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
Pardon My Blog
March 7th, 2013
12:46 pm
Wouldn’t the suspended Board members be automatically disqualified? I would think so.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
12:47 pm
@pardon, let me know if you can see the full list in my link.
Thanks, Maureen
Bill Roberts
March 7th, 2013
12:48 pm
Also Werner Rogers who was state school superintendent from 1985-1994.
Please save DeKalb
March 7th, 2013
12:48 pm
Nancy Jester’s husband, Sonny, is on it too.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
12:50 pm
So, you all are seeing the full list? A reader told me he can’t but not sure why.
Maureen
Please save DeKalb
March 7th, 2013
12:54 pm
Yes, I can see the list. Not sure why there is this need to put any more government types on the School Board – we already Melvin Johnson who can certainly navigate the ins and outs of the school system. The better solution is to have people far removed from any conflict of interest that are just interested in doing what’s right for the children and the system in the most financially responsible way possible.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
12:54 pm
@Please, From my colleague Nancy Badertscher who is running down the list:
“Nancy said she’s not related to Jester — her husband is Stanley.”
And from my colleague Ty Tagami: Sonny and Nancy are not related. He’s not her husband. We checked. Indeed, I quoted Sonny in a story several months ago about the free Ph.D. program Atkinson put in place for her admins. He’s a fairly well-known parent activist who has served on numerous panels and was vice chair of the DeKalb Education Foundation.
Maureen
MsBssy
March 7th, 2013
12:55 pm
Mr. Golden would be an excellent board member, he’s very involved parent and ran for a seat several years ago.
CompetenceNotDiversity
March 7th, 2013
12:56 pm
We can see it – the stark title page with no entries is probably throwing people. Oh, and I read Cynthia McKinney instead of Cynthia Tucker when I first read your post – almost had a stroke.
FormerT
March 7th, 2013
12:59 pm
James Berry is the former Atherton Elementary School Principal arrested in the cheating scandal in 2009. Great…
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
1:01 pm
@Former, Are you sure? Just checked and there is more than one James Berry in DeKalb.
Maureen
Private Citizen
March 7th, 2013
1:01 pm
seeing the full list?
Yes. At least here, logged out of Google (should be the same as autonomous user), yes, the link to list works correctly. If someone can not view it, I would suggest updating browser or installing Firefox from scratch, which only takes a minute. http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Cleaned up a Windows 7 yesterday for a local student.
Experience 1. Install new Firefox – takes 5 minutes, works great.
Experience 2. Update Windows Explorer Browser – takes one hour, rebuilds and updates the whole o/s, and then Adobe Flash Player will not load.
Windows – you scary. I got Flash to load / work, but it took an internet search to find out how.
Moral of the story: Use Firefox browser? Yes. Use Explorer browser? No.
Most people will not know what any of this means.
Private Citizen
March 7th, 2013
1:03 pm
I love Cynthia McKinney. Muh-wah! big hug and a kiss.
gsmith
March 7th, 2013
1:03 pm
i saw way too many names on that list from Lithonia , Ellenwood and Stone Mountain and Stockbridge??? Dekalb county is doomed!!!
Devildog
March 7th, 2013
1:03 pm
Like hogs stampeding to the slop. It’s embarassing
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
1:04 pm
@gmsith, I thought there were a lot of names from Decatur.
Maureen
Please save DeKalb
March 7th, 2013
1:05 pm
Sorry – I think I got that he was her husband from The Dunwoody Patch!
CompetenceNotDiversity
March 7th, 2013
1:12 pm
PC – please tell me that was typed in sarcasm font.
Principal Skinner
March 7th, 2013
1:14 pm
MD,
Thanks for the list. I see many people with whom I have a familiarity
Centrist
March 7th, 2013
1:14 pm
@ Private Citizen – You forgot to mention the best addon for Firefox is “Adblock Plus” with optional subscriptions to Easylist and Fanboy – they block bandwidth consuming and annoying ads on most websites – much faster loading and cleaner web pages.
frankie
March 7th, 2013
1:16 pm
uuuhmmmmm gsmith…where would you prefer the names come from? Looks like people who care about the county and the welfare of the dekalb children…
kaitsmom
March 7th, 2013
1:19 pm
So where are all of the dissatisfied people from North Dekalb ? It seems that all that applied are Lithonia, Stone Mountain and Decatur. I really expected to see more Dunwoody.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
1:21 pm
On the List?
