Here are bios of the six new DeKalb board members. Impressive credentials by any standard.
Here are the bios of the six new board members from the governor’s office.
Both these bios and Gov. Nathan Deal’s comments at the press conference that just ended indicate that the selection focus was on a fresh start and on a board that could work together. Deal noted that several of the appointees have experience in mediation.
The board will be sworn in at 1 p.m. today, so DeKalb can now hold meetings and take action.
As I noted in my first blog on the six, I have seen Thad Mayfield in action; he headed the 20-person citizen panel that reviewed school enrollments and recommended closings three years ago. I thought he did a good job, and the panel was fair and efficient. (That the school board didn’t act on its recommendations is fodder for another day.)
The statement and bios:
Gov. Nathan Deal today announced the names of the six new DeKalb County school board members.
“I tasked the nominating panel with finding excellent board members who will put the school system back on track toward full accreditation, and the panel performed a Herculean task with a quick turnaround so that the board could get back to work on behalf of the county’s students as soon as possible,” Deal said. “We had many outstanding community leaders offer themselves for service, and the high caliber of the candidates reflects well on the county. I faced an enviable problem: It was difficult to choose between so many great applicants. I truly believe that the board members will do an incredible job for DeKalb County. The volunteers who served on the nominating panel and as my liaisons to the county school leaders have given of themselves, and they have made a tremendous difference. I cannot thank them enough for their service.”
Acting on the recommendation of the State Board of Education, the governor suspended six members of the DeKalb school board In February. He then appointed a panel to nominate replacements and tapped Brad Bryant and Robert L. Brown to act as his liaisons to the DeKalb board and Superintendent Michael Thurmond. The nominating panel received a total of 403 applications and interviewed more than 60 applicants before narrowing the list to six finalists.
The new members of the DeKalb County school board, who will be sworn in at 1 p.m. today are as follows:
John Coleman
District 1
John Coleman
Coleman is a strategic planning manager at Invesco. Previously, he held a variety of leadership roles at McKinsey & Company. He also serves on various nonprofit boards. Coleman has a master’s in Business Administration from Harvard and a master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. He resides in Atlanta.
Michael Erwin
District 3
Michael Erwin
Erwin is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been a research assistant at Duke University Medical Center and the University of South Carolina. He has worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Services and is past chair of the NOAA fisheries committees on fish species and fish diseases in Maine and South Carolina. In 2008, he earned a Ph.D. in Biological Science from the University of South Carolina. He has been a member of the faculty at Georgia Gwinnett College since 2009 and teaches undergraduate students in biological science. He graduated from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s in Biology and a master’s in Biological Science. Erwin resides in Decatur.
David Campbell
District 5
David Campbell
Campbell is a senior manager with Georgia Power, where he supports the company’s energy conservation efforts. He is a certified public accountant with managerial experience. Campbell received a degree in Business Administration from Albany State University. He is a former chair of Leadership DeKalb, a member of the DeKalb 100 Black Men and an active member of St. Phillips AME. He formerly served on the Stephenson High School Council and resides in Lithonia.
Joyce Morley
District 7
Joyce Morley
Morley is the chief executive officer of Morley and Associates and is a nationally known public speaker and trainer. She is a certified counselor, a trained mediator and serves on several local and national governance boards. Morley has a doctorate in Counseling, Family and Worklife from the University of Rochester. She received her specialist’s and master’s degrees in Counseling Education from the State University New York College at Brockport, and a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the SUNY College at Genesco. A Stone Mountain resident, Morley has lived in DeKalb County for more than 22 years.
Karen Carter
District 8
Karen Carter
Carter serves on the faculty of Georgia Perimeter College where she is chair of the Business and Social Science department. She received a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications from Denison University and a law degree from Ohio State University. Carter has served as a classroom teacher and has held several senior administrative roles in the field of education. She is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb and is an active community volunteer. Carter is a resident of the Lakeside Community.
