Vertical school board districts! Below is what the DeKalb delegation just submitted to the legislation as their proposed new school districts map. This is really going to shake things up for the election if it passes … Qualifying ends March 7 – can you tell which proposed district you live in?
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Link to the Original DSW Blog
WTF?!? Is this some kind of an april fools joke? And is there a better resolution map?
Phew! I thought it was some kind of alignment of feeders or something, but now I see it’s for electing the board members. Right?
As far as we can tell, every district, except District #1 will have a majority of their votes coming from South DeKalb. We’ll bet this map also puts Mayfield, Cunningham, Walker, Morley and Johnson into different districts. Millar didn’t stand up the last time the delegation proposed a map that wasn’t good for North DeKalb. We’ve heard that Fran Millar and Mike Jacobs are insisting this one won’t pass.
Just a little gerrymandering going on… This is the only way certain officials can remain in power.
Actually, this the district proposed by some members of the DeKalb delegation. Rep Mike Jacobs has passed a bill in the House that is now in the Senate that will keep the districts the same as they are now, with the exception of the elimination of the super districts.
Following Mike Jacobs on Facebook is helpful, though I don’t know what you can see if you aren’t friend. DeKalb parents facebook page is public and they are keeping up with it as well. See links below…
https://www.facebook.com/repjacobs
https://www.facebook.com/ParentsForDeKalbCountySchools
Thanks concernedmom30329! As we now see, “thankfully, HB 979 was passed today by the House to avert this disaster.”
Sponsored By
(1) Jacobs, Mike 80th(2) Oliver, Mary Margaret 82nd(3) Taylor, Tom 79th
(4) Holcomb, Scott 81st
First Reader Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-52.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to composition and election of county boards of education in counties in which there is a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes and terms of service, so as to provide for membership of certain boards of education in the event that local legislation is not passed during the 2014 regular session of the General Assembly conforming the size of such boards to the requirements of law; to provide for terms of office for such members; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
25 “(d) In the event that a local law is not enacted prior to the qualifying period for the 2014
26 elections to conform the provisions of law regarding boards of education subject to this
27 Code section to the size requirements of this Code section and if the election structure of
28 such local board of education contains a plan for seven members from separate
29 single-member districts encompassing all of the school district in addition to any other
30 election provisions, then on January 1, 2015, the board of education shall consist only of
31 seven members elected from such separate single-member districts and all other positions
32 in excess of those seven shall be eliminated. In such case, those persons serving from
33 even-numbered districts shall serve for an initial term of two years and until their
34 respective successors are elected and qualified. Those persons serving from odd-numbered
35 districts shall serve for an initial term of four years and until their respective successors are
36 elected and qualified. Thereafter, successors to such members shall be elected at the
37 general election immediately prior to the end of their respective terms of office to take
38 office on January 1 immediately following such election for terms of four years and until
39 their respective successors are elected and qualified. After January 1, 2015, the
40 composition of such districts, number of districts, and staggering of terms may be changed
41 by local law consistent with the provisions of this Code section.”
From DeKalb Parents >>
Decisions regarding the path forward in DCSD must be communicated to the state by 2015. Please be a part of the process by attending a community engagement meeting. This is extremely important.
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/news-and-info/press-releases/school-system-flexibility-timeline.pdf
Am I seeing this correctly…and would the Cross Keys cluster be represented by 4 different board members?
I think they already are…
The districts don’t look good to me. Going from the South to the North and covering such divergent areas will be difficult. I think it will weaken the effectiveness of the individual school board members. Judy Cox
So a majority race is attempting to dilute the voting power of the minority race in the County. Suprise.
However, The minority race, still votes. The votes are scheduled for May, which is when their are big Republican Primaries Scheduled. So the minorities need to make sure every minority gets out and votes by race, just like has happened for the past 20 years by the opposite race, which is now the majority. Which has brought the country in the pits.
Just like does the corrupt V. Jones think he is going to be elected for Sheriff . Does anyone wonder why their is a cityhood movement?
What the heck?
What are these people smoking?
Why don’t we just elect 7 at-large delegates? And let’s elect Vernon Jones to Superintendent. He got such glowing comments in the Grand Jury report a few years back.
This is definitely the most interesting map I have ever seen for school board members.
Which members of the Dekalb Legislative Delegation proposed this new map anyway? Were these districts drawn out in that recent Saturday meeting of the School Board?
Also, increasingly, it seems to me that a new consideration ought to be splitting Dekalb County into two Counties along either the Stone Mountain Freeway or Ponce de Leon. Without saying that one is right and the other is wrong or anywhere in between, it just seems that these jurisdiction have two different belief structures and ideas toward County Government and the School System. That solution would greatly resolve the cityhood issues as well as the divergent school issues. Then maybe, just maybe, we could all stop the madness of the past several years in both the County Government and in the School System and move on to improve the lot of the residents in both Counties and School Systems.
howdy1942, I seriously doubt some members of the board would propose this map. I think this was the work of some friends of the family of some late school board members.
