Governor releases list of 400 who want DeKalb board seats. Several former state officials and top employees are on it
Take a look at the list of candidates for the six open seats on the DeKalb school board, which I have put in a Google doc. There are plenty of folks on it from across the political spectrum.
There are many parent activists and former school board candidates. Donna Edler’s name is on the list as well; she is a suspended board member. However, Edler told the AJC today that she did not submit her name but plans to seek reinstatement through the channels open to her. Since it was email submissions, I assume someone could fraudulently submit someone’s name.
Two people on the list worked closely with Sonny Perdue when he was governor, Joy Hawkins, his former policy analyst and deputy chief operating officer, and Kathleen Mathers who led the CRCT cheating probe as head of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.
And there are other familiar names from state government, Melanie Stockwell, former director of legal services for DOE who later worked for state Sen. Eric Johnson, and ex DeKalb legislators Doug Teper and Dan Weber.
Also on the list are Emory’s Mark Bauerlin, author of “The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future,” parent Jennifer Hatfield, Denise McGill, a board candidate this past year for District 6, Ella Smith, also a former school board candidate, and activist parents Betsy Parks and Faye Andresen.
Cynthia Tucker of Stone Mountain– no relation to my former boss here at the AJC — is a former political candidate for the State House. Jonathan Weintraub is a former DeKalb county attorney.
Please note: The Sonny Jester on this list is no relation to Nancy. My colleagues who cover DeKalb point out that this Jester is a parent activist who has served on numerous panels and was vice chair of the DeKalb Education Foundation.
Let me keep looking at the list for other notable names. But keep in mind that there are folks who share names.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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140 comments Add your comment
dekalbite@concerned citizen
March 7th, 2013
9:24 pm
Melvin Johnson’s contributors show Eddie Long (pastor of New Birth) contributing $500 and Eddie Long’s company Religious Works, Inc. contributing $500. Wynndolyn and Ed Bouie, Felicia Mayfield, RobertFreeman (former superintendent), James Hallford (former superintendent), Cassandra Littlejohn (former BOE member) are other familiar names among his contributors.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
9:34 pm
@Betsy Parks While I get the “family did public but then had issues with the schools we were in & did what we had to give our children quality education.” To me a little different from what Michael Thurmond described as his situation.
But in reading your story, it seemed to me your main issue was football-related. Now I LOVE HS football, I’ll go mto games & watch them on TV for schools I have no connection to – annoys my wife some, esp. when well coached. So where I am, Marist & more recently SPX are nice programs to watch. But I’m talking as a sports fan.
Back to education. People are going to question anyone who has their kids in private school being on a public school board & rightfully so. I do not claim to know all the issues regarding the Lakeside principal situation, in fact hardly any, other than one existed & alot of people were upset. I also know Lakeside in general is considered an excellent high school, academically – one I don’t think many leave for purely academic reasons. It has a proud football history under Creel, but lately . . . well, not so good. Again, I love football & argue it can be as helpful to education as the arts can be, teamwork, discipline, dedication, etc.
But back to book-learning. Are you basically saying you dropped a very good academic public school mainly because of football, with some other issues thrown in? Unless your son was a division 1 prospect (maybe he was) I don’t follow you. Nobody says you shouldn’t be proud of your son. If he was accepted at SPX & did well, I’m sure he’s a fine young man, I know many that went there & some that that go there now.
I’m hoping you don’t take offense, perhaps I’m reading too much in your story, or maybe too little if that makes sense. I am pointing out that private school parent on public school board raises red flags anywhere, sure would in a regular election.
Outraged Mom
March 7th, 2013
9:51 pm
Meredith Moseley is a former teacher and ap from THS. Strong voice. Raye Varney, Tucker area, good business sense and not afraid to speak up. Faye Andreson involved from Lakeside, had the goods on SCW in email form and been involved for awhile. They would be in Pam Speaks at large district. If someone is a current teacher, it’s a conflict of interest to be on the school board I thought.