Thad Mayfield
District 9
Thaddeus Mayfield
Mayfield is a senior partner with FOCOM, Inc., a Georgia-based business development firm. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Mercer University and received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Tougaloo College. He co-chaired the successful Friends of DeKalb Education SPLOST IV Campaign and is an active member of several business and civic organizations in the metropolitan area. Mayfield is a resident of Lithonia.
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383 comments Add your comment
Just Sayin.....
March 13th, 2013
3:40 pm
Great credentials don’t always make great administrators/BOE members. These guys, though, look like they are doing this as a COMMUNITY SERVICE rather than as a kingdom building exercise. WHEN they get this school system turned around, lets hope that the pathetic voting class of Dekalb doesn’t F it up by electing a bunch of petty racist mini dictators.
BTW. someone said “the NAACP ought to be pleased”. No, they are not. They are only interested in the advancement of racist politicians representing an ignorant, racist voting public. They could care less about the students of Dekalb county. Their only goal is electing racist black power.
bigbill
March 13th, 2013
3:41 pm
Thanks, Maureen, for your 2:07 PM response to my earlier comment about whom and what ideas John Coleman might be representing in his new role, i.e., whether they might include corporate individuals and their public school privatization financial interests. I completely agree with the Deron Boyles quotes you provided, especially this one: “What this ultimately sets up is a system wherein teachers are forced to follow mandates that have essentially been dictated by chambers of commerce.” And that “(i)t’s not that schools shouldn’t prepare students for their futures, but students – not business interests – should determine what their futures include.” Well said indeed.
The writer Adrienne Rich addressed this subject in her book, “Arts of the Possible – Essays and Conversations,” where she said on page 162:
“Universal public education has two possible-and contradictory missions. One is the development of a literate, articulate and well informed citizenry so that the democratic process can continue to evolve and the promise of radical equality can be brought closer to realization. The other is the perpetration of a class system dividing our elite, nominally “gifted” few, tracked from an early age, from a very large underclass essentially to be written off as alienated from language and science, from poetry and politics, from history and hope, toward low-wage temporary jobs. The second is the direction our society has taken. The results are devastating in terms of the betrayal of a generation of youth. The loss to the whole society is incalculable.” Also very well said, I believe.
I found Ms. Rich’s quote on an education blog website maintained by Furman University education professor P.L. Thomas whose book, “Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. – The Corporate Takeover of Public Education,” addresses many of the poverty vs. public school education concerns which , as our fellow commenter Mary Elizabeth also believes, to a great extent underly the discussions here about the DeKalb School System and most public school systems across the country. Professor Thomas’s blog address is: livinglearninginpoverty.com. I recommend his book and blog to all who comment here.
YourWakeUpCall
March 13th, 2013
3:43 pm
The governor has replaced the previous DeKalb School Board members with individuals who have impressive resumes and who all it is reasonable to assume capable of leading the DeKalb County School System to much needed reform. However, the voters of the districts that “lost their elected officials” haven’t been paying attention the past few years. The majority of DeKalb capital outlay has gone school renovations and construction in northern DeKalb. These are the same areas that have been proposing “in plain sight”, forming new cities and/or exploring the route to self-governance that took place in Sandy Springs. Without the tax dollars generated by many of the businesses and homes in that area, the looming reality is that south DeKalb is headed for economic castrophy and that will have devastating consequences for many of its southside schools. Sadly, vouchers can’t get you into schools that aren’t in your district and wouldn’t dare risk the blow to their academic performance.
Chris_Eagle
March 13th, 2013
3:45 pm
The appointees have very impressive credentials… Now here is my question. Why did it take all this garbage to get a board like this in the first place? Maybe it is money or apathy, but if Dekalb had this type of talent, then why was it wasted for so long? Not to pick (or maybe so), let’s take Sarah Copelin-Woods. She’s been reigning over District 3 snce 1998. Let’s take one quote from her old Dekalb BIO -
Sarah Copelin-Woods
“Ms. Wood is a native Georgian and has lived in DeKalb County for the last 30 years. She is a student at Morris Brown College and is working to complete her Bachelor’s degree.”
