Get Schooled

By rpm

September 19, 2005 11:37 AM | Link to this

fulton county is wrong to try to take the property. they apparently weren’t interested when the site was approved for the building of the private school. what changed? fulton county needs to look elsewhere.

By RF

September 19, 2005 11:55 AM | Link to this

The problem here is that land is hard to find near Sandy Springs, yet the need for new schools requires land to build them on. While it certainly isn’t right to just “take” the land and force the sale, think of the alternatives. In East Point, in order to build a new school that is desperately needed, the county had to buy out a subdivision adjoining property it already owned. Talk about expensive!! Can you imagine the county trying to buy up houses in Sandy Springs or Dunwoody?! Perhaps an alternative would be to look into buying some unused commercial property in the area. They’ll take the easier path, and it seems uprooting a private school is easier than destroying a subdivision. And now we see what power governments have when it concerns land—if they want your property, they can take it!

By Jake

September 19, 2005 12:01 PM | Link to this

Fulton County has the right to take the land under eminent domain for public use, exactly what it sounds like they intend to do. The private owners only have the right to be compensated for their land. They can find another site for Weber.

By Robert

September 19, 2005 12:03 PM | Link to this

rpm, What changed was the dramatic increase in student enrollment which in tern dramatically increased the need for another school.

All, This eminent domain thing is thanks to the republicans and the republican dominated Supreme Court. The republicans CLAIM to want things to be local control and to want small government and so on. But yet the republicans have lead us down the very path that they have preached against…. large govenernment, Federal Government in our personal lives, and allowing government to take personal property without due process. Remember this the next time you are in the voting booth!!!!

By B. Killebrew

September 19, 2005 12:18 PM | Link to this

Public education is the foundation of everything that is American. If it falls (and it very well could), so does America. We will become just like many other countries (Brazil, for instance!) which is hopeless! The advent and foresight of modern American public education which began around 1910 (the idea of all the citizenry receiving an education beyond the 8th grade…thus the widespread beginning of public high schools) was laughed at by European countries (who believed only a small percentage of the populace needed an education beyond 13 years old). This very initiative caused the U.S. to surpass Europe in ingenuity and innovation.

Public education needs to remain the cornerstone of what is the United States of America.

By Craig

September 19, 2005 12:21 PM | Link to this

Robert, check your facts. The conservative justices (Scalia, O’Conner, Thomas, Rehnquist)were in the minority voting AGAINST this decision.

By Dana

September 19, 2005 12:26 PM | Link to this

I teach at Weber. We are heartsick over this. No amount of compensation will replace the years of planning that have gone into this. It is not simply easier for us to pick another site. Where were FC Schools a year ago when we were desperately trying to sell a portion of the property? Why should we have to pay for their poor planning?

By MrLiberty

September 19, 2005 12:27 PM | Link to this

We learn in our history books that america supposedly won the cold war against communism. Unfortunately the greatest bastion of pure unadulterated socialism is busy destroying the youth of our country. I am talking of course about the government school system.

How unsurprising that the state would disavow the property rights of its citizens in order to build another indoctrination center. It isn’t enough that the parents who send their children to this private school must also have thousands of dollars stolen from them to pay for the failure that will replace their school, they apparently must also have to look elsewhere for a good education.

The 5th amendment allowed the taking of private property for public use at a time when (wisely) the government was not involved in education, and such a taking for a school would have been unheard of.

Leave it to the government to destroy that which is working to replace it with another failure.

When exactly are you parents going to wake up and get your kids out of this prison system the call the public schools??? Aren’t your kids worth it?

By yesiamworried

September 19, 2005 12:28 PM | Link to this

I cannot imagine a worse site for a school. All the other elementary schools in Sandy Springs are in relatively quiet residential areas. (Dunwoody Springs in in on a busy street, but it is in a primarily residential neighborhood.)

Who would go to this school? I can’t see anyone who cares much about their child’s education wanting a school in such a busy commercial area. It seems to me that FCSS is opening up a battle royale when it comes time to redistrict the area. New school or not, it still will be sitting at one of the busiest intersections in Metro Atlanta.