Pat and Mike
March 7th, 2013
9:57 pm
You can search for Betsy Parks’ comments and Ella Smith’s comments on DeKalb School Watch blog. Go to dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com and put a name into the search box. Betsy Parks also commented on Nancy Jester’s blog, What’s Up With That? Go to whatsupwiththat.nancyjester.com. Both Ella’s and Betsy’s comments are very telling.
Flabberghasted4sure
March 7th, 2013
9:57 pm
@ outraged mom: Faye Andresen would be fabulous. She was on the citizen oversight cmte. and constantly questioned Pope et al about the work at Columbia of which there were no BOE minutes/agendas showing the BOE approved those expenditures. …part of the now infamous Heery Mitchell case. She is a Druid Hills resident, not Lakeside, and would be eligible for Gene Walker’s seat, not Pam Speaks’ seat.
The Deal
March 7th, 2013
10:06 pm
I’m not speaking specifically about Betsy Parks, but I think anyone who has had the means to get out of DeKalb public schools and hasn’t over the last few years might have more to question than someone who didn’t. I don’t have the means for my 4 kids to go to private school or homeschool, but if I did and the schools my kids were in were failing, I would consider it almost a moral obligation to do the best thing I could do for my kids.
Don’t forget that our current superintendent, in his own words, tried his hardest to get his daughter into a theme school, couldn’t, and then headed for private school. It’s difficult to say that you hold your board members to a different standard that the superintendent, isn’t it?
Honestly, if we want our board to consist of very well-educated, intelligent, successful, thoughtful, creative, and innovative citizens who have high expectations for the education of children, I think we can expect that a good number of them will have their children in private schools. This is especially applicable in DeKalb County. To find citizens with these qualities from all over the county with their children in public school isn’t realistic. I don’t begrudge or despise people who have their children in private school, and I don’t think that characteristic alone should be an eliminator.
Any citizen of DeKalb County has an interest in better schools, whether it is as a parent, student, taxpayer, business owner, or employer.
Mandella1099
March 7th, 2013
10:19 pm
@The Deal
“I do not want this board to end up as a bunch of bickering parents who have no other qualification other than they are angry about the status of the school system.”
I guess you are out then – pot, meet kettle….
The Deal
March 7th, 2013
10:34 pm
Funny, Mandella, you’re trying to insult me, but I completely agree with you. As involved as I am in my childrens’ schools as a class parent, several different PTA board positions, school council member, county representative, and general volunteer, I do not consider myself qualified, despite my passion. I have no experience with budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars, I have never worked in the public sector, I have never worked in education, and I despise politics and politically-motivated behavior. While I am a well-educated corporate executive with many marketable skills, I have no qualms about saying I would not vote for myself.
I hope those who do have the proper qualifications and the time have put their names in and will be recognized as such. Our children deserve nothing less.
Mandella1099
March 7th, 2013
10:38 pm
@The Deal
Yet, you have consistently level blanket criticisms on multiple blogs at those that do have the qualifications.
And before you say that they didn’t have the qualifications, how would you know?
“I do not consider myself qualified, despite my passion. I have no experience with budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars, I have never worked in the public sector, I have never worked in education”
If I may borrow one of your favorite lines:
EPIC FAIL!!!
Disappointed DeKalbite
March 7th, 2013
10:49 pm
Elizabeth Mahfoud is a retired DeKalb County teacher. Meredith Moseley is a DeKalb Co. teacher.
Is Lynn Grant the Lynn Cherry Grant who used to be on the school board? Deirdre Pierce is the immediate past president of the DeKalb Council of PTAs. I think Al Dollar was a DeKalb Co. teacher., may still be. Maggie Lawson has been very active as a parent and volunteer in the Druid Hills area. Jack Sartain is a founder of the DeKalb Arts Council.
The Deal
March 7th, 2013
10:54 pm
Mandella, you must have me confused with another person. I have literally never typed or said “epic fail”, either here or in the non-blog world.