OK the list is out. Time to fess up, any regular posters on it?
frankie
March 7th, 2013
1:24 pm
Isn’t dunwoody looking to start ther own school board, something to that effect i heard on the news the other day…
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
1:27 pm
#Frankie, It would take at least two years for that to happen as voters statewide would have to amend the state constitution first.
Maureen
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
1:27 pm
Real task – who are the Manchurian candidates for the ousted 6?
Apparently NOT Sonny Jester.
Ajay
March 7th, 2013
1:28 pm
Does it matter what area of the county they are from? There are good, concerned citizen all over the county! Enough with the fiefdoms and “me and mine” attitudes.
DunMoody
March 7th, 2013
1:30 pm
Looking at the names from Dunwoody, they’re solid candidates. I’m less concerned about quantity than quality.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
1:32 pm
@DunMoody, Certainly, this list offers an incredible range. I think the committee has to be careful not to over-staff the reconstituted DeKalb board with former professionals from DOE or the governor’s office or ex legislators or failed candidates for office. There needs to be parent representation.
Maureen
frankie
March 7th, 2013
1:35 pm
Understood, however people seem to be inferring or stating that with out the Northern Cities of Dekalb County that the selection is some how tainted with people who will further cripple the DSB.
Dunwoody, chamblee, avondale and doraville had their chance to be a partof the selection…thay choose not to.
Don’t discredit those that show up…Is any of your names on the list….
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
1:37 pm
Parent Representation? Yes. I’d also love to see some recently retired schoolhouse staff &/or teachers, too. Not talking central office, I’m talking career teachers or perhaps someone who actually ran a school for about 10 years or more & never took a central office paycheck.
Interesting..
March 7th, 2013
1:38 pm
Patrick Ejike is the former planning director under Jones Admin.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
1:40 pm
@DunMoody Yes Quality not quantity. Just need 1 good one from each, not 15 crappy ones. I bet they are there. Question is will they be picked?
CJae of EAV
March 7th, 2013
1:43 pm
@Maureen –To vet a list of candidates this big would be a considerable undertaking. Given the desire to efficiently move through this process and seat a new board post haste, in, its inevitable those tasked with the decision making will gravitate toward the known personalities.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
1:43 pm
@DunMoody Are any of those quality Dunwoody candidates “Dunwoody Housewives?”
Sorry couldn’t resist. OK I’ll be quiet now.
Don't Tread
March 7th, 2013
1:52 pm
I’m thinking there are a lot of people in DeKalb County that really wish there were school vouchers now…
No Name Yet
March 7th, 2013
1:53 pm
Is there any way that we can have two Get Schooled Blogs? One for DeKalb County and one for the rest of us?
DunMoody
March 7th, 2013
2:02 pm
@Chamblee Dad … not in this century! (wink) Many of the names I see are parents and teachers. So there seems to a good diversity in the application base.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
2:13 pm
@DunMoody Teachers, teachers, I want teachers! Well at least 1, maybe 2. I’d love to hear at a board meeting “do any of you realize what the impact of what you are proposing would be on our classrooms – you remember those, the places where the students are?”
RexDogma
March 7th, 2013
2:23 pm
Terrilyn Rivers is also a former candidate who lost to Melvin Johnson in Nov.
DeKalb Inside Out
March 7th, 2013
2:26 pm
Deal also announced that the State Transportation Board member from the 4th Congressional District, Robert Brown of DeKalb County, will join Brad Bryant as a second liaison to the county’s school board to monitor progress.
http://dunwoodytalk.blogspot.com/2013/03/moving-forward-or-backword-in-dekalb.html
“One of the warrants authorized investigators to get lists of phone numbers for incoming and outgoing calls at a Decatur architecture firm, R.L. Brown and Associates. “
Soooo … the CEO of a construction company is going to help pick board members … nice …
Decatur Dad
March 7th, 2013
2:32 pm
The last thing we need are a bunch of school board members from “Dumbwoody”. I think Theodore Golden would make an excellent board member.
MES parent
March 7th, 2013
2:36 pm
Agree w/MD @ 1.32 — parent representation is a must and if the parent is a teacher even more qualified! On that note, my son’s teacher is in the pool. Dunwoody resident/parent/great teacher = Kate Butler
son of awcomeonnow
March 7th, 2013
2:39 pm
What struck me while wading down the list was the clumps of individuals with the same last name.
Some might be due to having common last names, ie “Smith, Williams”.
But another explanation might be that we’re seeing the set up for some more
“Friends and Family” hijinks.
Some of the list leaves one to at least say hmmmm.
