Category Archives: Education

5.a. has common sense prevailed over precedent? —Robert Yost @ VCC 25 August 2011

Council Robert Yost wondered could the council have voted down the city school system’s millage? The City Attorney said they were required to vote on it but could have voted it down (I think that’s what he meant). The mayor noted again that a vote against the petitioned referendum would probably cost the city more money. See for yourself.

Here’s the video:


5.a. has common sense prevailed over precedent? –Robert Yost @ VCC 25 August 2011
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

5.a. petition for school referendum —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011

Council Tim Carroll noted citizens have a right to petition their government according to the Georgia Constitution, and wondered if it would be “against the Constitution” for the council to deny such a petition. City Attorney Talley noted that the language of a legal precedent says the council shall. The mayor noted there could be frivolous petitions such as to change the name of Friday to Thursday, that wouldn’t require affirmation, but the state has certain guidelines, and school systems especially fall under those guidelines.

Here’s the video:


5.a. petition for school referendum —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

School consolidation ordinance introduction @ VCC 25 August 2011

Valdosta City Council began a protracted debate about a school consolidation referendum, starting with Mayor Fretti, Attorney Talley, and Council Sonny Vickers.

Mayor Fretti introduced the topic.

Here’s Part 1 of 2:


School consolidation ordinance introduction @ VCC 25 August 2011 Part 1 of 2:
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Attorney Talley announced that enough registered voters petitioned for the referendum. He also read from a Georgia Supreme Court case that indicated that the council more or less had to approve the referendum.

Sonny Vickers asked what would happen if council did not approve it. Continue reading →

Tonight: school consolidation referendum vote at Valdosta City Council

Now that CUEE got its 95 signatures more than 25% for a school consolidation referendum, the Valdosta City Council votes tonight on this item which has been added to their agenda:
5.a) Consideration of an Ordinance for a referendum to allow citizens of the City of Valdosta to vote on whether to annul and repeal the special independent school system so that the City of Valdosta public school system shall become part of the Lowndes County public school system.
This appears to be a pro-forma vote to put the referendum on the ballot. But you never know what might happen, especially in council comments or Citizens to Be Heard. Maybe FVCS will show up.

Thanks to Barbara Stratton for the heads-up.

Here’s the agenda.

AMENDED AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, August 25, 2011
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Continue reading →

The Happening is today

One of the biggest events around here is on the VSU front lawn today: The Happening. I would post VSU’s description, but I went to their page on it and all I got was this picture:

It’s not on VSU’s facebook page, either.

The VDT doesn’t have it listed in its Community Calendar.

Even Jane Osborn doesn’t have it in her Community Calendar.

Well, I hear that it’s elevenish to threeish. I hope somebody told the students.

-jsq

Qualifying for local city elections is next week

The VDT editorialized yesterday:
On Monday, qualifying week begins for candidates interested in running in the November election for Valdosta Mayor, City Council At Large and Council Districts 1, 3, and 5; Hahira City Council Districts 2 and 3; City of Dasher Post 3 and 4; City of Lake Park Mayor and four council positions; Remerton Mayor and five council seats; Valdosta School Board Districts 4, 5, and 6.
The VDT points out that city elections usually don’t get much turnout, but this year there are two referendum questions on the ballot that may cause record turnout. They are: Continue reading →

Private prisons unaccountable —ACLU

Found on the ACLU blog of rights.

Azadeh Shahshahani wrote for the AJC 11 June 2009, Private prisons for immigrants lack accountability, oversight

On March 11, a 39-year-old man held in detention at the Stewart Detention Center, a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in southwest Georgia, died at a hospital in Columbus.
That’s in Lumpkin, west of Americus, south of Columbus.
To this day, the immediate cause of Roberto Martinez Medina’s death remains unclear (a press release pronounced the cause of death as “apparent natural causes”).

Last month, Leonard Odom, 37, died at the Wheeler County Correctional Facility in south-central Georgia.

That’s in Alamo, GA, between Macon, Tifton, and Savannah.
Both facilities are operated by Corrections Corp. of America, which has a contract with the Department of Homeland Security to operate the Stewart center and one with the Georgia Department of Corrections to operate the one in Wheeler County.
So, what happened? Continue reading →

Why is Finland at the top of the world in education?

Attention to weak students. Status and autonomy for teachers. Educators running the show, not business people. All this creates a real educated workforce.

Lynnell Hancock wrote for Smithsonian Magazine September 2011, Why Are Finland’s Schools Successful? Here’s a clue:

“Children from wealthy families with lots of education can be taught by stupid teachers,” Louhivuori said, smiling. “We try to catch the weak students. It’s deep in our thinking.”
So what do they do? Drill the weak students on test questions? Nope: Continue reading →

CUEE filed enough petitions for a referendum

Less than one percent of the registered voters in Valdosta have made the difference between CUEE’s school consolidation petition getting on the ballot and not.

According to the City of Valdosta’s website 19 August 2011: Continue reading →

Alabama bishops criticize ALEC’s immigration law

Some churches actually speak in public on what they profess to believe.

Campbell Robertson wrote for the New York Times 13 August 2011, Bishops Criticize Tough Alabama Immigration Law


Josh Anderson for the New York Times
CULLMAN, Ala. —On a sofa in the hallway of his office here, Mitchell Williams, the pastor of First United Methodist Church, announced that he was going to break the law. He is not the only church leader making such a declaration these days.

Since June, when Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican, signed an immigration enforcement law called the toughest in the country by critics and supporters alike, the opposition has been vocal and unceasing.

Thousands of protesters have marched. Anxious farmers

Continue reading →