By Teacher

September 19, 2005 12:31 PM | Link to this

Eminent domain was not created so as to allow any group, however affiliated with the government, to take people’s property. It was created for situations in which acquisition was absolutely necessary to community well-being. Heck,no, they shouldn’t take the property. Find someone who WANTS to sell. They’ve set their sights on Weber’s property because it’s all ready to go. How tacky and lazy. Jake-I hope a school system sets their eyes on your property next…

By scott

September 19, 2005 12:35 PM | Link to this

There are good public and private schools. There are bad public and private schools. Paying 11K to 18K a year only ensures your kid will not “fail” but does not mean they have been educated. No doubt this will come down to a judge’s decision and from the outside looking in I think the Webber school needs to start looking again.

By js

September 19, 2005 12:35 PM | Link to this

Anyone blaming “This eminent domain thing is thanks to the republicans and the republican dominated Supreme Court” should get his facts straight. It’s the liberals on the court who voted in favor of unrestrainted eminent domain in the case of KELO et al. v. CITY OF NEW LONDON et al.

Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg and Breyer voted in favor. Rehnquist, Scalia, O’Connor and Thomas dissented.

Perhaps two new conservative justices may overturn this bad 5-4 decision in order to protect us from eminent domain abuses. In the meantime, the decision to condemn rests with the DEMOCRATS who sit on the Fulton County School Board.

By rpm

September 19, 2005 12:37 PM | Link to this

Robert enrollment didn’t just go up this year. this is an ongoing issue. yes fulton legally can take the land. but is it right. why didn’t they express interest sooner than weeks before ground breaking. surely they knew this was being planned. have they looked elsewhere or was this just an easy mark.

also, you may want to look at who voted for and against on the latest eminent domain ruling at the supreme court. you may be suprised.

By Kyle

September 19, 2005 12:49 PM | Link to this

No one should be surprised at Fulton Co. School System’s strange ability to do unusual things. However, the overcrowding of the elementary schools in Sandy Springs is real. The question should be where and how did the overcrowding occur? It has slowly taken place because Fulton Co. refuses to enforce the occupancy laws pertaining to apartments on Roswell Road.The City of Atlanta can and does enforce the same laws.Readers should understand that approximately 1000 students are hispanic in Sandy Springs elementary schools. Who knows how many of them are children of illegals. So, we now have Fulton Co. not enforcing their laws and the federal government not enforcing immigration laws and that makes a real mess.

By T.R.

September 19, 2005 12:50 PM | Link to this

Fulton county seizing land in newly minted sandy springs….sounds suspicious to me…

By em

September 19, 2005 12:52 PM | Link to this

While this may be legally right, it is neither ethically nor morally right.

By SchoolFriend

September 19, 2005 01:00 PM | Link to this

At first I was outraged by this - thinking of the recent Supreme Court decision. Then I thought - it is for a school, they should be able to take (with just compensation) land to build something for the public good and a school qualifies (no matter what your personal ideas are). Then I thought (as I have all along, after the Weber School purchased the land) what an awful spot for a school - especially an elementary school, which should be a part of the community, should build community, etc. My last thought (which I believe is correct), is that they are going to h seize the land, do a traffic study, find it not feasible and SELL IT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. I don’t know that there is a company currently wanting that site - but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some backroom dealing at this point…

By Taxpayer

September 19, 2005 01:09 PM | Link to this

This is what happens when a county allows unchecked construction by greedy developers who tear down one home to put up six McMansions. People who buy those monster houses on tiny lots are just asking for traffic congestion and overcrowded schools. Make the developers pay an impact fee to look for and purchase land and construct new schools. Place a moratorium on McMansion construction. Do anything but punish the Weber School parents and kids for the county’s mismanagement, developer’s greed, and some homeowners’ raging egos. I’m glad I don’t live in Sandy Springs, but a situation like this could arise anywhere in DeKalb County, where county government and zoning decisions go to the highest bidder.

By Jake

September 19, 2005 01:10 PM | Link to this

The 5th Amendment simply says, “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation”. It doesn’t say a thing about under what circumstances or for which uses. What Teacher and MrLiberty happen to think was the intent of the founding fathers is irrelevant. Several of them thought slavery was perfectly acceptable, as they practiced it. The greater good is for the public school. While I understand and support those of you who choose private schools for religious reasons, abandoning the public school system for other reasons is clearly un-American, as B Killeberew points out.

By eno

September 19, 2005 01:11 PM | Link to this

Suspicious to me that FC waited until AFTER the Weber School had paid to demolish the Lucent Bldg.

By tan

September 19, 2005 01:17 PM | Link to this

I do not like the idea of big poweful Fulton County coming in and taking land.I am a 35 yr.old African American woman and this reminds me of what the government did to the Indians and to Africans years ago.I totally support the Weber school.

