It took the Lowndes County Board of Education less than two minutes
at today’s 1PM called board meeting
to adopt a resolution against school consolidation.
Here are a few excerpts, followed by the video:
Superintendent Steve Smith: As y’all are well aware,
we have had numerous requests from our constituents that we adopt a stance
regarding consolidation.
So I think this resolution pretty much describes our position
regarding consolidation.
Nobody had any comments or discussion.
So they moved and seconded.
Philip Poole made the motion.
I didn’t catch who seconded.
Chair Fred Davis asked for a vote indicated “by raising your hand individually
and reciting your name, please.”
Continue reading →
Update 5:30PM 30 August 2011:
Text of the resolution and
video of the board adopting it are posted.
Update 7:12PM 30 August 2011: a recent LHS graduate points out it was 7 to 0, since there are 7 board members. Let’s call it unanimous.
The Lowndes County Board of Education has put up
an agenda
for today’s called meeting at 1PM,
which includes these items:
VI. a. Resolution Regarding Consolidation
VII. a. Resolution Adoption
Hm, another school board that puts its agendas online in web-readable form.
Maybe the municipal elected and appointed bodies could adopt this format.
On the other hand, would you want to merge with a school board that doesn’t
know when its own meetings are?
I went to the Lowndes County Board of Education at 11:30, and the woman (Terri) who
previously told me
that was the time of today’s called meeting now says it is 1PM.
She apologizes for the confusion. She says it was previously 11:30,
but they changed it to 1PM.
1PM (confirmed) today LCBOE to vote on school consolidation
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Lowndes County Board of Education (LCBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 30 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
VBOE voting to oppose school consolidation
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
I called the Lowndes County School Board number just now at (229) 245-2250
and asked if there was a school board meeting today.
They said yes, at 11:30. (That’s different from the rumored
time of 1PM.)
It’s a called meeting for the purpose of discussing school system consolidation.
The woman who provided this information said:
Not sure there’s a resolution.
They may say their stands.
They meet at 1592 Norman Drive in Valdosta.
There is at this writing nothing on their web page and no notice in the newspaper that I can find.
Of course by state law all they have to do for a called meeting is
to post a notice at their meeting location and send a notice to the newspaper of record; the newspaper doesn’t have to publish it.
A motion and a second were heard on
the statement just read by Vanassa Flucas.
Jeana Beeland spoke up, talking about how proud she was of the
school system and how it has grown; she went to VHS; her children
are in the system, and “I know it’s serving them well”.
And my greatest fear is that I will come to you so biased
because I know that the school systems not consolidating
for the next few years is what’s best for my child….
Why I’m going to vote against the motion —Jeana Beeland @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
But there are so many people involved in this issue….
And I
Chairman Lee asked Vanassa Flucas to read
the statement
the board was about to vote on regarding school system consolidation:
The Valdosta City School Board
opposes consolidating the Valdosta City and Lowndes County
school systems at this time.
The board feels that a decision to merge the two systems
should be a collaboratively planned effort between the two school boards,
the citizens of both the city and the county,
along with those who have the best interest in educating
all the children of our area.
Valdosta School Board statement against school consolidation
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
The Valdosta City School Board
is proud of our school system.
We have an organization that
The Valdosta Board of Education voted tonight 8 to 1 for a statement
opposing school system consolidation.
Here are some still pictures.
Update 10AM 30 August 2011:
Video to come of the board statements and vote is now available (see below).
Chairman Lee asked Vanassa Flucas to read the statement.
The Valdosta City School Board opposes consolidating the Valdosta City
and Lowndes County school systems at this time. This Board feels that
a decision to merge the two systems should be a collaboratively planned
effort between the two school boards and citizens of both the city and
county, along with those who have the best interest in educating all
the children of our area.
Council Carroll made a motion to put the referendum on the ballot
and Council White seconded.
Yost, White, Norton, and Carroll voted for.
Wright and Vickers voted against.
The mayor then pointed out voters will have had to be registered for six months
to vote on this referendum in November, so if someone registered
tomorrow, they couldn’t vote in November.
(It’s not clear that this is actually true, but it is what he said.)
They all had more to say later in Council Comments.
5.a. Vote to put school consolidation referendum on ballot —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011
petition, education, referendum,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
It took the Lowndes County Board of Education less than two minutes
at today’s 1PM called board meeting
to adopt a resolution against school consolidation.
Superintendent Steve Smith: As y’all are well aware, we have had numerous requests from our constituents that we adopt a stance regarding consolidation. So I think this resolution pretty much describes our position regarding consolidation.
So they moved and seconded.
Philip Poole made the motion.
I didn’t catch who seconded.
Chair Fred Davis asked for a vote indicated “by raising your hand individually
and reciting your name, please.”
Continue reading 
