crickets.
Very strange.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
1:09 pm

“How can one adult man put his needs above the needs of 99k children?”

What about the trashing of the Constitution for ALL Georgians, because of people who think like you?
Please remove yourself from the public school system and home school/private school.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
1:14 pm

@Maureen

Crickets from Original Prof. COULD YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION?

“they also voted to let SACS appraise them for accreditation.” –
Was the Board required by law to do this? How many RFP’s were sent out to various accrediting agencies? What was the winning bid?
Please solve this mystery; before being gobbled up by Advanc-ed, SACS and all the other regionals were independant 501c3’s. Is Advanc-ed (the holding co.) now a 501c3 as well? An LP?

OriginalProf

February 27th, 2013
1:18 pm

@ Truth. I can’t answer any of your question here. Google is your friend.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
1:21 pm

Then, what was your point in bringing it up? If they are a monopoly or monopoly 501c3 charity, then I would suspect some anti-trust laws have been VIOLATED. But I guess you are not interested in looking into THAT!

Maude

February 27th, 2013
1:59 pm

I believe in the God that puts the needs of children above a man that is not doing his sworen duty!

Who stands for the children?

February 27th, 2013
2:02 pm

Truth. Do you work for the post office?
Do you own a gun? (Hope not–hope you don’t purchase one until this school issue dies down)
What neighborhood do you live in, so that I and the other residents can take a brief vacation until this school issue dies down
Is there such a thing as Male PMS?

Whoa, fella, calm down…..that’s it….the blood pressure is going down…..that’s it……calm…..calm.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
2:08 pm

Lots of crickets.
@ Invisible Serf’s Collar, Dr. Trotter, Beverly Fraud

Can YOU answer these questions? Or tell us were to find them? Who to call? Advanc-ed’s website did not say that they were 501c3 from what I could tell. Didn’t say that they were an Inc. or LP either. I couldn’t find a listing on the Stock Exchange.

“they also voted to let SACS appraise them for accreditation.” –
Was the Board required by law to do this? How many RFP’s were sent out to various accrediting agencies? What was the winning bid?
Please solve this mystery; before being gobbled up by Advanc-ed, SACS and all the other regionals were independant 501c3’s. Is Advanc-ed (the holding co.) now a 501c3 as well? An LP?”

bu2

February 27th, 2013
2:12 pm

I don’t think Dr. Walker will back down. I don’t think Governor Deal will back down. I only see two ways out of this mess.
1) Deal comes up with a cushy job for Dr. Walker & the Dekalb delegation pressures Copelin-Wood and Cunningham to stand down.
2) Deal agrees to re-appoint only the two at-large members whose districts go away in 2014. Again the delegation pressures Copelin-Wood and Cunningham to go away and Jester gets held to her promise to step down. Edler also has to go away. With Speaks and Walker, one from each faction stays and there is a majority of 7 new members, 3 elected and 4 appointed.

A lot of people wouldn’t like Walker staying, but his voting block would be eliminated and we get to move forward.

The other option is to continue the limbo until the courts rule and one side or the other wins. That’s the worst option for the district.

bu2

February 27th, 2013
2:14 pm

In the meantime, the board should pass an anti-nepotism policy that forces Dr. Walker to choose between his board spot and his relatives jobs in 2014.

alm

February 27th, 2013
2:20 pm

Bu2 I thought the same thing a couple of days ago. Keeping Speaks in 8 and Walker in 9 gives takes away the disenfranchisement argument.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
2:22 pm

@Who stands for the children?
Certainly not you.

I hope you realize that my home school students are enjoying reading this blog as a part of their “authentic curriculum” for formal Logic. Our text is THE FALLACY DETECTIVE: Thirty-eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning. I highly recommend it to you. According to your last post, (guns, post office, etc.) you gave us a perfect example for Lesson 7: Ad Hominem Attack. Thank you for confirming the validity of my arguments and for making a GREAT LIVE LESSON for my kids!

Hoosier

February 27th, 2013
2:26 pm

Dr Walker—you feel so strongly wronged? Fine. Then hire and pay for your own lawyer. Don’t expect the taxpayers to pay for your fight.

Truth in Moderation

February 27th, 2013
2:31 pm

“The other option is to continue the limbo until the courts rule and one side or the other wins. That’s the worst option for the district.”

That is the BEST option for TRUTH, FREEDOM, AND THE CONSTITUTION. Let’s shine a BRIGHT LIGHT ON THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS. Selfish Dekalbites. If you can’t take the heat of SELF-GOVERNANCE, please remove yourselves from the public school system.

bootney farnsworth

February 27th, 2013
2:38 pm

@op

I mean a lot worse than this.

