Should the DeKalb School Board be Disbanded?
Gov. Nathan Deal has the power to do so, but should he?
The oversight body that investigated DeKalb Schools put the district on probation this week, citing numerous problems with the Board of Education.
Board members - in most cases unnnamed - were accused of micro-managing the schools of their constituency. Chairman Eugene Walker, in one instance, recommended that a relative of another board member be hired to as part of the district's Teacher Alternative Preparation Program while bypassing the district's managers.
The district also took out a $25 million line of credit to buy new text books - used half - but new books never showed up in classes this year that sorely needed them.
Read the full 20-page report here.
The review by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges puts the district in a tight spot. The board had already been under scrutiny after a review in 2011 which included charges of nepotsim, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Now that the district is on probation, it could lose it's certification. That would have a wide-ranging impact - students could have problems going on to college, the district could lose the state and federal money it relies on, and DeKalb County as a whole could suffer if employers shy away.
Which raises the question. Gov. Nathan Deal has the power to disband the board - which would require the Georgia Board of Education to step in.
Should the DeKalb Board of Education be dismantled? Is Dunwoody's interests being addressed by the current board?
Vote in our poll and leave us a comment.
lawrence dodd
3:50 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
dekalb co. is the most crooked place in ga. i remember sheriffs killing each other.
how in the world can schools be any better?
Whatever
7:36 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
jimmie - please fill in the blanks; you won't because you don't have the cojones.
Erika
7:04 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Let's put it this way... If you had a Fortune 500 company failing year after year, would you continue to leave in place the administration that was sinking it? Or would you find a new set of CEO's that could actually work together to a) restructure the management system, rework the spending, and focus on what they need to focus on - the product (the kids) instead of personal issues. Only in government do we offer chances again and again until we are past the point of no return. I say dump each and every board member except for Nancy Jester. Then create a new board that has to sign a set of ethics that says that they will properly represent students and behave accordingly in public meetings. And while we're at it. Realize that Dekalb is far too large, and make it into three smaller districts, at least. Then set up a DO and admin for each sector, treating them as their own so they can more effectively manage a smaller group of student's needs.
Larry
8:12 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
When you have ignorance in charge, you get what you pay for. Just sad for DeKalb children.
jimmie
8:55 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Larry and Erika for president! Awesome posts
jimmie
9:04 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
When you have idiots in charge, you get idiotic results.
Whatever
2:16 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
that's why you'll never be in charge jimmie
jimmie
4:27 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
@Whatever...I'll that to my accountant when I give him my $250,000 tax payment in April. Really, I expected so much more in mental capacity from someone of your age and disrepair.
Emily
8:56 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
So why do you live in your mama's basement jimmie?
Betsy Parks
11:19 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I've started the petition "Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia State Board of Education: Review SACS findings, if accurate REPLACE the Dekalb County School Board. " and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now?
Please share with your friends!
http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-nathan-deal-and-georgia-state-board-of-education-review-sacs-findings-if-accurate-replace-the-dekalb-county-school-board
jimmie
4:31 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
If between the Dekalb School Board or BArabbas, I say "give us Barrabas"...(Bible readers will understand this)
Rob
9:31 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012
Interesting that our own Nancy Jester is oddly silent on the Dekalb schools issue.
Adrienne Duncan
3:04 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Nancy Jester was out of town with her family the past couple of weeks. She sent an email to her friends when she got home. Stand down, Rob. There's no conspiracy or anything "odd" to see.
Rob
7:01 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
It`s really a moot point at the moment, Governor Deal will be firiing all of them very soon anyway.
Rob
7:14 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
BTW.. I looked on her site and saw no news about the Dekalb probation issue. Was this an email just to a select few or to the whole community that she is suppose to serve?
DunwoodyWorkingMan
10:06 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Rob, I don't think she missed any meetings. Since you are not a friend of hers, no, you would not have been a recipient of any personal emails from her regarding a family vacation. The email was apparently to a select few, and as usual, you are on the outside looking in. But no worries, Rob, you still have the Patch as your friend. Keep hanging out here all Christmas and remain pathetic.
Rob
10:18 am on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Ahh, it was so nice to be spam free on the Patch for a few days. I guess you (and your many personalities) have finished with the NRA and Domino`s Pizza bashing and now are returning to your regularly scheduled trolling.
Betsy Parks
10:38 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Nancy Jester's fb page. You might have to like her first. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Jester-For-Dekalb-County-School-Board/116708735013151?fref=ts
Paula
9:19 am on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
To receive Nancy's emails, go to her website and enter your name in the space marked "EMAIL" under the "Sign up for Nancy's Newsletter" at the right hand top of her site. http://www.nancyjester.com/
Rob
10:19 am on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
As stated yesterday, it is a moot point, the whole board will be fired by Deal soon.
Emily
6:51 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Rob, are you jimmie's cousin? You two certainly are negative Nellies! And as the saying goes back in Texas - you're both "all hat and no cattle"!