Category Archives: LCBOE 2011-10-04

Let the Chamber attend cocktail parties —Dan Davis @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011



Dan Davis suggested letting professional educators deal with education
and let the Chamber attend cocktail parties.
That got a big round of applause.

First he established his credentials in business and education:
20 year veteran of CPIE and of the Chamber of Commerce;
has businesses in many countries, but chooses to live here.
Having seen the world and many educational systems,
he thinks:

This consolidation is really a bad issue; very very bad.

He thinks consolidation proponents are

very misinformed and very misguided.

He invited CUEE and Chamber members to join him and

Jerome Tucker
in Community Partners in Education (CPIE).

Here’s

Part 1 of 2:

Continue reading →

Consolidation: A Financial Puzzle —Dr. Troy Davis @ LCBOE 4 October 2011

Dr. Troy Davis spelled out where we are financially in the school systems,
and what consolidation would do to that: it would raise taxes and reduce services.



He took CUEE’s own figures for how much more consolidation would require
to be spent per each Valdosta City school student, and demonstrated that
not only would that require raising taxes for both Valdosta and Lowndes
County residents to near the state-capped maximum of 21 mils, but even
then there is no way enough tax revenue would be generated to pay for all
the things CUEE proposes to do after consolidation, and probably not even
enough taxes to continue employing all the teachers currently employed
by the two school systems. Oh, plus consolidation would lose state and
federal grant money by increasing the composite school system size, so the
local taxpayers would have to make up that slack, too.

Here are his
slides.

Here is
a playlist.

-jsq

Telling the truth –Supt. Steve Smith @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011



Lowndes Superintendent Steve Smith explained what the Forum was about:

  1. To support the Valdosta school system, which is fighting for its very existence.
    If Lowndes School system did not support them, that would be
    misinterpreted as being against them.
  2. To provide you with the truth about consolidation.

Here are
his slides.

Here’s

Part 1 of 3:




Telling the truth —Supt. Steve Smith @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011 Part 1 of 3:

Why we oppose consolidation,

Community Forum, Lowndes County Board of Education (LCBOE),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 4 October 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.



He pointed out
consolidation would raise taxes,
would reduce school services,
and would not address the basic issue facing local education,
which is poverty.

Here’s

Part 2 of 3:

Continue reading →

People who look like you or people to do a job? —Jerome Tucker @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011

Jerome Tucker continued talking about his experience, including at Griffin Industries,
and said:



You looking for people who look like you or are you looking for people to do a job?

He elaborated:

If you pay enough, I’ll find you people to work.
That’s a lie: you can’t find people to work in a business.
That’s a lie.

He talked about his experience with other schools and the local schools.
About business development:

I use the school systems.

He concluded:

If you live outside the city limits, call somebody in the city limits,
and please, please vote no.

[Applause]

Here’s

the video:




People who look like you or people to do a job? —Jerome Tucker @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011

Why we oppose consolidation,

Community Forum, Lowndes County Board of Education (LCBOE),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 4 October 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

How will you know what’s going on in school if you don’t go in? —Jerome Tucker @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011

Former chair of
Community Partners in Education (CPIE) Jerome Tucker continued:



Three weeks ago, at JL Lomax, I had lunch at Southeast Elementary Community
Partners in Education.
I didn’t see a Chamber […] person there; I didn’t see a CUEE member there.
How in the world are you going to know what’s going on in school
if you don’t go in?

[Applause]

He pointed out what most children want:

Continue reading →

I have never, never, been asked whether I’ve got one system or two —Jerome Tucker

Jerome Tucker has experience in all the major local business organizations
and with both the local school systems.
He used to be the chair of the Community Partners in Education (CPIE)
that a CUEE board member had never heard of.
He is the voice of experience, and here’s what he said:



You told me not to cheerlead, but I’ve got the mic in my hand.

I don’t have the right to vote, but I’m encouraging
everybody to vote no.
I have friends in the city.
Call them; tell them to vote no.

[Applause.]

This is too important an issue in our community not to lead a cheer.