By SchoolFriend

September 19, 2005 01:19 PM | Link to this

Jake - so only YOU can decide what reasons are okay for people to put their kids into private schools? THAT is unamerican to me. Who are you to decide?

By DB

September 19, 2005 01:22 PM | Link to this

Scott: Paying 11K-18K ensures your kid will be exposed to a serious learning environment with challenging classes and expectations that prepare them for the real world. It ensures your kid will be challenged, safe, and courteous. It ensures your kid will learn that hard work, respect, and persistence creates success. The public education system falls short in all of these categories.

By SchoolFriend

September 19, 2005 01:34 PM | Link to this

The biggest indicator of how well a child will do in school is the parental involvement and expectations. Of course if you are spending that kind of money, you are probably quite involved and expect quite a bit from your child. But a child can get a quality education in any school - IF the parents expect it.

By SWC

September 19, 2005 01:37 PM | Link to this

Jake - your comments are truly frightening. Why don’t you take a nice boat trip to Cuba - Castro would love and adore you. Maybe you could get a nice school named after you, like “Jake’s Greater Good School for Cuban Comrades”. You might learn a thing or two about slavery too - lots of little children toiling away for the greater good.

I’m so glad that you will allow people to still attend private school, that’s so generous of you.

Re eminent domain - Robert is wrong that it was the Republicans (conservatives) who voted for the horrible KELO decison (how typical of a leftist to try to blame it on Bush)- it was Ginsburg and her Leftist cronies, BUT that decision was different from the Fulton Cty School issue because this involves taking land for public use, while the recent court decision was about taking private land for private use.

I think this attempt to push Weber out shows (once again) the ruthless arrogance of many school boards. It is not without irony that they are trying to take over a private school for their purposes. And who cares if its on a busy corner -what does that have to do with the morality of the issue?

By scott

September 19, 2005 01:38 PM | Link to this

DB, A working community of school administration, teachers, parents, and STUDENTS will allow all of those things occur. If you do not have a “lazy kid” who works hard, enrolled in the IB, TAG, or AP programs, and willing to work they will be just as if not more successful as any kid from a private school. If people want to spend THEIR money to send THEIR kids to a private school, more power to them. Just note it does not ensure they received the best education. Go back a few months and notice how many “private” school were listed in the top 100 high school in the country.

By Janet

September 19, 2005 01:48 PM | Link to this

While I can be understanding of the school board and the need for another school, my question is “WHY NOW?” The Weber School has invested money far beyong “fair market value” into the property - they have spent years fund raising to be able to get to this point. Fair market value does not include the demolishing that has gone through, the architect and engineers expenses, much less the time and efforts of parents and supports. Fair market value of my own house is not what I could sell it on the market for. This is simply a matter of “GREED”.

By Jake

September 19, 2005 01:51 PM | Link to this

I’m not deciding anything. On the one hand, I’m stating the fact that legally the county can take the land under public domain. Just like you have the legal right to put your children in private school. I’m also stating an opinion, that the continued flight of the best and brightest students and their parents from public schools into private schools and home schooling just continues the degradation of our public school system. And that degrading our public school systems is un-American because it’s self-serving and does not support the greater public good. Running to private school is much like running from New Orleans because you had the means to do so, leaving those that weren’t able to their fate. It’s not only un-American, it’s cowardly. The courageous thing to do would be to stay within the public school system and use your energy and talent to improve it.

By Libertarian

September 19, 2005 01:56 PM | Link to this

If FC wants to put a school in that area so badly, then why don’t they look a half block down Abernathy to the North Fulton Tennis Center. They own that land already. Since there are plenty of tennis courts in the area, who could argue that having a few more tennis courts is more pressing a priority than having a school that could help alleviate the current overcrowding problem? Lets see who FC cares about more…tennis players (some of whom probably live outside of FC) or children.

By Jake

September 19, 2005 02:11 PM | Link to this

SWC - I don’t know if your education was public or private, only that it was sorely lacking in ethics. You denounce ‘the greater good’ as a Castro ideal. Then you make “for their own purposes” sound like some sinister leftist plot, instead of building a much needed elementary school. You fit right in with the elitist neo-con Bush crowd that lets in all those immigrants that will be populating that elementary school so they can suck the wealth and life out of the downtrodden while they hide in gated communities and send their kids to private schools where they won’t have to be exposed to the riffraff.