The only people I have criticized on this blog have been school officials whose qualifications, or lack thereof, are available to everyone.
Why don’t you stop attacking me and move on to the larger DCSD system issues?
csdparentteacher
March 7th, 2013
11:18 pm
I worked with Elizabeth Mahfoud for many years in the DCSD system before I left for City Schools of Decatur and she would be an excellent choice. As a recently retired educator she could be the voice of the teachers and staff currently in the system and would be able to keep the focus on the children, while giving true and honest assessments of the effectiveness of the “programs” the system has paid thousands for over the past few years.
Dekalbite
March 8th, 2013
12:20 am
“Maggie Lawson has been very active as a parent and volunteer in the Druid Hills area”
Maggie Lawson is exceptionally bright with four very gifted children. She instilled in them the ability to get along with others. Teaching their children to help and get along with others was as important to the Lawsons as nurturing their brilliant minds. She enrolled her youngest in the M to M program and bused her from Medlock to Fairington for several years until the bus ride was just too much – maggie was that dedicated to integration at a time when integration was difficult to achieve in DeKalb. Unpretentious, smart, and caring describes the whole Lawson family. To raise such genuinely nice children who all went to public school is a credit to her. There is nothing this woman cannot do. Maggie Lawson is indeed a quality candidate.
Atlanta Media Guy
March 8th, 2013
8:03 am
@Mandella…. Seems to me the only one bickering here is you! Your attacks on folks commenting here is very old. I do not agree with your ridiculous assertions and complaints about folks on this blog. It is one thing to have ideas and debate them, but you just want to hurt folks with your name calling. You are either a Palace employee, whose world is about to take a drastic change or you are a Dr. Walker wannabe, or both. If you do not have anything constructive to say, just go away! You are the EPIC FAILURE!!!
bootney farnsworth
March 8th, 2013
8:12 am
how about the ghost of Hosea Williams?
bootney farnsworth
March 8th, 2013
8:16 am
@ maureen
when is the election of new members required to take place?
how long can an interim/appointed board sit? we just got through paying for elections in November
concernedmom30329
March 8th, 2013
8:23 am
Elections are in 2014 as scheduled, not sure if they are Summer or November. But 2014. Board will sit until then.
DeKalb Graduate
March 8th, 2013
8:25 am
Elizabeth Mahfoud, Faye Andersen and Joy Hawkins would all be wonderful on the BOE. They are well-educated, involved in public education and they are not related to anyone in the Palace or Eddie Long. I believe there are plenty of qualified people who can lead and serve DeKalb without putting their personal interests ahead of children’s education. Race should not matter. There is more diversity in DeKalb beyond black and white. We need to look at abilities not race. The issues of race from Roger Mills to Eugene Walker have done nothing but undermine a wonderful school system.
bootney farnsworth
March 8th, 2013
8:52 am
my absolute dream board: not for anything other than the amusement factor
1) Sarah Palin
Ron Jeremy
2) Ozzy Osborne
3) Jessie Jackson Jr
4) Lady Gaga
5) RuPaul
6) Katt Williams
7) Joan Rivers
9) Snoop Dogg
and Robin Williams as chair
Chamblee Dad
March 8th, 2013
9:00 am
@outraged mom csdparent teacher & several others
Sounds like we have more than a few retired educators on the list. If they have excellent undersatanding of how decision impact the school house in the “real world” as in how at affects teachers & students, the system would be well-seved -& something I’ve been calling for. We don’t need 6, that wouldn’t be good, but at least 1, maybe 2, I would be happy about that regardless of district. After that I would hope we can have 1-2 that are seriously well-qualified on financial matters. We don’t need people off the street running $1B companies – as in SCW & ZP.