Decatur Dad

February 27th, 2013
3:17 pm

Power to the voters of Dekalb County! Before it’s all over, Deal & Mark Elgart are going to wish that they had chosen a different profession. I’m not a huge fan of Eugene Walker, but I support his stance 100%. So who’s lying, Nancy Jester or Mark Elgart?

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
3:19 pm

abstract thought, in the great karmic universe, I wonder if this is some “payback” on Errol’s heavy hand and spray bottle of WIndex. Errol, you shouldn’t spray that Windex in somebody’s eyes; something is going to happen in return.

What's Best for Kids?

February 27th, 2013
3:46 pm

Got Hubris?

Who stands for the children?

February 27th, 2013
4:05 pm

Truth. You’re more than welcome. Anytime.

Pardon My Blog

February 27th, 2013
5:00 pm

@Truth – Again, did you forget to take your meds?!

@Dirty Dawg – I seriously doubt you are who you say you are.

The Deal

February 27th, 2013
5:55 pm

Truth, presumably you’ve got Google like any of us. Read up on basic accreditation here: http://atlanta.about.com/od/governmenteducation/a/atlanta-school-accreditation.htm

Unfortunately, we can’t get the other information you ask for, as our board and its highly-paid secretary(s) have never posted meeting minutes with any regularity. You are welcome to submit some Open Records Requests for that information.

Private Citizen

February 27th, 2013
6:43 pm

This is just an opinion, and I could be totally wrong, but with the conclusion of the Obama era just starting to become visible on the horizon, there may be a new energy apart from this ultimate-free-pass to all things black-political.

No offense meant to anyone, but the wheel keeps turning and things do not stay the same.

dekalbite@

February 27th, 2013
7:34 pm

Enter your comments here

dekalbite@The Deal

February 27th, 2013
7:35 pm

“Unfortunately, we can’t get the other information you ask for, as our board and its highly-paid secretary(s) have never posted meeting minutes with any regularity.”

And that highly paid secretary ($69,000 in salary and benefits) is Dr. Walker’s daughter-in-law.

dekalbite@Hamilton

February 27th, 2013
9:13 pm

And I might add that the highly paid secretary (one of TWO highly paid secretaries) to the Board who does not post BOE minutes with any regularity is married to Waker’s son a School Resource Officer (Security employee in a high school) makes $82,000+ a year in salary and benefits. And that is just two of Walker’s relatives. He has a plethora of them employed by DeKalb Schools. Can you see why he is fighting so hard to maintain his power? His pittance of BOE member salary is not the issue. His highly paid non teaching relatives receive literally hundreds of thousands a year from Dekalb Schools.

sources:
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/school-board-report-card-dekalb-county/nQkw4/
http://www.open.georgia.gov/

Proud Educator

February 28th, 2013
5:35 am

I’m confused. The highest elected position in the country, the presidency can have a removal from office without recall, yet so many are upset about the removal of local county school board members? Really?

Patricia

March 1st, 2013
8:52 pm

I moved to Dekalb county fourteen years ago from Clayton county. Dekalb is turning into another Clayton county. Eugene walker you need to go. The only reason why you want step down is because this job is a cash cow for you, your family and friends. All of you need to go. Thank goodness I don’t have children in school any more.

BBW and BBC

March 2nd, 2013
11:07 am

It is obvious that the SACS is a racist group. Look what they did to Clayton county.
As for Stacey Abrams, she is racist to. Her motorvation to get rid of Dr. Eugene Walker can only be because he is a man of color.
Hang in there Eugene! Sue em’ back baby – Thurmond has got your back brother, you ain’t going nowhere.

North Dekalb

March 3rd, 2013
2:06 pm

Do not resign or step aside! You are an ELECTED official. Let the racists and the uninformed continue with their nonsense. Folks on these boards and others who think like them with their ingrained racist and hate are indication of type of people fueling this unconstitutional fight. The laws do not apply to them, and they simply make another to change what they don’t like. custodians of our tax money Parents (with their “parent trigger” information, know nothing about classrooms, teaching, and school operations. DO NOT STEP ASIDE, DO NOT RESIGN!!

ben burton

March 10th, 2013
8:28 pm

Uhhh, excuse me, but do I detect some redundancy here? redundancy here? To “circumvent or get around?”

Suspended DeKalb school board member Eugene Walker: ‘I will not quit or step aside.’

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Suspended DeKalb school board member Eugene Walker: ‘I will not quit or step aside.’

194 comments Add your comment

About Get Schooled

Search this blog

Recent Posts

Archives

More from the AJC

Are You or Your School the ‘Best In Class’?

Categories

College resources

All AJC blogs »

Tell us what you think about the site

Subscribe »

Customer Care »

AJC Services

Sections

Other Editions

Guides

Affiliates

Advertising

AJC Sites