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/AboutBoard.aspx?S=4054#6192
Um, she’s WORKING TO COMPLETE HER BACHELOR’S DEGREE AT A SCHOOL that DOES NOT EXIST ANY LONGER (for the most part)…
Now, Let’s compare that to her replacement – Michael Erwin
Erwin is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been a research assistant at Duke University Medical Center and the University of South Carolina. He has worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Services and is past chair of the NOAA fisheries committees on fish species and fish diseases in Maine and South Carolina. In 2008, he earned a Ph.D. in Biological Science from the University of South Carolina. He has been a member of the faculty at Georgia Gwinnett College since 2009 and teaches undergraduate students in biological science. He graduated from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s in Biology and a master’s in Biological Science. Erwin resides in Decatur.
HE HAS A DOCTORATE versus someone who is STUDYING FOR THEIR BACHELORS…
I know that a higher degree does not mean everything, but this is a position for the BOARD OF EDUCATION… I want them to be educated.
I blame us all. I blame us citizens for accepting less from our candidates, and I blame the right citizens for not stepping up until now. I would have voted for Michael Erwin if he had ran. This is a shame.
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
3:45 pm
@Decatur Dad “Thad Mayfield had a child to graduate from Southwest Dekalb High School. David Campbell is a very good, well respected person. He’s very qualified for the board and the kind of person that everybody wish they had as a next door neighbor.”
Good to hear, I’d love to hear more.
“I’m surprised that Nancy Jester was not replaced with another complaining white woman.”
Is this necessary?
bigbill
March 13th, 2013
3:48 pm
Here is a link to Furman University Professor P.L. Thomas’s education blog:
http://livinglearninginpoverty.blogspot.com/
Disappointed DeKalbite
March 13th, 2013
3:53 pm
I do not know any of the new board members, but they sure look like good choices. Let’s all give them a chance. Most of us do not want to move out of DeKalb County. It is our home, and we want a good school system for all of our children.
Dr. John Trotter
March 13th, 2013
3:56 pm
@ who stands for the children? I simply don’t think that appointed school board members make things better for the students and teachers. Look at Clayton County. It’s much, much worse now since SACS bulldozed its way in like the Soviet Army coming in with tanks into Prague. Much worse. In Clayton County, we have had to picket three times in the last two weeks, including against the interim superintendent, Luvenia Jackson. The school systems begin to think that they are not answerable to the voters and therefore can ignore such laws like the Certified Employee Complaint Statute (O. C. G. A. 20-2-989.5 et seq.). The students get rowdier and more defiant when they see that the teachers no longer have any way to keep them in line. The new SACS-blessed boards and superintendents apparently think that they are above the law and accountable only to SACS.
You may think that it is going to be better in DeKalb. You’re wrong. It will be much worse, although the school board may publicly sit quietly at the table and hold hands, singing “Kum Ba Ya.” The learning conditions will go down precipitously. You are correct in saying that our mantra at MACE has always been, “You cannot have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions.” This is The MACE Law of Teaching. We stand for the children. We know what works. What works is not an appointed school board which thinks that it is not accountable to anyone except the Governor and SACS. These school board members begin to believe their own press releases…and think that the Star of Bethlehem was shining above their heads, that people saw this light, and this is why they were chosen.
By the way, I like the name “Pope Francis I” for the new pope. I also like the fact that he comes from the Americas where about 40% of all Catholics live. The first from the Americas.
Pardon My Blog
March 13th, 2013
3:59 pm
@yourwakeupcall – It was time to do some much needed work on schools that were built in the 1960’s especially with the influx of students from the South. Look at Arabia Mountain and the other High Schools in South DeKalb where all the money had been going to fund the new schools.
Best wishes to the new six Board members! Impressive group. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Thurmond will have a knowledgeable group to work with!