Pardon My Blog
March 8th, 2013
9:01 am
@Chamblee Dad – While football should not be the driver, I do think I know where Ms. Parks was headed with that. The friend that Lewis put in as Principal seemed to have an agenda (blessed by Lewis) to completely destroy Lakeside. She alienated the teachers, would lock herself in her office by the hours to read her bible, when changing classes the kids were only allowed to walk one way in the halls (making it almost impossible to get to the lockers and class on time), she would have screaming fits if someone dared cross her, she hired teachers whose credentials were questionable at best, she allowed anyone who so desired to transfer to Lakeside in even though there was absolutely no space, students were left to sit on the floors of classrooms because there were no more available desks, she had no interest in the students’ achievements, refused to even speak to the community and would never address concerns (one incident, students skipping classes and breaking into area homes – her response was that she had no control if a student chose to skip class), need I go on?????
Lewis greatly harmed this school district in many ways which is why Thurmond should have everyone at Central Office reapply for their positions, starting with HR. All positions should be open for any interested candidates, reasonable and equitable salaries should be assigned to these positions, the candidates for the positions should be QUALIFIED for that position and most importantly the candidates should meet a list of criteria including not being related to anyone employed by system that is a member of the Board, part of the administration or central office (exclusion would be if relative is a teacher). More importantly throw out Crawford Lewis’ mandate that the individuals have to be African-American.
Chamblee Dad
March 8th, 2013
9:03 am
AMG Agreed real debate serves us all, silling attacks, baseless or just plain ignorant, d/n really contribute. I do enjoy the occassional tease, esp. from regulars who can push buttoms because the are familiar with each other.
paulo977
March 8th, 2013
9:07 am
Why go through the charade of letting the districts vote? It is far too expensive ,so let’s give Deal the nod to choose his buddies !!!!
Chamblee Dad
March 8th, 2013
9:10 am
@the Deal I understand where you are coming from – and if the people that did so are escaping very poor performing schools, have tried all they can but to no avail, I think that is one perspective that MIGHT add something to the board. But it seems that if you left a school that in general is considered very good/excellent – even if it could do better, I really don’t think you are coming from a position that would serve all of DCSS. That’s what I wonder about the Dunwoody/Brookhaven & Chamblee people talking about wanting to leave. Seems the people making the most noise have the best DCSS schools. Why not serve the whole system – build it back? I know that’s a different subject, but touches on the idea of leaving for private – I know some in those areas are leaving, I wouldn’t want them on the board.
RexDogma
March 8th, 2013
9:16 am
Forget about Lewis, that is over. He is rightfully in jail. Move on.
Chamblee Dad
March 8th, 2013
9:17 am
@ pardon, I agree 100% that Lewis was HORRIBLE for DCSS & much of his meddling hurt individual schools & groups of students. Virtually anything /anyone connected to him should be removed or at least closely scrutinized. And I also heard of crazy behavior out of the Lakeside situation in particular. Some left for those reasons, get that. But Lakeside wasn’t destroyed, still performs very well. My point is if if that was the reason – then just say that. Football, as much as I love it, shouldn’t be a factor. It was the first thing she mentioned & detailed nothing else.
RexDogma
March 8th, 2013
9:18 am
Chamblee Dad I fully agree with you about the whole system. Some of the neighborhoods in S. DeKalb are very bad and have low values or are like McNair located near a jail. So Brookhaven may want a school system. Would they take Cross Keys mostly Spanish and Asian minorities. That is interesting.
concerned citizen
March 8th, 2013
9:39 am
Melvin Johnson said he had how much contributions, overall? We need the names of all the other contributors to his campaign because perhaps we can break up this gang if we know who they are. Now, Freeman, Halford, etc – we see the results of their reign! Let’s get the others out in the open so we know what to expect.
Georgia
March 8th, 2013
9:43 am
I want to know more about these 400 applicants. Shouldn’t somebody, I don’t know, like, investigate them? where did they go to high school and what did they wear to their prom? Do they have craigslist pages with risque photos? Have they ever deleted a tweet? Have they ever thrown snark grenades on blogs? Lets get down to the details now. Come on, I’m sick of the posturing and the vogues. We’re playing with fire here, people…and we’re wasting time…and furthermore……..
dekalbite@concerned citizen
March 8th, 2013
10:49 am
“Melvin Johnson said he had how much contributions, overall? We need the names of all the other contributors to his campaign..”