By SchoolFriend

September 19, 2005 02:16 PM | Link to this

The high school I went to is a public high school - and that high school and the other one in that town are constantly in the top 20 high schools (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE). The parents were very involved with everything going on and the expectations of the kids were high. And they allowed the ‘riffraff’ in, sir. The commitment is from the parents, regardless of anything else, as to the education your child will have.a

By RF

September 19, 2005 02:25 PM | Link to this

Not necessarily on the subject, but have you ever gotten caught in the traffic around every elementary school on a typical school morning? Now imagine that at Roswell and Abernathy!! What is Fulton Co. thinking? (never mind, I’m sure we don’t want to know…) I know there isn’t much land available in the area, but isn’t that just about the worst place to put a school?

By Milo

September 19, 2005 02:48 PM | Link to this

OK, FC has a legal right to do this, That does not make it right. Weber has already started devloping the land by clearing it. FC just wants something for nothing not for the “public good”. AND, Yes the goverment should do something about the illegals in our school system. They come here and want everything for free. Well it doesent work that way. And besides that, do something about the over population of the american people, I believe it is China that has a child limit? I think we need one of those here. If you cant afford a baby, Dont be having no babies. Our welfare system is full already. I am tired of supporting you and your kids. Weber worked very hard to raise the needed funds to do build there dream school. I really think FC needs to look somewhere else. Go Weber, I hope you win over FC. I will say a christian prayer for your group.

By Christina

September 19, 2005 02:51 PM | Link to this

Okay it doesn’t matter who on the high court made/upheld this Supreme Court ruling and frankly I don’t care. What I care about is that Fulton County is threatening to take away the land that is being preped for another school. Fulton County needs to find another place and by another building to demolition on their own.

By johnny

September 19, 2005 02:58 PM | Link to this

Jake, You really have a scary way of thinking about things. I hope you never run for office. I believe you feel that you are speaking with a voice of compassion, however “staying in the public school system and changing it from within” is not working. It seems the more we try to change it, the more powerful the teachers unions become. The more money we throw at it the worse the level of education gets. DO YOU REALLY THINK THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN WORKING WELL?

By D

September 19, 2005 03:13 PM | Link to this

Jake: How does placing my children in a private school degrade the government schools?

The government schools still get the same amount of money regardless of what I do and now they have fewer students to spend it on.

If I could do something to better the government school system for my children I would. But I can’t. What I can do is better the education that my children receive and that is in private school. It is one hell of a sacrafice, but that is my responsibility as a parent.

Next time you’re driving by the school bus stops, note how few students are carrying books.

If you want to blame anyone for degrading government schools, blame apathetic parents and teachers’ unions.

By RF

September 19, 2005 03:24 PM | Link to this

johnny and d—-WE DON’T HAVE TEACHERS UNIONS IN GEORGIA!! Blame it on the top-heavy county school administrations with their huge salaries if you like, but don’t blame it on the teachers unless you are/have been one, which brings up an interesting point: do you ever hear a teacher bash the public school system?? NO, because we know how hard we work to TRY to teach the children!! Thanks d for pointing out the apathy of parents in public schools. I fight it every day.

By DB

September 19, 2005 03:31 PM | Link to this

The measurement of “Top 10 Schools” is quite misleading. How do you measure a school? Hmmm…. Some of the factors they consider are outrageous. How do I judge a school? I could care less what some politically-charged public rating pumps out. Is there discipline? Is there rigor in the curriculum? Do they tell me what I want to hear, or do they tell me my kid is misbehaving? etc. Given the fact that private schools don’t share much information with the public is the biggest reason why they don’t stack up all that great. There are good public schools, and I graduated from a decent one, but the fact remains that most public schools, on average, are terrible. There are bad private schools, but the numbers are completely reversed. There are a few good public schools, and there are a few bad private schools. The reason is because there is absolutely no accountability for the behavior of students in the public sector, and good teachers with expectations therefore leave, which creates a teacher-shortage only to be filled by fledgling teachers and bad teachers. Students can do almost anything and get away with it. Teachers are powerless, and administrators are too busy building nice buildings and “coddling” programs for political purposes. If you want to measure “the best” schools, judge them on how their students fair in college after they graduate. That’s a good indicator. And, by the way, public schools are quite unsafe. You have a bunch of predatorial jerks and criminals that need to learn some morals hanging around YOUR kids. If you want to deny that and say your kid needs to interact with others, well, sure, they do. But I refuse to make my kids struggle to pay attention in class because you have a bunch of morons acting like two-year-olds only to have a teacher that is burnt out from the system because he or she can’t do anything about it because of the laws and lack of support.