Insider
March 13th, 2013
4:00 pm
Dr. John Trotter: “@ Insider: I am well aware of what the Founders intended. I understand the argument between “democracy” and “republic.” You may want to consult Richard Hofstadter’s American Political Tradition for detailed discussion here. But, are you willing to go back to all of the Founder’s original intent. Do we want to allow the General Assembly to select (not elect) our U. S. Senators? What about just returning to slavery and counting the slave’s a 3/5 of a person for Census purposes? I don’t think so. What proves too much proves nothing at all, “insider”?”
Actually, I would like to revoke the 17th amendment and have the states select our Senators. The goal was to have the House represent the interest of the people… and the Senate represent the interests of the states. As it is now, no one represents the states in Congress.
And you know as well as I do that the reason the whole “3/5th” issue came to be is because that was the only way they could get the slave states to agree to ratify the Constitution.
I’m surprised you can still type considering how tired your arm must be playing the race card as much as you have today.
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
4:04 pm
Nice credentials. Many on here are saying “nice credentials . . . but that doesn’t guarantee a good board.” Yes indeed, but recent board members have demonstrated that “less than nice credentials (trying to be kind) seems to make a crappy board member much more likely.”
Business background. Some are saying this could lead to too much of a business focus & not enough on the classroom. True & not a baseless concern, but it makes it much more likely that they won’t have the superintendent lose $40M in the sofa cushions. And that’s tip of iceberg stuff.
willie lynch
March 13th, 2013
4:08 pm
The letters of this group seems very impressive. They along with Michael Thurmond, I would venture to say, are probably the most accomplished school board in the state. But let’s not forget Georgia’s education has ranked in the bottom 5 of the 50 states for years. Dekalb isn’t all that needs fixing.
sapientia et veritas
March 13th, 2013
4:12 pm
@chamblee dad,
Thank you for recognizing the hate speech against white women. More specifically, the governor failed to appoint someone from the most successful and hardworking group that keeps Dekalb schools running despite all the ineptitude they are forced to deal with- the well-educated, professional, selfless volunteer, stay-at-home mother. There was only one white women and mother on the board and now she is gone. John Coleman has a nice resume but so did Nancy Jester. She also did the heavy lifting and her children were in the schools. Mr. Coleman is expecting his first child. Does anyone really believe that these people are going to understand what is going on in our schools? Do we think they’ll be transparent and responsive to parents?
T-Bone
March 13th, 2013
4:12 pm
To Dr. John Trotter-
Everyone knows you are a demented fraud who’s already single-handedly destroyed the Clayton County school system. Shut up.
OldGrunt
March 13th, 2013
4:16 pm
Great work for the students of DeKalb County by the Governor! Now, let’s see what they can do — working together. The NAACP should BUTT OUT, and attempt to refrain from further embarrassment!
bu2
March 13th, 2013
4:17 pm
“@yourwakeupcall – It was time to do some much needed work on schools that were built in the 1960’s especially with the influx of students from the South. Look at Arabia Mountain and the other High Schools in South DeKalb where all the money had been going to fund the new schools.”
On top of that his claims aren’t right. Its the same nonsense put out by SCW and Dr. Walker. Here’s the link:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/splost-iv
There’s an audit of splost III that gives the cost by school with plenty in South Dekalb. Then there’s splost IV link with the presentation to the board that shows splost IV. And it includes $86 million in area I with only $18 million in Dunwoody. Area II has $106 million, but only $23 million is in the proposed city of Lakeside. Area 3 has $54 million, Area 4 has $39 million and Area V has $87 million. Area 3 and 4 tend to have newer schools, but also had substantial expenditures in splost III (Arabia Mountain for 1). Areas 2 and 5 tend to have the oldest schools. Over half of Area 1 expenditures are for Chamblee HS and there’s been no discussion I’m aware of with Chamblee leaving.
Pardon My Blog
March 13th, 2013
4:19 pm
I personally think this group will be responsive because they know without a doubt that they are under a huge microscope. I think they are fully aware of the task at hand and know that they have alot to lose if they mess up.
Of course the NAACP is not happy and expressing outrage. Perhaps this will show people what a self-serving and race baiting group this is.
catlady
March 13th, 2013
4:21 pm
Is someone off their meds? First Elgart says “too fast” then he applauds the selection?