I wonder if the usual suspects are up to packing the board. The usual suspects would be
Walker et al. The possibility also exists that MACE is up to what they were trying to do with
Clayton county.
To those reading this: do some research, please. Then spread the word where things
sound like a fix is on. Everyone needs to keep their antenna up on who’s running for the
open positions.
Insider
March 7th, 2013
2:40 pm
Prospective Board members have to live in the districts they seek to represent. There is a large area of “unincorporated” DeKalb County with a Decatur post office designation. Dunwoody is a smaller, for geographically specific area.
That’s why there are so many candidates from “Decatur.”
MsBssy
March 7th, 2013
2:43 pm
@Decatur Dad, making disparaging remarks about others certainly isn’t going to garner support for Mr. Golden. BTW, Mr Golden would make an excellent candidate, college educated, currently has child in the system, 3 graduated from DCSS and married to a teacher. He’s more than fully aware of what is going on particularly in the schools in S Dekalb, low achievement, lack of strong principals, discipline issues, no parapros, and the use of all those crappy scripted programs that don’t work.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
2:55 pm
@Decatur Dad What is this, 4th grade recess?
I’ll say this: I’ve had my fair share of issues with Dunwoody (heck, with Chamblee from time to time as well) but if someone from Dunwoody is named as my district’s board member, and is really dedicated to helping to fix this system for all of DeKalb, rather than trying to start their own city schools, then I’m all for it. They will have my support from across 285.
@MES Parent If Kate Butler fits that mold, I’m all far it! Teacher perspective would be nice for at least 1 or 2.
DeKalb Inside Out
March 7th, 2013
2:57 pm
Qualifications
What qualifications are R.L. Brown and Brad Bryant looking for? Simple question.
Education, experience, race ??? I’d like to see how the candidates measure up to the alleged qualifications.
Pardon My Blog
March 7th, 2013
2:58 pm
@Maureen – sorry just logged on but there are 10 pages in pdf. Seems all there.
Disgusted in Dekalb
March 7th, 2013
2:58 pm
The list needs to have an extra column with their getschooled blog moniker. Now THAT would be revealing.
Pardon My Blog
March 7th, 2013
3:02 pm
Several writing about the large number from the South DeKalb area. It was my understanding that one of the qualifications was that you had to reside in the district of the Board member that was removed. Was that incorrect?
Private Citizen
March 7th, 2013
3:03 pm
Centrist – Good practical computing / browser advice. Thanks! PS (not like anyone uses a browser around here) (looks both ways) (most people don’t even know what is an “application”)
Concernedmom30329
March 7th, 2013
3:06 pm
There could be 500 from one area, only one gets the seat. That is how it works…
d
March 7th, 2013
3:15 pm
I saw Kirk Nooks on the list – he ran against Jay in 2010. I thought he was the most qualified of any of the candidates for any seat that year.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:24 pm
@Disgusted I’ve been asking that. Come on, out of 400 someone’s gotta be from here as a regular? Or maybe DSW or both? Willing to fess up or afraid they’ll vet you using the archives of this blog.
RexDogma
March 7th, 2013
3:27 pm
Betsy Parks, that would be an interesting choice. I believe her kid goes to St. Pius X.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:32 pm
@ private citizen I’m going to have to install an auto-refresh app & set up 3 new tabs beyond what I normally use – one for the latest DCSS Get Schooled threads. Seriously, I’ve researched a couple of refresh apps. Will probably ask how I ever lived without it.
Decatur Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:33 pm
@Chamblee Dad – Do you sit around all day blowing out light bulbs?
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:34 pm
@RexDogma If correct she’d get along great with Michael Thurmond – Woodward is only place worthy of my kids True for any other private school applicants.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
3:36 pm
@Pardo, That is what the governor’s office told me two weeks ago.
Maureen
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:37 pm
@Decatur Wow you’re good. Just sitting here multitasking on a couple of computer screens, but do you know how to get white-out off my screens, I have a lot of typos.
DC Board Members SHOULD live in DeKalb County!
March 7th, 2013
3:39 pm
Does the DeKalb County Board of Education HAVE to live in DeKalb County? IT SURE SEEMS they SHOULD live in DeKalb County!! A few names on the list have a BLANK SPACE beside their name.
Loran, Whatayagot?
March 7th, 2013
3:44 pm
Unfortunately many more people than normal are soliciting the job because of Obama’s pitiful economy. They really need the $18,000 a year job. Sad commentary.
Jameson
March 7th, 2013
3:45 pm
Two activist parents, two retired teachers, and two local business leaders. Three should be African American, the other three should be white.
