Faced with the threat of the loss of accreditation, Governor Nathan Deal has decided to de-throne six members of the Dekalb County School Board. First of all-aren't we all proud of Mr. Deal for finally making the news after his election two years ago. It is about time that you got involved in some big news-making event other than the take down of the toll booth on Georgia 400.
Everyone is asking me what I think about this upheaval in the school system. The truth is that I have never really thought much about the school board. I don't think you are ever going to have a set of nine individuals that vote on education be successful when they have no idea about what it is like inside the actual classroom. Our accreditation problem does not stem from how the schools are doing, it is a result of the mismanagement of our money.
It is no secret that money has been mismanaged. Teacher salaries have bee cut by at least 10%. Classroom size has risen from 28-36. The school year has been cut by at least 10 days. There is a set of vague standards for each class and this is actually reducing the rigor in the classroom by forcing the teachers to only teach the standards. I know that my school's renovations were included in the SPLOST finance pool of funds. When we were finished- no new supplies were awarded to any departments. The gym and science classes received no new equipment. Our lap top computers are so out of date, they are laughable. I know that other high schools were given money from SPLOST for new supplies and equipment prior to the economic crash of 2007. Where did the money go?
Why can't our students have textbooks to take home this year? Our former superintendent( three superintendents ago or in other words 2010!) is still facing trial for embezzling money. The superintendent before Lewis left his contract early and was paid for two years he didn't actually work. Meanwhile, we plebeian teachers are struggling each and every day trying to make something out of nothing.
I am so ashamed of our county. I am fortunate enough to remember when this county was truly "premiere Dekalb". That by the way was in the 1980's. Things have gone down hill ever since. Our leadership has been top- heavy for 25 years now and we are all suffering from cronyism as a result.
But seriously- is the country doing any better? We have the Fiscal cliff and sequestration. Did you know that every government service will be cut, but the congress will not take a pay cut? How could you vote on the most difficult cuts in history and not take a cut for yourself? Wake up losers!
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