The intent may have started out to be a good thing, but the final map is disappointing at best. These lines are so heavily placed with most of the district in the south side of the county that the north legislative body were going to come through with a bill to stop this map. However, our county is thicker at the bottom which may allow their justification.
Racial issues have not changed a great deal over time in DeKalb County. This is the biggest problem I see in the county currently. Our children in our schools are from so many cultures. If we could just focus on providing each child he best education possible regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, address, or disability one day we might be able to become one of the best school systems again in the nation.
Logistically speaking, who would have the time (and the gas) to campaign all over these districts? Can you imagine the miles they would have to put on their car? And once you win, do you stick close to your neighborhood and advocate for your neighborhood schools, while ignoring the schools in the far reaches of the other end of your district? Probably. This map’s not the least bit sensible.
It is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. As someone on Facebook said, it looks like a little kid was set loose with a crayon and decided to draw a rainbow. It does not keep communities in mind at all and is an obvious attempt to draw district lines to suit sitting board members.
Concerned DeKalb Mom: “would the Cross Keys cluster be represented by 4 different board members?” DSW: “I think they already are”
It’s actually five which translates into everyone and no one is accountable for Cross Keys schools.
howdy1942: “…who proposed …”
Rep Billy Mitchell, District 88, chaired the committee.
Since the bill to disallow this map was introduced by the following, I am going to guess that they are against it, and the rest are for it >>
Sponsored By
(1) Jacobs, Mike 80th
(2) Oliver, Mary Margaret 82nd
(3) Taylor, Tom 79th
(4) Holcomb, Scott 81st
This is from left field >>
Michael Thurmond wooed for state school superintendent contest
Of course, he wouldn’t take it — it would require about a 50% pay cut!
Once again, I come back to the point that it is just about time to face reality and do what is in the best interests of our kids and our people. We have had endless 4-3 votes by the County Commission and, of those, many were vetoed by the CEO. We have had endless 5-4 votes on the School Board. Let’s face it – we have two different segments within the same County. There is not one that is right nor is there one that is wrong – just different. That has been true for years and years. It is time for that to end. It isn’t going to change this year or next or the next. This has brought demise to our County with no end in sight.
Businesses like to see Counties that are united, who resolve issues, who don’t seem to keep fighting endless battles, who can find common ground, who can compromise, who root out corruption. That is where businesses locate and that’s where new jobs are created. Look at Northlake Mall. I have no idea why Tucker, Lakeside, and Briarcliff continue to fight over that property. I’ve been there twice this past week and there were perhaps a total of 50 other people in there. Compare that to Perimeter Mall where you can’t even get a parking place – ever! I remember when that was the case at Northlake, but no longer.
This insane divisiveness is just destroying our County and it needs to end. It is reflected in our school system, in our County government, in our Legislative delegation. It has created countless cityhood proposals, charter school proposals. Last year (2013) was a year of pure Hell for most residents in Dekalb County. Did anyone really enjoy that specter of probation, State School Board hearings, forced removal of our school board, Federal Court challenges by the removed parties, Georgia Supreme Court review of the removed parties, feasibility studies, town hall meetings over school issues that pitted neighbor against neighbor, teachers suing the school board – when is this madness going to end? Marriages sometimes start out happy, but the two parties grow further apart as the years go by. Sometimes, staying together damages the kids more than simply calling it quits. We need to get on with building our school system for our kids, with hiring and retaining teachers to motivate and educate our kids, and to get the focus on the things that are important. One way or the other, this has got to stop.
Boo, Hiss! Looks like the Luv Dr. got out some crayons and colored this map. Got one thing to say to her…buh bye.
We just found a better map and posted it in the body of the post. Click on it to see it even larger.
‘Date of DeKalb School Board Election Up In Air’
By JONATHAN SHAPIRO
WABE 90.1 FM
DeKalb elections chief Maxine Daniels says unless state lawmakers resolve their
political differences quickly, school board elections scheduled for May will be
delayed.
“We can’t make law and so unless we’re provided with some kind of
guidance, some kind of law, we will not do anything,” said Daniels.
In 2011, the state passed a law shrinking DeKalb’s school board from nine
seats to seven. That change is supposed to go into effect this election year,
but an updated district map still isn’t ready. Members of DeKalb’s
legislative delegation and school board have butted heads over the issue since
the 2011 law was passed.
Daniels says her office needs clarity on the new map by March 3, the qualifying
day for school board candidates.
“If nothing is resolved between now and qualifying, then at that point in
March, we won’t be able to qualify anybody and so we know that will go to
court and we’ll just depend on the court to straighten it all out,” said
Daniels.
To avoid that scenario, Rep. Mike Jacobs, R – Brookhaven, is sponsoring House
Bill 979, which would keep the district lines the same, and simply eliminate the
two at-large members.