No meeting till next week? ISN’T THIS IMPORTANT?!?
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
4:26 pm
@ sepientia et veritas I was really trying to point no need to bring race/gender into this at every turn. I liked Jester, voted for her, looks like Coleman could be good as well.
“Does anyone really believe that these people are going to understand what is going on in our schools? Do we think they’ll be transparent and responsive to parents?”
As Maureen listed above some do or have had children in DCSS. Will they be transparent? I suspect so, we’ll know soon enough. Responsive to parents? Will take a little more time. For now I want them to be engaged with the super. & getting to work, they have 1000 things to fix. Time for some heavy lifting by them. As a parent they can address my immediate concerns by doing just that.
I do more than respect stay-at-home moms, married to one, she amazes me everyday.
Melanie
March 13th, 2013
4:28 pm
DKB WHEN IS DR. SPEAKS GOING TO KEEP HER WORD TO THE STATE BOARD OF ED. AND RESIGN ALONG WITH JESTER , who announced that she WAS going to RESIGN! Surely, they won’t continue to draw salaries on the taxpayers backs!
Mary Elizabeth
March 13th, 2013
4:31 pm
@ bigbill, 3:41 pm
“I found Ms. Rich’s quote on an education blog website maintained by Furman University education professor P.L. Thomas whose book, ‘Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. – The Corporate Takeover of Public Education,’ addresses many of the poverty vs. public school education concerns which, as our fellow commenter Mary Elizabeth also believes, to a great extent underly the discussions here about the DeKalb School System and most public school systems across the country”
=============================================
Yes, bigbill, you have correctly identified one of my educational concerns. For instance, I learned, last evening, on “The Ed Show” with Ed Schultz, that board members of several school districts throughout the nation have been replaced by Republican governors. I have often posted on this blog how educational trends in this state are seen reflected in the same educational trends occurring throughout the nation. Moreover, I have shown how, often, this phenomenon is not by coincidence.
I certainly wish the new DeKalb County Board of Education members well in the enormous task that they willingly undertaken. I hope that they are successful in sustaining the DeKalb County School System’s accreditation. I posted my remarks, today, so that the public might be aware of possibilities that might, or might not, materialize over time. There is so much more to educating our young than educating them primarily for a job market which will serve the self-interests and corporate vision of the wealthy CEOs in our nation.
Please watch the video on the Inequality of Wealth Distribution in America, which I am posting below. I think you, and other readers, will be stunned by the facts therein. This video must be viewed in full to take in the full impact of these facts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM
Dunwoody Parent
March 13th, 2013
4:34 pm
According to the FEC. John Coleman of Invesco / Atlanta donated $500 to the Mitt Romney Election campaign in 2012. So it’s obvious where he is aligned. let’s hope that his Dekalb County School board work doesn’t turn out as badly as his support for Romney.
MACE is tiny & third-rate
March 13th, 2013
4:36 pm
While others whine or self-promote—the rest of us hope the new board leads DeKalb in a new direction.
Any new direction would be upward from the status quo.
Fred ™
March 13th, 2013
4:39 pm
Any word on how much the winning bid was worth? Did the other 5 have to pay the crooked Governor the same or was there a scale? Will they have to give him a percentage off the top of the contracts they sign?
Atlanta Media Guy
March 13th, 2013
4:43 pm
Maureen, Are folks allowed to broadcast addresses on the blog!!!! I know folks can google names, but to allow to have someone type an address of a public servant on this thread, seems irresponsible to me. Just an opinion.
Georgia coach
March 13th, 2013
4:46 pm
John you are doing a better job sticking to the issues as opposed to merely engaging in shameless self promotion.
bu2
March 13th, 2013
4:49 pm
“Maureen, Are folks allowed to broadcast addresses on the blog!!!! I know folks can google names, but to allow to have someone type an address of a public servant on this thread, seems irresponsible to me. Just an opinion”
I’ll 2nd AMG’s opinion. Can you delete that comment? Its tough enough to get people to serve (that you would like to serve).