Diversity is essential.
Concernedmom30329
March 7th, 2013
3:47 pm
Mes Mom
We have Marshall and Jim, definitely have the parents covered. I would agree about teachers, but I am not sure employees can serve on BoEs of the system they are employed by? Seems to be ultimate conflict of interest, but I am not sure. Also Atlanta teachers who served on Clayton BOE led to demise of BOE there…
edbsmith
March 7th, 2013
3:53 pm
Bob Freeman of Dunwoody? Former superintendant or son????
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
3:54 pm
@concerned I assumed retired, no way current teachers or any employees could serve I believe.
kevin
March 7th, 2013
3:55 pm
This whole School Board issue is a complete mess. The new people when they are selected, a few months down the road, what……….they will be voted out by Deal too. So what is going on here and why look upon the schoolboard they they have been looked on. What goes around comes aroundd.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
4:01 pm
They will eliminate folks who don’t live in the affected districts. That is a basic requirement to be considered.
Dawgfan1995
March 7th, 2013
4:03 pm
@Maureen Isn’t Lynn Grant a former DCSD Board Member from about 6 or 7 years ago?
Atlanta Mom
March 7th, 2013
4:05 pm
Kevin asked my question. How long will these appointed member serve?
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
4:15 pm
I consider myself a regular and I applied. I really don’t think I have a reasonable chance, being I don”t have political experience. Hmmm, maybe that’s what’s needed.
DeKalb Inside Out
March 7th, 2013
4:36 pm
Jameson
said “Three should be African American, the other three should be white.”
Speaking for the Hispanics, Asians and Indians … “We are offended!”
How much will race be a qualification?
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
4:47 pm
@Educator Good for you! Retired educator I assume? But don’t want to assume anything.
Jill
March 7th, 2013
4:48 pm
Kate Butler is a teacher at Montgomery Elem and a parent. She’d be great.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
4:50 pm
@DeKalb Don’t you know DeKalb County is all about Black & White. It’s not like Hispanics, Asians & Indians comprise much of the county population, especially school age. Oh . . wait . .
FM Fats
March 7th, 2013
4:54 pm
Doreen Carter is a former Lithonia City Councilperson. She ran for the Assembly last year and lost. Cheryl Mathis founded and ran the charter school Lithonia Academy of Technology and Environment until she was ousted under a bit of a cloud. The school moved to Stone Mountain as the DeKalb Academy for Technology and the Environment where Maury Wills is now headmaster. Belinda Pedroso headed up the Dekalb League of Women Voters a few years back.
Pardon My Blog
March 7th, 2013
4:55 pm
@DeKalb Inside Out – My thoughts exactly. I just hope that we can get a Board that will do the right thing!
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
5:00 pm
@Chamblee Dad, I’m still working in the educational arena. I wish I could retire at 43! LOL
no mas
March 7th, 2013
5:12 pm
Since both districts 8 (Speaks) and 9 (Walker) – the at-large districts,- are open, I think anyone living in DeKalb County would be eligible for one or the other.
CompetenceNotDiversity
March 7th, 2013
5:27 pm
@DIO 2:57 – Race is not a “qualification”.
@Jameson 3:45 – Not only is diversity non-essential, it is (or rather, should be) irrelevant.
Stop talking about skin color and start talking about what matters.
Betsy Parks
March 7th, 2013
5:34 pm
@Chamblee Dad Our oldest kid went to Lakeside all four years. He graduated in 2011. Our two younger children went to Hawthorne Elementary and then Henderson Middle.
After watching Crawford Lewis’ new principle/friend from his church destroy the Lakeside football program while BOE members were sneaking around stacking other high school teams our middle son decided to play for SPX instead of Henderson during his last year of Henderson Middle School. He took a good bit of harassment from everyone for his choice. He was one of the few public school kids to be accepted at SPX the following year. We are proud of our son and glad we ARE Golden Lions but that does not put us in the same category as Thurmond. We ARE part of DCSS community too.
We felt helpless at Lakeside. While at LHS, we went up the chain of command with our concerns and even filed an official complaint. Our concerns were ignored. Football was not the only issue we had as parents. Football was just the turning point for my son. This year my daughter followed after she was accepted too. Yes, she matriculated from Henderson Middle in DCSS.
We are a recently retired Army family and we be believe in public education. Tuition and fees are tough. We were not receiving the quality education we deserved despite our efforts. THEY had a way out. We took it. I started my petition because I did not feel “they” could hurt my children as they did after we filed complaints while enrolled in DCSS. I actually think I am in a good place to advocate for change. It is hard to do if you are worried about your kids. I am not afraid and care deeply about all the children in DeKalb. Most of DeKalb wants the focus to be on the kids and I feel confident the nominating committee and Governor Deal “get it” and will make the best choice.
