On Saturday, October 22, 2011, Friends of Valdosta City Schools are planning a “Vote No for School Consolidation March”at 9:00 am. The March will begin at 9:30 am at the Old Tommy Griner Parking lot (across the street from the Lowndes/Valdosta chamber of commerce – Ashley Street) and end at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument at the corner of MLK and Ashley. We will have several speakers to encourage our Community to band together for a Common Cause. Please plan to attend and
invite everyone that you know to join us as we tell cuee and chamber that we will not fall for their untruths and misleading ads. Please join in the March for the Cause. Keep in mind that at the end there is no Runoff.
Keep in mind that the Ballot Question does have “Consolidation” on it now, but the answer remains the same. NO! NO! NO!
Please send to your FriendsI believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
Martin Luther King Jr.-Sam Allen
Tag Archives: ballot
What qualifies you to come talk about education? —Kent Bishop @ VLCoC 11 October 2011
![](http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/OzHu60NkcpQ/default.jpg)
What qualifies you to come talk about education?Like so many CUEE speakers, he isn’t an educator and he hadn’t done his homework.
You know, what I hear is that, from the other side, is that our taxes would go up because of consolidation. The facts just don’t point to that. Generally what you’d see is some blending of the costs. And if we do that and average it out, we’re gonna find the two millage rates will come out somewhere in the middle. It makes total sense.Well, maybe it makes total sense if you like just making stuff up. Or you can see, hear, and read the extensive research by the Lowndes County Board of Education that demonstrates if consolidation passes taxes will go up and public school services will go down.
The speaker went on about ongoing white flight, without ever mentioning that consolidation would cause bright flight to head out of the county to Lanier and elsewhere.
He did come right out and admit something I’ve been saying: Continue reading
If I were Superintendent —Sam Allen
If I were Superintendent in the Lowndes County School System on November 9, 2011 and I had 7700 additional students and a potential $10 Million Deficit this would be my starting list:
Winners:
- Bus Drivers (ALL – NO supervisors, trainers or mechanics)
- Lunchroom Staff (Until we decide which schools to close)
- Custodial Staff (Until we decide which schools to close – no supervisor)
- Media Specialists (Until we decide which schools to close – then I would move you down to the Losers section)
- 2 Maintenance Workers (Heating/Air – no supervisor)
- Academic Teachers (with good evaluations) – NOT ALL because I would raise teacher class size to the max and ask for a waiver for an additional child or two 1 Asst. Superintendent
- 2 Technology support staff (no Supervisors)
- School Secty (Until we decide which schools to close)
- 1 Finance staff person (Payroll)
- Principals (Until we decide which schools to close – except Southeast, will not rebuild)
Losers:
- Teachers (especially ones that do not have tenure)
- Assistant Principals (at Elementary Schools that have more than one)
- Media Specialists (Until we decide which schools to close)
- 3 Curriculum Directors at Central Office
- Technology Supervisor
- Special Education Director
- 2 Assistant Superintendents
- Director of ESPLOST Projects
- Superintendent
- All Central Office Support Staff
- Food Service Director and Staff
- Ticket Manager
- Community Relations Director
- 1 Social Worker
- VECA Staff (ALL)
- Pinevale Learning Center Staff (ALL)
- Personnel Director and Staff
- Title I Director and Staff
- Director of Testing
- Mail Courier
- Vocational Teachers due to change in direction (Not All)
- Elective Teachers (Some)
- Parent Involvement Coordinators (Title I $ will be cut)
- Instructional Supervisors
- Para Educators (except for Special Education)
- Valdosta Police Department Dare Officers/SRO’s and Football Games (taken over by the County if funding is available)
- 1 Band Director at VHS – student fees will increase and school will not furnish as many instruments
- Performing Arts Center Mgr. – public will be charged a higher costs to use
- Director of Purchasing and Staff
- 1 School Psychologist
- 9 Board of Education Members
- 2 @ Asst Principals at VMS and JLN
- 2 Asst Principals at VHS
- No Swim Team staff
- IB Teachers would be relocated if positions are available
- 5 Furlough days for the first year
- School Board Attorney
School Closing:
- Southeast
- Pinevale Learning Center
- VECA
- JL Lomax ???
- Parker Mathis
- Old Pine Grove
- Moulton- Branch ????
Sell:
Now it took me about 15 minutes to come up with this list and it’s not near what my actually happen during the 2011-12 school year if we don’t get people out to vote against this misguided attempt to dismantle our schools. If I didn’t include you don’t thank for one second that you are safe. Remember I didn’t hire you and I don’t owe you anything, so pay your bills on time and keep your credit ratings high because you may need to rent for a while.
- Bazemore Hyder Stadium and Central Office to VSU at Fair Market Value – Wildcat Museum would be housed at the Historical Society
- Southeast School
- VECA to VSU at Fair Market Value
- Pinevale Learning Center
-Samuel Allen, Superintendent Emeritus
How did we get here? —JC Cunningham
Things really have not changed have they? There are still people outContinue readingthere who believe they can force their will on the people regardless of the circumstances. I still cannot believe that we are here. Consolidation, Unification, where did this come from? What mind first came up with this idea and what is the real motive behind it?
Eight months ago when I heard that Rusty Griffin and his merry band of followers were once again trying to force unification down peoples throats, I never thought it would catch on and would just fizzle away. Oh, how wrong.
Over the months this consolidation issue that I thought would never gain steam is now on the ballot and could possible pass this Nov. 8th.
I have seen this thing divide friends, families, co-workers and even
Tonight: school consolidation referendum vote at Valdosta City Council
This appears to be a pro-forma vote to put the referendum on the ballot. But you never know what might happen, especially in council comments or Citizens to Be Heard. Maybe FVCS will show up.5.a) Consideration of an Ordinance for a referendum to allow citizens of the City of Valdosta to vote on whether to annul and repeal the special independent school system so that the City of Valdosta public school system shall become part of the Lowndes County public school system.
Thanks to Barbara Stratton for the heads-up.
Here’s the agenda.
Continue readingAMENDED AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, August 25, 2011
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
CUEE filed enough petitions for a referendum
According to the City of Valdosta’s website 19 August 2011: Continue reading
Your children’s education at stake —Sam Allen, FVCS, 7 July 2011
“Are you willing to put your children’s education at stake because somebody has promised you something they can’t deliver? I for one am not willing.”
Here’s the video:
Your children’s education at stake —Sam Allen, FVCS, 7 July 2011
No school consolidation,
Press Conference, Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
-jsq
Portugal as forerunner for U.S. states repealing drug prohibition
Population | |
Portugal | 10.632 million |
Washington (U.S.) | 6.664 million |
Georgia (U.S.) | 9.829 million |
California (U.S.) | 36.962 million |
Meanwhile we could refuse to participate by declining a private prison in Lowndes County, Georgia, and spending that tax money on rehabilitation and education instead.
-jsq
License and tax marijuana —Washington state poll
Was this enough? Continue readingA new Elway poll released today found that most Washington voters supported or were inclined to support legalizing marijuana. However, the level of majority support was within the the poll’s margin of error.
Thirty percent of those polled said they “definitely supported” legalizing marijuana, while 24 percent said they were “inclined to support, but needed to know more.”
Thirty-two percent of the voters were “definitely opposed” to legal pot, and 11 percent were “inclined to oppose, but could be convinced” otherwise, the poll found.