Pardon My Blog
March 13th, 2013
4:51 pm
@Fred – um, really? was that necessary?
Starik
March 13th, 2013
4:51 pm
This is fascinating. Deal, or the people who advised him, did it right. Race can’t be ignored, sadly, and only a majority black board can remove incompetents without a strident playing of the race card by the people who are removed.
Dr. John Trotter
March 13th, 2013
5:00 pm
@ Insider: I see that you didn’t answer the 3/5 question but instead chose to attack me. Ha! OK. No problem. I knew that would not be able to answer it…and it goes to blow your whole contention apart. The original intent was indeed to simply count the slaves as 3/5 of a person for the Census purposes. Should we go back to that? Why do you want to observe the “pass over” on this question? You just seem to want to pass right over on this and engage in an okey-doke type attack. “You’re playing the race card!” No, I am just stating the obvious and you jump up and down and scream “race!” There is a difference in playing the race card and simply pitching a fast ball right across the plate. Talking about race is not playing the race card. Using your logic, the U. S. Supreme Court could never have talked about race in the Dred Scott decision (1857), the Plessy decision (1895), or the Brown decision (1954). Insider, I have found that white people want to think about race and talk about it privately but get real nervous, nasty, and defensive when it is brought up in a public forum like this. Or, some posters want to put forth a lot of racist spiel (and fortunately, Maureen catches this). But, an open and frank discussion about race is a “no no.” You know what I am talking about…like why the Cobb County School Board is allowed to have 57 closed, illegal school board meetings without SACS doing anything? Or, why the superintendent in Gwinnett is allowed to NOT report 45,000 serious disciplinary incidents to the State, which is required by law?
I have more to say (to the chagrin of many) but have yet to make it to the restaurant. I am hungry!
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
5:04 pm
@AMG I agree. When I was responding to Bernie that Coleman was certainly from district 1, I googled him, but didn’t post an address, other than Brookhaven. Even after Maureen said it, he wouldn’t drop it, so I think some people just got tired of the fact he wouldn’t let it go until someone “proved it.” I agree, not cool. You can find just about anyone these days in 3 minutes or less (I did), but not everything should be posted in here just because you can. I recently told someone here where to find me if they wanted to – HEY never heard back from you PSDAD. But I “outed” myself.
What I said, which I considered OK & enough to answer the question:
“I believe Coleman lives in the new Brookhaven, formally unincorporated DeKalb. Not throwing out street addresses. If I’m wrong on that someone will correct me. So address would have recently been “Atlanta.” My home is in recently-annexed Chamblee 30341, my office in Dunwoody 30338, but I still use Atlanta on both, if zip is right, mail gets there. You really think they wouldn’t check that? Perhaps you should stop looking for picky reasons to complain about people you obviously don’t know. Pretty quick to smell a huge rat.”
Tommy
March 13th, 2013
5:06 pm
I didn’t see “Dr.” Trotter’s name on the list of those persons who were interviewed. I guess that’s why he is complaining so loudly.
Fred ™
March 13th, 2013
5:07 pm
Pardon My Blog
March 13th, 2013
4:51 pm
@Fred – um, really? was that necessary?
+++++++++++++++++++++
Ummmmmm YES. He’s a thief who resigned his seat in Congress to escape being brought up on ethics violations. He has channeled money to his daughters clandestine business. Remember his motel deal? The list is endless. To think he’s not selling these seats like he sells everything else is laughable.
How do you think he got elected? He owed so much money and had resigned from Congress that his debtors had to see him elected Governor to get their money back.
I cant’ help it you are naive.
Maureen Downey
March 13th, 2013
5:08 pm
@Bu2, Took out addresses but that is public record so it is a more symbolic action on my part than anything of substance. That info is accessible in about 12 seconds for any of us.