On the House floor Thursday, Jacobs said it was urgent House members vote for
his bill. He pointed to the fact no alternative proposal had been offered by the
Democratically-controlled DeKalb delegation and warned there was only four more
days until Crossover Day, the deadline in which legislation must pass at least
one chamber to remain alive.
“Stability is key for keeping the progress of this board of education. By
keeping these seven seats intact, this bill provides stability,” said Jacobs.
In response, the leader of the DeKalb delegation, Democrat Howard Mosby, called
for more time and insisted the issue should be decided locally, not by the full
House. He downplayed Jacobs’ sense of urgency.
“There are a lot of politics around this and so we want to be thoughtful in
this process and we want the delegation to take the time to make this right,”
said Mosby.
Jacobs’ bill ultimately passed 111-60 and is now headed to the Senate.
Hours after the vote, the DeKalb delegation released its proposed map.
It immediately troubled Maxine Daniels, DeKalb’s elections chief.
“We’re talking about wholesale changes in the district lines. That is a very
elaborate process for us and it opens us up to errors,” said Daniels.
She said Jacobs’ bill is more practical at this late stage and said the
Democrats’ proposal would be an extreme challenge.
These are gerrymandered swaths of Dekalb, not neighborhoods or communities. More games…
‘The Trouble With Maps – 2014 Redux’
By: Don McChesney
I have been following, with interest, the ongoing saga of electing a new school
board in May. I thought this would be a no brainer. The BOE was downsized by the
state legislature, with Republicans in the DeKalb delegation in the lead. The
BOE went from nine districts to seven, eliminating the two super districts. Maps
were drawn for seven districts with only one district being appreciably changed.
Now we find out that no one can register to run for the BOE because the
elections office does not know what the district lines will be for the school
board. What? The map was drawn in 2012. Here it is. Please tell me what the
controversy is.
You want to know what I think happened? This is my blog so I’m going to tell
you.
Read more of this very interesting post from the perspective of former board member, Don McChesney >> http://www.donfordekalb.com/2014/02/21/297/
Once again, Dekalb is deeply and irrevocably divided in its politics. That is reflected in the School Board, at the County Commission, and in the Legislative Delegation. It is beyond resolution. That has been the case for years and years and will be the case for years and years to come. Why not simply divide Dekalb County into those political jurisdictions? This division is destroying our County and our school system and just needs to end. Perhaps that is one thing that both parties can agree on.
It would take two hours to drive from Doraville to Arabia Mountain. Ancient, decaying infrastructure at one end, and the latest and greatest showcase school at the other.
Clearly the map authors have only one goal in mind, and it’s not the best interests of our children, or our communities, or our teachers.
Now Vernon Jones wants to come back and be sheriff of a corrupt county, when this is in a DeKalb County Grand Jury report released last August that cited what it called “incompetence, patronage, fraud and cronyism” during his CEO administration. (11 Alive news story) And in the Friday AJC p B1, he says “My background and experience is second to none.” I suppose when you create corruption you are experienced. His grammar could use some work. That should say “are” – I must mention this since this is a school blog 🙂
Or, maybe he will run — Read this updated article from the AJC about Michael Thurmond (if you have access beyond the paywall) >>
Politician-turned school superintendent leads school district past probation, but other challenges await
Updated: 4:04 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, 2014 | Posted: 12:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014
Clearly, though, Thurmond isn’t done with politics. He said Friday that Democratic leaders had asked him to run for state school superintendent this year and that he’s actually considering “the offer” and will have an answer for them Monday.
In the past, he’s joked about the allure of one of the world’s oldest professions.
“You know, there’s only one cure for political ambitions,” he said last month, pausing for the punch line: “formaldehyde.”
Who can read this map?
“With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come.” W. Shakespeare
>
I know — it looks a bit like the curtains my cat shredded.
I would welcome a run by Thurmond for the State Superintendent position! Our “loss” would be the State’s “gain”. Or should that be the other way around?
I think that it was Vernon Jones that so alienated Dunwoody and motivated them to form their own city. He didn’t do us any favors in Tucker or Lakeside, either. I simply cannot imagine him as sheriff. I don’t need to go any further than that, unless I establish my own blog like Don McChesney.
We should not quarrel among ourselves about the district map. Otherwise, SACS might downgrade us [wink, wink].
We are not intended to read it. No one considering running for a school board position knows what district they are in. However, if I were a betting person I would bet that several of the removed school board members by Governor Deal know what district they will be running in as they were probably helping with the lines. There is no way that Dr. Walker and Mr. Cunningham are in the same district on this map and they live very close to each other.
In Marshall Orson’s defense he does not have much of a chance with this map so it is sure that Ms. Oliver (his friend) will do everything possible to make sure he is elected. She made sure with the last map created will be map in Marshall’s district if she possible can. It is all about politics and friends of the friends regardless if it is in the North or Southside of the county. It is politics as normal in DeKalb.
It is no wonder there is a cityhood movement and a movement for city schools again.