Continue readingWe would like to think that our community “leaders” are not full of pride and greed, but please listen closely:
Greed is an excessive desire to possess wealth or goods with the intention to keep it for one’s self. Greed is inappropriate expectation. However, greed is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power. —Wikipedia
- The CUEE Board did NOT meet with both school boards prior to sending the petition around town.
- Troup County Schools have not met AYP in 8 years.
- Tennessee’s Hamilton County system, the entire district, is currently high priority. This means they have had two years of bad results. This is the school used in CUEE’s original study.
- CUEE’s expert Steve Prigohzy said,
"If you believe in the end that running one system is cheaper than running two school systems. If in the end you are going to cast a vote for a single system because you think it would save money, I wouldn’t cast my vote I do not think it will save money."- If consolidation passes, there will be only 7 Board Members representing almost 20,000 students.
Category Archives: CUEE
Consolidation was about economic development —Fred Wetherington @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011
But he doesn’t. Because that theory and those ideas did not hold up.The whole idea was could it help us with economic development in our community. At the same time could we increase student achievement. And could we save the taxpayers money.
Well, I’m here to tell you tonight that I was one of the board members… that if that theory and those ideas had held up after research and study, I would be supporting this idea.
He might have settled for something less than that: Continue reading
Let the Chamber attend cocktail parties —Dan Davis @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011
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First he established his credentials in business and education: 20 year veteran of CPIE and of the Chamber of Commerce; has businesses in many countries, but chooses to live here. Having seen the world and many educational systems, he thinks:
This consolidation is really a bad issue; very very bad.He thinks consolidation proponents are
very misinformed and very misguided.He invited CUEE and Chamber members to join him and Jerome Tucker in Community Partners in Education (CPIE).
Here’s Part 1 of 2: Continue reading
Consolidation: A Financial Puzzle —Dr. Troy Davis @ LCBOE 4 October 2011
He took CUEE’s own figures for how much more consolidation would require
to be spent per each Valdosta City school student, and demonstrated that
not only would that require raising taxes for both Valdosta and Lowndes
County residents to near the state-capped maximum of 21 mils, but even
then there is no way enough tax revenue would be generated to pay for all
the things CUEE proposes to do after consolidation, and probably not even
enough taxes to continue employing all the teachers currently employed
by the two school systems. Oh, plus consolidation would lose state and
federal grant money by increasing the composite school system size, so the
local taxpayers would have to make up that slack, too.
Here are his slides.
Here is a playlist.
-jsq
Telling the truth –Supt. Steve Smith @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011
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- To support the Valdosta school system, which is fighting for its very existence. If Lowndes School system did not support them, that would be misinterpreted as being against them.
- To provide you with the truth about consolidation.
Here are his slides.
Here’s Part 1 of 3:
Telling the truth —Supt. Steve Smith @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011 Part 1 of 3:
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.
He pointed out
consolidation would raise taxes,
would reduce school services,
and would not address the basic issue facing local education,
which is poverty.
Here’s Part 2 of 3: Continue reading
People who look like you or people to do a job? —Jerome Tucker @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011
He elaborated:You looking for people who look like you or are you looking for people to do a job?
If you pay enough, I’ll find you people to work. That’s a lie: you can’t find people to work in a business. That’s a lie.He talked about his experience with other schools and the local schools. About business development:
I use the school systems.He concluded:
If you live outside the city limits, call somebody in the city limits, and please, please vote no.
[Applause]
Here’s the video:
People who look like you or people to do a job? —Jerome Tucker @ 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.
-jsq
How will you know what’s going on in school if you don’t go in? —Jerome Tucker @ LCBOE 4 Oct 2011
He pointed out what most children want: Continue readingThree weeks ago, at JL Lomax, I had lunch at Southeast Elementary Community Partners in Education. I didn’t see a Chamber […] person there; I didn’t see a CUEE member there. How in the world are you going to know what’s going on in school if you don’t go in?
[Applause]
I have never, never, been asked whether I’ve got one system or two —Jerome Tucker
Then he established his personal credentials, stated the truth as he knows it, and issue a challenge.You told me not to cheerlead, but I’ve got the mic in my hand.
I don’t have the right to vote, but I’m encouraging everybody to vote no. I have friends in the city. Call them; tell them to vote no.
[Applause.]
This is too important an issue in our community not to lead a cheer.
First he bragged on the local school systems:
Somebody’s supposed to be about business thinks we don’t have what it takes to compete; somebody make a statement, and I’m an old country boy. My granny told me things that are said are the truth or a lie. The things I say … this afternoon are what I’ve experienced.That’s what I call a primary source. He discussed other places that brag on our school systems, then:
I challenge anybody to have been as involved as consistently and as long as I have in business and community development in and around Valdosta and Lowndes County. I’ve served as chairman of the Industrial Authority. I’ve served as chairman of the Tourism Authority. I’ve served as chairman of the Valdosta Technical Board of Education. I’ve been on the superintendent’s council of schools. A member of CPIE since its inception. I challenge anyone….What’s the challenge? Continue reading
We educators were ignored back then —John Wayne Baxter
Everyone please note the usual LAKE blog submissions policy. Also, if you like what LAKE is doing, please go to the LAKE facebook page and Like that page.Hey John, I appreciate your summary of the latest meeting on consolidation. I was on the Chamber sponsored consolidation committee back in 1993-94. The same folks pushing the effort then are pushing it now. Back then, nothing about improving education was ever mentioned; it was all about banking and real estate. Only two educators back then were on the committee, the two superintendents from the school systems, and we were never asked our opinions on anything. We were totally ignored.
Yes, we educators were ingored back then and there is no doubt in my mind that this group pushing for consolidation is ignoring opinions of educators now. I believe the “dollar bill” mentality of a handful of folks is the driving force behind this effort, and I don’t mean the tax payers. Of course, this is just my opinion; I could be wrong.
We have two excellent school systems now in one county. Here is the method that I propose for a merger: if and when one of our school systems gets to a point where it cannot provide quality education for it’s students, let that school system’s school board approach the other school board and begin discussions on consolidation or some other remedy. Why should some bank or real estate company be the driving force behind consolidation. Maybe kids should be put ahead of lining the pockets of a few business owners. And the most important thing to remember about this action is: once Valdosta gives up the charter for it’s school system, it’s over and done with; good or bad, it’s over; Valdosta can never get it back. Think about that!
-jsq
LCBOE did its homework about consolidation, 5 October 2011
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Tuesday evening, going beyond
the research it had already published,
Dr. Troy Davis took CUEE’s own figures for how much more consolidation would
require to be spent per each Valdosta City school student,
and demonstrated that not only would that
require raising taxes for both
Valdosta and Lowndes County residents to near the state-capped maximum
of 21 mils, but even then there is no way enough tax revenue would be
generated to pay for all the things CUEE proposes to do after consolidation,
and probably not even enough taxes to continue employing all the teachers
currently employed by the two school systems.
Oh, plus consolidation would lose state and federal grant money by
increasing the composite school system size, so the local taxpayers
would have to make up that slack, too.
Jerome Tucker, on fire as a cheerleader, spelled out his life-long Continue reading