Maureen
paulo977
March 13th, 2013
5:09 pm
Dr John Trotter …”You may think that it is going to be better in DeKalb. You’re wrong. It will be much worse, although the school board may publicly sit quietly at the table and hold hands, singing “Kum Ba Ya.” The learning conditions will go down precipitously. You are correct in saying that our mantra at MACE has always been, “You cannot have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions”
____________________________________________________
I think ,that is what the DEAL is !!! Only some will be able to afford some learning , while the real Higher Order Learning thinking of course is not in the plan!
marm
March 13th, 2013
5:12 pm
@yourwakeupcall – you obviously believe the nonsense you wrote. Guess you didn’t hear about the fraud that went on in the construction department related to schools being built and remodeled in the southern part of the county. Have you ever heard about Crawford Lewis and Pat Pope?
Maureen Downey
March 13th, 2013
5:12 pm
@To all DeKalb Schools is correcting two pieces of information from the governor’s office on candidates.
Karen Carter does not have kids in the schools and is not a member of the PTSA in Lakeside. Have alerted governor’s office to errors in their info.
Maureen
skipper
March 13th, 2013
5:14 pm
Amazing how true progress can be made when imbeciles and incompetent self-serving buffoons are gone. Watch and see, this will be the best move possible but the NAACP will poo-poo it. After all if you are black, you are allowed (encouraged) to be corrupt and to “keep it real”..as long as you only look after your own (as far as the NAACP is concerned.) If the organization truly cared, putting qualified people in would be a pre-requisite!!
bu2
March 13th, 2013
5:31 pm
@Maureen
Yes, but when its easy vastly more people will take advantage of it. These people do deserve some privacy.
Dire Straits in DeKalb
March 13th, 2013
5:34 pm
I’m a resident of DeKalb with three children who FORMERLY attended DCSS as well as CSD. Soon I will be a non-resident and I can’t wait to leave! I don’t know any of the past or present Board members personally, but I know some of their records and tawdry images. Of course there are shenanigans going on! Since relocating here seven years ago, I’ve honestly been astounded at the amount of BLATANT mismanagement, thievery, nepotism, cronyism, etc. that goes on here. I’m from a southern state as well, but this is surreal.
I would love to see a movement towards citizen-controlled systems in Georgia. Its seems that apathy and posturing mean more than kicking a## and takin’ names. I can’t quite believe that most of the citizenry is not just plain ANGRY and ready to get rid of the whole lot, Burrell Ellis included!
The DCPD is also corrupt and feeds off the backs of the poor while protecting few. They are thugs just like heathens that hang out on Candler, Columbia, Memorial and anywhere else they’re allowed to bring down property values.
Y’all need to CLEAN HOUSE! I considered becoming further invested in this county, but I have a greater responsibility to my children. Even they know that a takeover by the Governor is NOT progress! Nor is it the will of the people.
There are very many tides churning and storms brewing in DeKalb. I observe very well and as a practice. I really wanted to make my stake here, but I will not suffer fools and babies. Fools who think they can use their position as a personal stepping stone and babies who cry about everything yet do nothing!
This is not the end my dear Decaturites! Please brace for rough weather ahead because unbeknownst to most of you, the ship is half sunk already!!!!!
Dr. Trotter and some others who’ve commented here are not completely wrong. There are MAJOR moves being made, played and executed right in our midst. How can those who know nothing of the REAL issues of the day in DeKalb make informed decisions? How can the citizens expect informed decisions to be made when they do not communicate their needs/demands in an effective manner?
Someone is making decisions and taking action for an unnamed coalition. The intent of SACS and Governor Deal is not to “save our schools/children”. Their intent is to make DeKalb appear incompetent in most of its administrative functions as a county on the WHOLE. They are making neighborhoods into so-called cities and using these orchestrated scandals to justify lots of things.
How many of you are aware that they are closing Avondale High and re-opening Avondale Middle as some sort of Theme/Charter High School. Oh yeah, they have already re-opened Forest Hills Elem. (formerly closed due to low enrollment in 2009) as the new site for the Museum School of Avondale Charter/Theme(Elem.) It took the people of Avondale just over 4 years to literally form a new school system for their fake-a## city. These schools housed majority black children a few years ago and now they’ve turned them into schools that will mainly serve white children. This is but one example of the maneuvers that are being made in DeKalb to lower property values, discourage new business and then sweep in later and claim to “save the day” by taking over.
