Subject: Fw: The Repeal of Ga. Law on School Consolidation
To: [many people]
Friends,
Even though we the Citizens of Valdosta have spoken and defeated that
hostile takeover, this is not the time to let up. We all must stay a
vigilant as possible and never let anything like this happen again.
One way in which everyone in Valdosta and Lowndes can make a impact is
to write a letter to Amy Carter, Admin. Floor Leader to the Governor,
and ask for her to introduce a bill to repeal the old 1928 law that
Cuee was able to use.
Remind Amy that she has an obligation to bring this bill to the floor.
Remind her that the people
Bicycles are going to be a big part of our future.
Gas prices, and a lot of folks getting
their licenses suspended, having to walk….
And if you don’t have a bicycle, that’s the only choice you have.
He mentioned Valdosta was lagging behind Portland.
Sam Allen offered his head as a
crystal ball.
Dr. Smith replied it wasn’t clear enough.
Everybody laughed at that as this video started, in which Allen, president of
Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS), and former
superintendent of Valdosta City Schools, asked several
questions, most of which Dr. Smith would have had to have had
a crystal ball to answer.
The questions included what will happen to certain programs,
and what will happen to Valdosta School SPLOST funds.
Lowndes County School System Attorney Warren Turner did clarify a bit of what
would happen if consolidation passes:
If consolidation occurs, there is no such thing as the Valdosta
City School System, from the date the Georgia Secretary of State approves it.
Once they certify the election, there is no
central office of the Valdosta City School System.
There is a property located on William Street that is part of the
Lowndes County School System….
The real question is where would the funds desginated for those facilities go,
and can you even spend it?
Tax Commissioner doesn’t know; Attorney General doesn’t know; and we don’t know.
A local dentist asked the Lowndes County School Board and staff:
Two little girls, one is ten and in the county,
another is three and will be going to the county.
When me and my wife moved into this area,
we spent a lot of time
deciding where we wanted to live mainly based upon
based on schools, and the schools’ records; where we wanted our girls to go.
If consolidation goes through, who will be deciding where our little girls
go to school?
Supt. Smith said the Lowndes County Board of Education would make the
initial decision, but it would have to be approved by the Department of
Justice,
and we all know what that might be.
I’d rather control it locally.
George Rhynes complimented Ashley Paulk for having provided
information about people in jail when Paulk was Sheriff,
and noted that unfortunately that had not been the case since.
He asked if someone could point him to where he could get such
information.
Chairman Paulk reminded him that the Sheriff is a constitutional
officer, and the Commission did not direct him.
George Rhynes responded:
Everywhere I go, I hear that.
I go to Brooks County, and they inform me of the same thing.
Chairman Paulk noted:
… by state law.
They agreed on that, and George said he thought nonetheless:
Seems like somebody in the state of Georgia would know how to get that information,
if it is open.
Two attorneys brought a point into the light that CUEE doesn’t like to talk about:
bussing is a natural consequence of consolidation.
That was stated by the attorney for the Lowndes County School System,
Warren Turner, 4 October 2011.
Roy Copeland brought up some names from the past: Mrs. Copeland
or Mrs. Adams, and the newscasters Huntley and Brinkley.
He then asked about the consent decree on desegregation from back in that era:
Has anyone given any thoughts to the issues relative to the consentdecreee,
desegregation, and the realignment of school districts relative to
the Voting Rights Act 1965 preclearance, and all those other issues.
Lowndes County Schools Attorney Warren Turner answered the question,
after Roy Copeland mentioned they were neighbors.
The answer was basically that there would be a hearing before November 8th.
Hm, I wonder what happened with that?
As far as what happens if consolidation is approved by the Valdosta voters,
he said, among other things:
So the concept of a neighborhood school, where everybody stays where they are,
is not going to happen in my opinion, because the federal government is
not going to allow that to happen.
George Rhynes tied together parents, jobs, Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act, and local education at the
VBOE 25 October 2011 open forum.
His question:
If we are concerned about our children really getting an education,
better be concerned about equal employment
and getting federal funds,
so these parents get their equal share of the jobs,
in the community….
I’m talking about the qualified parents
that apply for jobs in this area and some of you know they don’t get them.
Right outside of Palms Quad there’s a free speech thing,
but, as you can see, uh…. [gestures around]
[laughter]
You know, like I said.
If someone’s violating the law here, and creating a dangerous situation
by, uh, physically disrupting the students or faculty, that’s one thing,
we deal with that….
But if it’s, even this gnat, we will allow this gnat to….
The
Lowndes County resolution
does not say that a public hearing was held.
That’s because no public hearing was held, as you can see in the video below.
A public hearing was listed in the
agenda
of the 11 October 2011 Regular Session of the
Lowndes County Commission.
7. Public Hearing
a. REZ-2011-13, Fred’s Dept. Store, 4401 Bemiss Rd., 145c-90a, 2.0 ac.,
water/sewer, C-H(c) & C- G(c) to C-G
b. Greater Lowndes 2030 Comprehensive Plan Updates – Lowndes County Report of
Accomplishments (ROA) and Short Term Work Program (STWP)
However, citizens were not invited to speak for or against the document.
In fact, the document was not provided to the citizens for comment and an
open records request for the document has not been satisfied by the county.
Here is
video of items 7a and 7b.
