As my mother, who used to teach at Pine Grove Elementary School (not a High School at that time), used to say, it takes a big man to admit it when he’s wrong,
and
Fred Wetherington is a big man
because he thought it was a good idea.
He looked at the evidence; he looked at the research;
and determined it was not a good idea.
I look forward to the members of CUEE standing up and being big men and women
because the research, their own research, and the research that
we’ve heard tonight,
the research from Tennessee, and the research from Troup County:
consolidation is not a good idea.
And I’m still waiting for some CUEE big men or women….
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.
What will happen to programs and SPLOST? —Sam Allen @ LCBOE 4 October 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.
David Mullis, author of the most basic and comprehensive resource
on school consolidation, the
Grassroots Handbook Against School Consolidation,
noted that the Chamber and CUEE had tried to paint Valdosta School Supt. Dr. Cason
and Lowndes School Supt. Dr. Smith as saying school consolidation was
inevitable.
Dr. Smith replied:
I use the word “may”. It may occur.
I’m not like CUEE; I don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future.
David Mullis asked for further clarification based on the data we have today.
Supt. Smith’s answer:
Now is the worst possible time to even consider consolidation
or any other education innovation that’s going to cost more money
that has possibly little or no return.
Someone (didn’t get her name; sorry) wanted to know how CUEE could say,
on their glossy flyer they mailed out,
that no teachers would lose their jobs.
Supt. Smith responded that there would be winners and losers,
and unfortunately more winners than losers.
Yes, teachers have contracts.
However, due to the economy, Lowndes County Schools already have a
Reduction in Force (RIF) policy, through which they have offered
retirement and about 80 teachers have already taken advantage of it.
What effect will this have on teachers’ jobs and salary? @ 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.
A parent (didn’t get her name; sorry) who said her children were
in Lowndes County schools and she had gone to Valdosta City schools
wanted to know if CUEE had collected any data to compare parental
involvement between the two school systems.
Parental involvement is not as high as it should be…
and the first step will be to start in everyone’s home….
[applause]
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.
Roy Taylor said his grandson graduated from Lowndes County High.
He must be a lot older than he seems, since LCHS closed about
1968 when it was combined with Hahira High School to create
Lowndes High School.
He did have a good point, though (paraphrasing):
80% of prisoners are less than 30 years old.
$60,000 a year to keep a person in prison.
$30,000 a year to keep them in college.
His question:
Are you gonna get the parents involved?
Lowndes County Schools Supt. Smith responded that they are working
diligently through Community Partners in Education to do that.
He also talked about Valdosta and Lowndes schools already improving
their graduation rates.
And school, home, and community as three legs of a stool.
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.
[applause]
Weigh-In at the Hog Show
agriculture, hogs, pigs,
34th Annual Lowndes Area Market Show and Sale, 4H + FFA (Hog Show),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 31 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
One hundred-thirty youngsters from Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes
counties are registered to exhibit their hogs in the 34th Annual
Lowndes Area Market Show and Sale, to be held on Tuesday, November 1st.
These elementary, middle, and high school students are members of either
local 4H or FFA organizations.
The Show will be held at the Lowndes County Civic Center, with judging
of weight divisions beginning at 5:00 PM. Hogs will be judged according
to market standards for providing the best pork possible. Showmanship
classes will follow, where the students will be evaluated for their
success in exhibiting their animal.
As my mother, who used to teach at Pine Grove Elementary School (not a High School at that time), used to say, it takes a big man to admit it when he’s wrong,
and
Fred Wetherington is a big man