The Deal
March 7th, 2013
5:37 pm
I want this board to be strong like the state board. 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. We need professional and qualified (yes, I know Gene Walker and Donna Edler look good on paper).
Ole Guy
March 7th, 2013
6:32 pm
Do any candidates possess educational credentials? Not being in the “political loop”, as it were, but judging, however, from the track records of previous boards, one must wonder just what APPLICABLE qualifications, if any, are required for these seats.
Not to be the harbinger of ill, one must wonder if ANY of these seats have EVER been occupied by anyone in possession of ANY credential remotely associated with educational thought.
Dunwoody PTA Mom
March 7th, 2013
6:47 pm
We want Nancy Jester back!
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
7:01 pm
@Maureen, all applicants just received an e-mail that requires us to fill out a questionnaire.
concernedmom30329
March 7th, 2013
7:09 pm
educator for life, any interesting questions and when is it due?
Another comment
March 7th, 2013
7:22 pm
It looks to me like Betsy Parks is a great candidate. She has been an Army Family, and has had the opportunity to see what education looks like around the country.
Private Citizen
March 7th, 2013
7:28 pm
Chamblee Dad, Good point about refresh app for browser. Never heard of that. My malady is sometimes have 20 tabs open from Wall St. Journal articles to news across the world to who knows what. I’ll do a push buttom forced re-start and restart browser keeping all the opened tabs. When I get busy and finally my brain goes blank like a screen, I’ll do the “Do you really want to close all the tabs” “Ugh… yeah” (stumbling away). I mean, how can you live without this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f0p4Qu2qxc Recently discovered the Porsche 917. circa 1968 0-60 in 2.3 seconds? 240 mph top speed with a flat opposing cylinder air cooled 12 cylinder engine, like an overgrown 911 engine with a fan on top instead of in the back, with the oil travelling inside the tubular steel frame to get the oil from the rear engine to the oil cooler. Kee-razy stuff. And don’t forget, Porsche bought the old Ford Taurus plant just north of the airport on I-75, to make a new test track and North American headquarters. 0-60 in 2.3s, in 1968? There’s nothing that will do that today.
Private Citizen
March 7th, 2013
7:30 pm
That friends and family thing is no joke. I sure hope they’re keeping an eye on it. It’s like termites, everybody’s in on it, unless you’re not and then you’re the odd one out. It’s really foul.
for the long haul
March 7th, 2013
7:30 pm
Is Stephen Bradshaw the same Steve Bradshaw who ran against Sharon Barnes Sutton this past July? If so, he’s an extremely sharp guy. I saw him speak at length and answer questions at a meet and greet near Avondale.
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
7:48 pm
@Educator, Can you tell us about the questions?
Maureen
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
8:05 pm
Yes, the questions are common. there are 6 short answer questions, such as your vision of attaining high achieving students, what you think is the role of the board, the skills that you bring to the board, how will you inspire parents, and how will enhance the mix of skills and background fo the board to represent the community. They did ask if you were related to anyone in the district!
Maureen Downey
March 7th, 2013
8:08 pm
@Educator, Good luck. Sounds like they are asking good questions.
Maureen
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
8:12 pm
@Maureen, they were thoughtful questions. I can actually gather a lot from people’s responses to the questions. I hope they are looking for “real” answers, not ones from someone’s thesis. I just wonder if it matters that I am an administrator at a charter school. I don’t feel that it is a conflict of interest because I will be bringing my educational experience to the table, not any political agendas.
concernedmom30329
March 7th, 2013
8:19 pm
Educator for Life,
Deadline for questionairre? And also does it speak to expectations of board member’s availability. One of my neighbor’s put their name in the hat and they have a 8-5job with no flexibility. Not sure, given how often this board meets, that they could really do the job.
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
8:32 pm
Friday 5 pm
Concernedmom30329
March 7th, 2013
8:50 pm
Friday as in tomorrow? That is awesome if it is the case. Gotta get moving…
Educator for Life
March 7th, 2013
9:08 pm
Yes, tomorrow.
Chamblee Dad
March 7th, 2013
9:10 pm
@Educator thanks for info. It sounds like you’ve put alot of thought into what you can bring to the table. Charter = COI? Are you talking Charter in DCSS, Public Charter in another county or a start up Charter not part of a public system?
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.