Then he established his personal credentials, stated the truth as he knows
it, and issue a challenge.

First he bragged on the local school systems:

Somebody’s supposed to be about business thinks we don’t have what it takes
to compete;
somebody make a statement, and I’m an old country boy.
My granny told me things that are said are the truth or a lie.
The things I say … this afternoon are what I’ve experienced.

That’s what I call a primary source.
He discussed other places that brag on our school systems, then:

I challenge anybody to have been as involved as consistently and as long as I have
in business and community development in and around Valdosta and Lowndes County.
I’ve served as chairman of the Industrial Authority.
I’ve served as chairman of the Tourism Authority.
I’ve served as chairman of the Valdosta Technical Board of Education.
I’ve been on the superintendent’s council of schools.
A member of CPIE since its inception.
I challenge anyone….

What’s the challenge?

Continue reading →

We educators were ignored back then —John Wayne Baxter

Received today on

LCBOE did its homework about consolidation. -jsq



Hey John, I appreciate your summary of the latest meeting on
consolidation. I was on the Chamber sponsored consolidation committee
back in 1993-94. The same folks pushing the effort then are pushing it
now. Back then, nothing about improving education was ever mentioned;
it was all about banking and real estate. Only two educators back then
were on the committee, the two superintendents from the school systems,
and we were never asked our opinions on anything. We were totally ignored.

Yes, we educators were ingored back then and there is no doubt in my
mind that this group pushing for consolidation is ignoring opinions of
educators now. I believe the “dollar bill” mentality of a handful of
folks is the driving force behind this effort, and I don’t mean the tax
payers. Of course, this is just my opinion; I could be wrong.

We have two excellent school systems now in one county. Here is the method
that I propose for a merger: if and when one of our school systems gets
to a point where it cannot provide quality education for it’s students,
let that school system’s school board approach the other school board
and begin discussions on consolidation or some other remedy. Why
should some bank or real estate company be the driving force behind
consolidation. Maybe kids should be put ahead of lining the pockets of a
few business owners. And the most important thing to remember about this
action is: once Valdosta gives up the charter for it’s school system,
it’s over and done with; good or bad, it’s over; Valdosta can never get
it back. Think about that!

Everyone please note the usual

LAKE blog submissions policy.
Also, if you like what LAKE is doing, please go to the
LAKE facebook page and Like that page.

-jsq

LCBOE did its homework about consolidation, 5 October 2011

Unlike

consolidation proponents,
the Lowndes County Board of Education did its homework,


showed it to us all, and could answer questions,
all demonstrating that school consolidation would not improve education,
would increase expenses and taxes, and far from bringing in more industry
would probably drive some away by reducing the quality of education.

Tuesday evening, going beyond

the research it had already published,


Dr. Troy Davis took CUEE’s own figures for how much more consolidation would
require to be spent per each Valdosta City school student,
and demonstrated that not only would that

require raising taxes for both
Valdosta and Lowndes County residents to near the state-capped maximum
of 21 mils, but even then there is no way enough tax revenue would be
generated to pay for all the things CUEE proposes to do after consolidation,
and probably not even enough taxes to continue employing all the teachers
currently employed by the two school systems.
Oh, plus consolidation would lose state and federal grant money by
increasing the composite school system size, so the local taxpayers
would have to make up that slack, too.

Jerome Tucker, on fire as a cheerleader, spelled out his life-long

Continue reading →

Why We Oppose Consolidation —Lowndes County Schools

From their website:

Lowndes County Schools will be hosting a forum entitled Why We
Oppose Consolidation on October 4, 2011 at 7:00pm in the Lowndes High
Cafeteria. All community members invited to attend.

Some people have been confused by LCBOE’s image version of this meeting announcement:


The meeting starts at 7PM on the fourth of October, which is Tuesday.

They’ve also put the LCBOE resolution
online in plain text.


Here’s the earlier LAKE transcription from our

video of Supt. Smith reading the resolution.
Here are
videos of that entire LCBOE meeting,
including

the unanimous vote to adopt the resolution.

-jsq