It seems unconstitutional to me. There should have been an emergency vote or something. The bottom line is that most don’t even care if SACS has it facts straight and is following guidelines itself. I’ve heard that the allegations had not been substantiated against the ousted Board members. Either way, there is too much ridiculousness going on on both sides! If the Governor is so concerned about what goes on in DeKalb, why must he get all his info from SACS and the AJC? Why is there not a taskforce to investigate the entire inadequate educational system that is the DOE of Georgia! It is a disgrace to the intelligent, beautiful folks of Georgia to be denied what is theirs! Free college tuition will NOT make up for the foundation of an adequate grade school education. The Hope Grant will do you no good if you don’t graduate or can’t pass college entrance exams! WAKE UP GEORGIA, RAISE YOUR STANDARDS!
DeKalb is very much desirable and distinctive in its’ variety. It has much to offer those who have something to offer it. Maybe I’ll buy cheap and hold til the storm is over. I can move back after all the debris has been cleared out! I wish you all Godspeed because you’re truly gonna need it. The takeover was just that AND they hid behind our children to do it! TAKE BACK YOUR COUNTY NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!
indigo
March 13th, 2013
5:45 pm
According to the below attachment, blacks make up about 55% of DeKalb’s population.
So, why is the new School Board almost all black?
http://www.placesofusa.com/georgia/dekalb-county/
Atlanta Media Guy
March 13th, 2013
5:56 pm
Coleman lives in Brookhaven. He is close to Kittredge Magnet and is in the Montgomery Elementary, Chamblee Middle, Chamblee Charter High School district! My wife and I are looking forward to meeting him.
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
6:01 pm
@AMG Ditto on Coleman.
Chamblee Dad
March 13th, 2013
6:06 pm
@dire straits It appears your aluminum foil helmet is malfunctioning. Spin 3 times counterclockwise, then hop on your left foot while holding you nose for 20 seconds. That should reset it. If not you might need a hard re-boot.
dekalbite
March 13th, 2013
6:07 pm
DeKalb Schools needs a new pictures and an update of the BOE members:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/board-of-education
Ella
March 13th, 2013
6:09 pm
The replacements look great.
I do not think anyone can complain regarding these replacements.
I am so hopeful for the future of the DeKalb County School System and our county. I think we all must look for the positive and give these school board members and Mr. Thurman the support they need.
Concerned
March 13th, 2013
6:13 pm
@ Julia…be realistic. Do you know every aspect of education? I doubt it. If they are not familiar with SWD, does that mean they cannot be critical thinkers, good decision makers, and good advocates for students in DeKalb? I never taught a homeless child but I know several students who have just as, if not more devasting events in their lives. Not teaching a homeless student doesn’t make me any less effective in my role of education.
Concerned
March 13th, 2013
6:15 pm
To all of the nay sayers…did any of you apply? If you aren’t trying to be part of the solution, the least you can do is stop being part of the problem!
DeKalb Inside Out
March 13th, 2013
6:31 pm
Now that our new board members have been sworn in, let’s get to business.
Can somebody post the contact information for these people? We have been without a board for a while and the business of the board does not wait.
Item 1 – When can we expect the Interim Superintendent to be replaced with a Permanent Superintendent?
Thanks,
DIO
Caligari
March 13th, 2013
6:42 pm
Do any of these have children in the Dekalb system?
Until these people have skin in the game (i.e., their own kids’ futures) I think the system can corrupt even good people.
The other things:
Total Transparency
ALL meetings should be broadcast. Nothing “behind closed doors:.
ALL contracts with vendors, contractors, Board members, and upper administration should be posted online BEFORE they are offered the job.
That’s OUR money that is being spent.
We need to know how and where it is being spent.