Representative Holcomb: Thank you for staying focus on what I agree is the most challenging issue for DeKalb residents. Working under the Consent Order is an escalation from working under SACS supervision and failing repeatedly. The fact that the Probation issued by SACS specifically called out the current Board's pathology of complying only when under supervision is the number one problem with continuing to allow them to operate. They are shrewd survivors and will manage to demonstrate progress and compliance in some way to avoid suspension if at all possible. Every month the consent order is renewed is a step closely to enshrining the status quo for another decade or more. Please do not be bamboozled by them the way the DeKalb community was for so many years past. Suspension, State appointees, and a restructuring of the DeKalb County School District is in the best interest of our future as a community.

The DC BOE is so dysfunctional, and two fell asleep in such an important meeting. They need to resign today. Such crap needs to stop. Remedial BOE is unheard of. Tired of remediation, training, second chances, supervising, shaming, outing, convincing, training...They are making DCS look like a remedial ed. program. Where are the educated, gifted, knowledgable, and ethical people? How much more time? How much more $$? Hey, remember it is ALL about kids and teachers! Remember? It's hard to remember with all the disgusting clutter by the DC BOE & Superintendent.
Resignation of snoozing BOE members, TODAY! Out!

No one is sleeping in the two photographs. In one, all Board members are either taking notes or looking directly at the speaker. In the other, new-member Marshall is speaking.

The guy to Marshall Orson's left ---- the guy with his finger in his eye.
He COULD be sleeping.

Perfect opportunity to introduce you to the authority on all things wrong with DCSS.
http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/

Note the videos--quite revealing..and indeed there are screen shots of snoozing. These guys are under a lot of stress. That induces drowziness.

But really, on school stuff, this website needs a monitor of the DeKalb School Watch blog. Could be helpful for mass mobilization.

Spot on Kim!! [as usual]... and thanks Tom - for the link. It's true, readers, both Gene Walker (board chair!) and Sarah Copelin-Wood were caught sleeping. One witness in the row behind them said Sarah was even snoring!

View them here - along with the video of the entire hearing (shot and posted by The Unhappy Voter and Taxpayer)

http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/so-long-farewell-auf-wiedersehen-goodbye/

We'd probably be a lot better off if they slept at home and missed the meetings altogether.

Looks like being in the City of Brookhaven vs.Unincorporated Dekalb may have been a good move.
-------------------
Image troubles mount for DeKalb
Corruption investigations, school woes tarnish reputation. Damage could take years to undo.

By Bill Torpy

The Wisconsin man relocating to Georgia hasn’t yet stepped foot in the state, but he already knows one thing: Stay away from DeKalb County.

Ryan Ward, a Realtor who specializes in the north metro area, said his client wants to buy a $1 million home and the north DeKalb city of Dunwoody was the perfect location. But after hearing that DeKalb’s school system is under probation from an accrediting agency, the potential buyer got cold feet, Ward said. Now he’s looking in north Fulton County.

“We eliminated DeKalb County from the search,” said Ward, who added that another client stopped looking in Dunwoody for the same reason and is closing soon on a home in Johns Creek. “The uncertainty itself will keep people from buying homes in that area. It’s tainted. It’s hard to unring that bell.”

and so on....
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/image-troubles-mount-for-dekalb/nT25D/

On the subject of pigs at troughs, did anyone see the report on TV about the food bills for the Fulton County Development Authority. How did those 80 year-old holdovers from the '60s keep their power? Man--there must be a story to that!

This is the headline on the email I got from Patch this morning concerning this post by Rep Holcombe

"State Rep. Scott Holcomb blogged after last week's controversial state board of education meeting with our own DeKalb school board."

LOL. Really? The State Board of Education meeting was controversial? Really? Interesting perspective.

I would like to respectfully disagree. I found the State BOE to be ill prepared. The questions were cursory at best.

Don't count the state BOE out just yet. For one, this is not a trial. These folks are complying with the new state law that allows for them to intervene in specific cases involving potential loss of accreditation. They do not really have any jurisdiction to consider the mountain of evidence that likely exists out there about all the wrongs that have been committed. They are simply tasked with making a recommendation to the Governor about whether or not the DeKalb board should be suspended.

At the beginning of the proceedings, both attorneys announced that they had reached an agreement that they both were okay with. It was a consent order that would allow the DeKalb Board three more months to comply with the 11 items listed in the SACS report as needing to improve to save the accreditation by Dec. 31.

The statements made by the board members were only intended to show their agreement to go along with the consent order they were submitting collectively through the Sutherland, Asbill attorney. The questions by the state BOE were likely limited to just the issue being presented - the board members and their request for the order to be accepted.

The state BOE has a LOT more information than what they indicated. Their recommendation does not have to reveal how they came to that conclusion. And, the delay to Feb. 21 will ensure due process to head off the possibility of an appeal.

No, sorry. I should have clarified. They went into it asking for three months. At the end of their presentations (which was just a parade of each DeKalb board member saying his/her promise to try harder, essentially) the state BOE determined that they were not ready to vote. There was a concern raised at the beginning by the DeKalb BOE attorney that he was new to the case AND they received the SACS packet over the winter holidays so there had not been adequate time to prepare. The state BOE decided (very calmly and professionally) to extend the hearing into their next meeting, Feb. 21. There was mention of "due process" which sounds like they are anticipating a recommendation for suspension. Rather than writing up a new order, they agreed to the "consent order" that had been provided at the beginning but changed the time from from 90 to 30 days. They left in the portion that says they should be making improvement from now until then, so they will likely be asked to summarize the actions they have taken relative to the 11 steps mentioned on the SACS report.