In considering the change at West Side, officials noted in last
year’s budget proposal talks that about 73 percent of its students
are bus riders, brought from all parts of the county. The school posts
a per-student transportation cost of $1,198, more than twice the zone
average of $529.
“Why is West Side so important to the county?” parent Brandi Kennedy
asked. “You have buses picking up kids all over the county to go to
West Side.”
Because children are chosen to attend the magnet school through a lottery,
Kennedy said she couldn’t understand funding the fine-arts focus of
the school when it is not more prestigious than other county schools.
As series of decisions, not unrelated to race, made by the “white fathers” of
the city of LaGrange, led the citizens of the city to vote their school system
out of existence and to become a part of the county system.
The quotes around “white fathers” are in the paper.
Hm, back when I first encountered CUEE, they were speaking to SCLC in Valdosta
late last year, Rusty Griffin among them, and the theme was desegregation.
They did not receive a warm welcome.
Funny how CUEE changed its tune to “unification” after that.
But the local “white fathers” are still insisting on making decisions
for all of us.
Make your plans now to attend the first Vote YES public forum on school
unification, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at
the Rainwater Conference Center.
Our guest speaker will be Dr. Terry Jenkins, who served as the
Superintendent of
Troup County Schools during the unification process of LaGrange and
Troup County school systems in 1992.
Many of the same issues and rumors being discussed locally were also
debated when
LaGrange and Troup County were voting to unify their school systems. In
his presentation,
Dr. Jenkins will discuss how the school unification issue unfolded in
Troup County, its impact to improving test scores and graduation rates,
and how the decision to unify their school systems has transformed the
community for the better.
Last night was the second of the three forums
the Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE) approved
along with its
statement opposing school consolidation.
George Rhynes reports there were 300 people there,
and he videoed everybody who stood up and spoke.
Videos of last night’s Valdosta school forum by George Rhynes
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Forum at Valdosta Middle School, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 20 September 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube.
Videos of last night’s Valdosta school forum by George Rhynes
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Forum at Valdosta Middle School, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 20 September 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube.
the Lowndes County Commission could lead by making one of their famous
position statements, this time in favor of solar,
or by putting solar on the roofs of their buildings (solar on the jail! imagine that),
bringing in money to do so by
or by applying for grants,
or by making a project big enough to apply for private venture capital
from the at least two firms that are looking for such projects.
If the LCC won’t do it, how about solar Valdosta fire departments,
or solar Hahira tobacco barns?
Monday, September 19, 2011; 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; at the Valdosta
City Hall Annex; 300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia; presentation
will begin at 10:30 a.m.
These meetings are intended to gather public input:
After the public meetings the Roundtable will reconvene to review the
public comments and adopt a final Constrained List that will be presented
on the ballot to voters in 2012.
If you can’t go to the meeting, you can send in the
public comment form
or email Corey Hull at the SGRC.
I don’t know what you might want to comment on,
but a couple of things that come to my mind are:
VSU student Bobbi Anne Hancock asked Gov. Nathan Deal what was going on
with the selection process for a new president for Valdosta State University.
He went on at some length but I can’t quite make out whether he answered the
question.
What about VSU President selection? —Bobbi Anne Hancock to Nathan Deal @ VSU 16 September 2011
Student protesters,
Press Conference, Gov. Nathan Deal (VSU),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 16 September 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
What about Phil Kent? — Kathryn Grant to Gov. Deal @ VSU 16 Sep 2011
Student protesters,
Press Conference, Gov. Nathan Deal (VSU),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 16 September 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Working on Eagle Scout badges @ LCC 13 September 2011
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 13 September 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
In considering the change at West Side, officials noted in last year’s budget proposal talks that about 73 percent of its students are bus riders, brought from all parts of the county. The school posts a per-student transportation cost of $1,198, more than twice the zone average of $529.
