Category Archives: VBOE 2011-08-29

Where was CUEE at the school board meetings?

If “unification” is about education, where was CUEE at the last two days’ school board meetings?

Maybe we’ll see CUEE at some of the three forums VBOE is organizing. Maybe they’ll address issues such as consolidation producing no improvement in academic achievement, consolidation causing increased taxpayer expense, and the need for any consolidation proposal to come from educators and parents, and to be voted on by all the citizens in the affected school districts; you know, the issues LCBOE just called them on.

-jsq

The most damaging useless thing —Craig Cardella @ VBOE 29 August 2011

Craig Cardella said his wife Anne was a current Valdosta City Schools teacher and former Teacher of the year, and he was a former city manager who had done community development all his life.
I can tell you without doubt this is the most damaging useless thing I’ve seen proposed in many many years. This will do more damage to our community than just about anything I can think of short of a hurricane running through the middle of town. It will damage both the county and the city school systems severely. It will hinder the growth of the education of our children. It will cause chaos among the city and county school staffs, both of which are like this, because a lot of times they’re the same people.

Here’s the video:


The most damaging useless thing —Craig Cardell @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

More transcription; he’s just getting to the best parts: Continue reading

Celebrate the leadership that the BOEs have shown. —Karen Noll

Received yesterday on Unanimous: LCBOE votes to oppose school consolidation. -jsq
This is truly a time for educators, and the families of students in our communities’ schools to celebrate the leadership that the BOEs have shown.

That said, I would like to commend the LCBOE on the strength of their resolution. They not only state clearly that consolidating the schools would not increase in academic achievement, but a large tax increase would be expected. Another point that LCBOE included in their resolution is that such a referendum should only be brought by citizens, families, or educators. Jame Wright also made this point in his statement to city council last week. Without the support of the educators involved, and the families impacted, such a referendum question is just a big buck political agenda on the ballot.

This town is still small enough to call this spade – money trying to drive the education bus into the ditch.

Let me just say this-

NOT WITH MY KIDS’ EDUCATION, YOU DON’T!!!

Consolidation won’t improve education so I see no need for it ever —John S. Quarterman @ VBOE 29 August 2011

I see nothing in consolidation that would improve education, so I see no need for it ever.

I got to the VBOE meeting really early, so I was the first to sign up to speak. My main topic was to praise the Valdosta Board of Education for putting their agendas online in web-readable form (rather than entombed in PDF as so many other organizations do).

Here’s the video:


Consolidation won’t improve education so I see no need for it ever —John S. Quarterman @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I.

Later I also complimented the chair for having one of those rare objects, a clock on the wall where everyone can see it so they can know how long they’ve spoken already.

Thanks, George, for the compliments in the information on your YouTube video. You were blogging long before LAKE. Everyone please look at George’s blog, K.V.C.I. Keeping Valdosta Citizens Informed.

-jsq

The school systems don’t want to consolidate —WALB

Jade Bulecza wrote for WALB today, School systems oppose consolidation
Two south Georgia School systems don’t want to consolidate.
Hm, they noticed yesterday’s VBOE meeting with its statement and today’s LCBOE meeting with its resolution.

Almost as interesting is what they don’t mention. CUEE is not named; it’s just “a citizen group”. And there’s no mention that both meetings were full of FVCS people opposing consolidation, and not one single CUEE member willing to speak up for it. Less than two months ago, both WALB and WCTV named both groups and used words like “Talks Heat Up” (WALB) and “Showdown” (WCTV). What’s changed, TV media?

-jsq

FVCS @ VBOE 29 August 2011

You can see them inside during during the reading of the statement and after the vote. Many of them spoke during Citizens to be Heard; video to come of that. Here they are outside afterwards:

-jsq

VBOE voting to oppose school consolidation 29 August 2011

The Valdosta Board of Education voted tonight 8 to 1 for a statement opposing school system consolidation.

As she said she would, Jeana Beeland voted no. That’s eight to one for the statement against school consolidation.

Here’s the video:


VBOE voting to oppose school consolidation
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Why I’m going to vote against the motion —Jeana Beeland @ VBOE 29 August 2011

A motion and a second were heard on the statement just read by Vanassa Flucas. Jeana Beeland spoke up, talking about how proud she was of the school system and how it has grown; she went to VHS; her children are in the system, and “I know it’s serving them well”.
And my greatest fear is that I will come to you so biased because I know that the school systems not consolidating for the next few years is what’s best for my child….

More transcription after the video:


Why I’m going to vote against the motion —Jeana Beeland @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

But there are so many people involved in this issue…. And I
Continue reading

Valdosta School Board statement against school consolidation

Chairman Lee asked Vanassa Flucas to read the statement the board was about to vote on regarding school system consolidation:
The Valdosta City School Board opposes consolidating the Valdosta City and Lowndes County school systems at this time. The board feels that a decision to merge the two systems should be a collaboratively planned effort between the two school boards, the citizens of both the city and the county, along with those who have the best interest in educating all the children of our area.
Statement text continued after the video:


Valdosta School Board statement against school consolidation
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

The Valdosta City School Board is proud of our school system. We have an organization that
Continue reading

VBOE voted to oppose school consolidation

The Valdosta Board of Education voted tonight 8 to 1 for a statement opposing school system consolidation. Here are some still pictures.
Update 10AM 30 August 2011: Video to come of the board statements and vote is now available (see below).

Chairman Lee asked Vanassa Flucas to read the statement.

The statement Ms. Flucas read is on the VBOE website LAKE video is now available.

The Valdosta City School Board opposes consolidating the Valdosta City and Lowndes County school systems at this time. This Board feels that a decision to merge the two systems should be a collaboratively planned effort between the two school boards and citizens of both the city and county, along with those who have the best interest in educating all the children of our area.

The Valdosta City School Board is proud

Continue reading