Jester's Response to SACS' Probation Stirs Public Reaction

Nancy Jester has come out swinging in her latest blog to constituents, claiming that the findings of a board oversight body unearthed systemic financial misdeeds in the district she says she herself uncovered months before the Southern Association Colleges and Schools put the distrct on probation.

Jester claims in her blog posting she was met with "stonewalling and deception" when she asked staff about financial miscues she said became apparent in her personally accounting how much the district was spending in utilities, legal fees and other items.

Jester noted the irony that the same SACS report that relied heavily on her own findings, which she downplayed as being produced by a "a mom with a caluclator," - though Jester is a trained professional in financial management -  could lead to her removal from the board.

Gov. Nathan Deal under new legislation, has the power to remove all members of the DeKalb Schools board because of it's recent desigination of probation. That could happen in the next month, and would have to be a clean sweep - all board members would be removed if Deal decides to take that route.

Current members could then reapply for a position on the board without any guaratees of appointment. Jester is serving her freshman term and is in the second year of that tenure.

Part of her website, entitled, "What's Up With That" explains her psoiton on the matter, noting and linking to many reports she produced that showed financial mismanagement that align closely with some of the findings of SACS.

Jester claims she was straight up lied to by district staff about why the utility costs for the district consistently ran over budget.

"I was publically misled by administration officials who stated at board meetings that our budgeting issues with electricity (one of the many areas I cited as problematic) were due to (1) unseasonably hot/cold summers/winters and (2) increases in electricity rates.  These statements were demonstrably false."

The reaction to the claims of Jester, who is Dunwoody' representative on the board, has been fast, swift and comprehensive. The blog post on late Dec. 26 has proudced 52 comments as of this posting.

What do you think? Add your thoughts to Jester's assertions.

A poster with the handle "Tucker Guy" said he has experienced similar obfuscation by the school district that pointed to fear among school district employees in performing their duties.

"I recently sent an email to a high ranking “Central Palace” employee pointing out some of the flaws in the proposed organization. It was apparently passed to the area superintendent who sent it to my child’s principal. She was instructed to call me and get me to stop asking questions which made the school system look bad.

I laughed at her, which upset her to no end. She then begged me to stop so she wouldn’t get into trouble. When I asked how my emails would get her into trouble she said something to the effect of “anything can get anyone into trouble these days.”

"Jeff' advocated for a clean sweep of the board and top admnistrators to get the board on the right track - despite the fact he said Jester was a true reformer on the board.

The solution here is the removal of the board and an unqualified Superintendent.

Appoint a temporary board, have the DA, Attny Gen and Feds launch investigations into the fiscal and HR practices of the system and let the chips fall where they may.Crawford Lewis could have some new cell mates.
@ Nancy, your efforts and frustration are appreciated; you were willing to ask questions when others were not, but the level of corruption that kept you in the dark requires decisive action. Keep doing the right thing.

Editor's Note: Below is a list of comments from Jester's blogs. They are printed in the entrierty and unedited.

1. Rae Anne says on December 26, 2012 at 9:00 pm

   I appreciate your update. You are the only BOE member that I care to see stay. I hope you aren’t sacrificed along with the others. Thanks for your integrity.

2. John Oselette says on December 26, 2012 at 9:03 pm

Give ‘em hell Nancy!

I had noticed the parts of the report that seemed aimed at you. If not Board of Education members, who can ask school officials about discrepancies and inaccuracies in the budget? I would be interested in SACS’ answer to that.

I recently sent an email to a high ranking “Central Palace” employee pointing out some of the flaws in the proposed organization. It was apparently passed to the area superintendent who sent it to my child’s principal. She was instructed to call me and get me to stop asking questions which made the school system look bad.

I laughed at her, which upset her to no end. She then begged me to stop so she wouldn’t get into trouble. When I asked how my emails would get her into trouble she said something to the effect of “anything can get anyone into trouble these days.”

Nancy,
As a forty plus year resident and taxpayer in Dekalb County, whose three children attended our public schools, let me congratulate you on your work as a School Board member. I must say that, as a former management executive, I cannot understand how the apparent level of mismanagement, corruption, etc. has been allowed to continue, and get worse each year. As far as SACS is concerned, how bad must it become before they remove our accreditation? Also, where is the State Board of Education in this matter?
At this past Saturday breakfast meeting I made the statement ( at least half seriously) that the solution to our problem may be to fire the Board for two or three years and let the Superintendent run the whole thing.
Again, thanks for your excellent work and please “keep on keeping on”.
Ryan L. Mura

No, not to support the vote, but to work hand in hand with Kasim Reed to strong arm the board to REVERSE the vote.

Not that the DCSS isn’t totally FUBAR, but don’t be so quick to judge Markie Mark as a white knight in shining armor.

@ Ryan, The solution here is the removal of the board and an unqualified Superintendent. Appoint a temporary board, have the DA, Attny Gen and Feds launch investigations into the fiscal and HR practices of the system and let the chips fall where they may. Crawford Lewis could have some new cell mates.
@ Nancy, your efforts and frustration are appreciated; you were willing to ask questions when others were not, but the level of corruption that kept you in the dark requires decisive action. Keep doing the right thing.

Keep up your great work. Criticisms of “the Board” do not include you. People clearly know you are shedding light on the problems caused by others.

The board is irrelevant if the powers that be can strong arm the current board into hiring a respectable Superintendent. Thought: Since Ms Jester is the only trustworthy person up there, why doesn’t somebody make her the Superintendent??

Thank you for your work Nancy, you are a lot more than “just a mom with a calculator”.

I’d have given up long ago. As a matter of fact, I have. I can’t be a bystander and tell my kids as I’ve heard so many parents say: “oh, it’s bad, but what can you do, but to endure it”. That would make me an accomplice, or an enabler. I applaud you Nancy, for calmly and rationally trying to change things for the ones who are sticking with it.

There is better out there, starting with less or no corruption and ending with systems that actually care about educating children. I grew up with one so I know it exists, but apparently not in DeKalb public school system. DeKalb is, from what I can tell, going backwards since 40 years ago. The teachers and kids are frustrated and the rest is an embarrassing mess.

Bruce,
I’d like to help to organize to get Nancy in as the Super. We’d be lucky if she’ll take the job. We need someone local. All of these out of town superintendents have no idea what they’re getting into.