It’s a matter of public record and very easy to access. Go to this link:
http://media.ethics.ga.gov/search/Campaign/Campaign_ByName.aspx
Enter Melvin Johnson’s name and click the search button. When you view the report you can view it by View Contributions or View Expenditures. You can export the contributions list to a pdf or an excel file. An excel file lets you use autosum to calculate total in contributions. Not every report has contributions (for example, there were no contributions on the December, 2012 report because the election was held in summer of 2012)
Viewing Marshall Orson’s supporter’s also provides an interesting list.
kidsballcoach
March 8th, 2013
11:37 am
Geogia,
So what is your point? I am sure of 400+ applicants nut jobs abound, but we are going to have to trust the Governor and the selection committee to put in place people who can affect change on behalf of the students and tax payers. My understanding is that they are actively vetting the applicants. The real question in my mind is can they identify and address the underlying systemic issues? I think is what this interim board can best provide Dekalb County. That being said, if they are capable of walking and talking at the same time, they will be an improvement over the “Dekalb 6″
Seriously, I think too many people are getting hung up on the wrong issue. Like now we are all focused like we should have been during elections for the last 10 years and now we want the potential board members to spill blood before taking office. INMHO if you are citizen of Dekalb and have had involvement with the schools and administration in the past 7 years, then you have been bloodied and tested. Now we we need the medics to revive the patient!
kidsballcoach
March 8th, 2013
11:46 am
Like sorry about the grammar!
Chamblee Dad
March 8th, 2013
11:48 am
Snark grenades = Georgia’s posts
Susan Keith
March 8th, 2013
12:07 pm
Can’t find the list…any way to make it an easier link on the main page of the ajc?
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2013
12:14 pm
Susan, It is embedded in this post. You can click here.
Claudia Stucke
March 8th, 2013
2:52 pm
@Chamblee Dad and others who want to see teachers and former teachers on this list: Meredith Moseley, former DeKalb County honor student, former teacher (including International Baccalaureate in a DeKalb County public high school), and former assistant principal (in one Gwinnett and one DeKalb school), has solid experience, plus a great deal of intelligence and common sense. For years, we’ve been trying to get her run for school board and are thrilled to see her name on this list now, when we especially need her. Please remember her name.
Claudia Stucke
March 8th, 2013
2:54 pm
Also Mrs. Moseley is a DeKalb public school parent.
paulo977
March 8th, 2013
4:29 pm
For all those ready to tear the Dekalb School Board members apart ….
“Whateverthe admitted bad conductof school officials , they at least are elected and can be called to account by voters.We have no way of doing so with SACS,.”
……….MATT G.LEGER, ATLANTA
in AJC
Dekalb County Taxpayer
March 8th, 2013
5:05 pm
Kathleen Mathers? You must be joking! She assisted with writing that infamous report that subjected several innocent Atlanta educators to unjust treatment and scrutiny. This report has been thrown out in the court of law because of its inconclusive evidence based on hearsay and speculation. Some of the impacted educators are back at work but still fighting false allegations against them at the Professional Standards Commission level. I know several fellow educators that are battling for their names and reputations but work everyday at APS. Her motto, “Guilty until proven innocent” is not needed in Dekalb County. If she is considered, we know that corruption in the state of Georgia exists. The Feds need to watch this appointment selection verrrrrrrrrry carefully. I smell a rat. Is it possible that the State Department of Education is looking to plant their own people in the three largest metro area school districts? First Clayton, then Atlanta, now Dekalb. Your undees are showing!
Sandra
March 9th, 2013
4:40 pm
Deidre Pierce would be an excellent candidate. PTA representative and acknowledged in Washington, DC this year. Retired professional.