Anyway, it’s just sad to me that a private school would be “displaced” by a public school. What a travesty. If we could instill responsibility in our public schools, I would love it. But we can’t, and therefore we are just hurting our poor kids even more than their conditions have already.

By SnottyNozeBratt

September 19, 2005 03:37 PM | Link to this

Hideous and ruinous ruling by the “supreme court”. The loss of private property based on some govt. officials idea of what is better. Better for thier political careers? Better for their pockets? hum.

I’m sure this isn’t the first, and obviously won’t be the last, but here we have a group of people who are being threatened at gunpoint (as the govt are the ones who have the guns to inforce their viewpoints.) It is unlikely the Weber school will win. Power hungry people - the govt. The ones with the guns are going to strip the rights and belongings from a group of people.

Interesting that it is a jewish group. Historically no one will stand up to the govt. to help them. Undoubtedly the governing body is quiet aware of that fact. No one will help until it is too late.

Until it is too late for all of us.

By Jake

September 19, 2005 03:39 PM | Link to this

On the issue of Fulton taking over the property I began by simply stating that legally they can under eminent domain. I also believe that the “promote the general welfare” clause from the Preamble supports not only the legality, but the ethics. A public elementary school for 1000 or more currently overcrowded kids that live in the neighborhood is a greater good than putting 158 wealthy private school kids on 18 acres of land. And even accepting what I’m sure is a lowball offer of $18.7M they would still show a profit of $8.7 or 43% for 2 years, money that should allow them to relocate elsewhere. Whether of not that is truly “just compensation” I don’t know, but the courts will ultimately determine that. Obviously, public school education isn’t working very well. But how will it get better if the best and the brightest and the motivated parents all leave? How will that enhance opportunities for the best and brightest that are born into poverty? How will that “promote the general welfare”, a founding principle of this country? Lastly, what I think is scary is that the wealthiest elite can just wave the flag and sing a few hymns and manipulate the sheep into thinking promoting the general welfare is some anti-American leftist concept, and tax breaks for the rich and public land use for the rich are the American way. Milo - it was China, but that initiative failed as the then 1B has now swollen to 1.2B and the program has largely been abandoned.

By RF

September 19, 2005 03:45 PM | Link to this

DB—I’ll say a collective AMEN for all the public school teachers out there!! We all think it at some point, but we dare not say it. It’s also a societal loss of responsibility too. Who do you ever hear admit guilt anymore unless it’s part of a plea bargain? The schools reflect the society in which they must function.

By DB

September 19, 2005 03:50 PM | Link to this

Also, you might want to mention schools were ranked simply from the numbers of AP and IB tests taken divided by the number of graduating seniors! There was no mention of scores. Also, keep in mind that you could have a small number of students in an affluent town and have an outrageously skewed score. So what that tells me is that the best school is the one that has the most AP courses, and it doesn’t matter how well they test or how well the courses are taught. What a joke! I’m also concerned about the average kids getting a good education, which was obviously ingored in that whole study. It’s just another worthless study from “public education” proponents.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7761678/site/newsweek/

By DB

September 19, 2005 03:53 PM | Link to this

I’m a former public school teacher who is now a PASSIONATE private school teacher. I’ve seen it all.

By Dan

September 19, 2005 03:55 PM | Link to this

Certainly invoking eminent domain in this case is technically closer satisfying the old definition of public use, the disturbing part here is the timing. Clearly the people planning to build the private school have planned this for years acquiring through purchase or donation the land and assets needed. Now fulton county, (which routinely extorts funds from it’s northern annexes) gets to benefit from the hard work of a private group. For years the fulton county schools have bungled of budgets and education with no foresight and planning. While this may be legal as to the letter of the law, it is just another example of the mismanagement of public education.

By DB

September 19, 2005 03:59 PM | Link to this

Jake: Here’s how you change it all. You create a public school system where disruptive students are taught self-control through consistent consequences. Mommy and Daddy already created the problem, so you ignore those parents and do what’s right for the kid. You set up “behavioral” public boarding schools where kids learn how to behave and control themselves before going an ruining it for the mainstream schools. Then normal public schools become places where you behave and learn or get demoted to the “behavioral” schools. That way, those what want to learn, can. And those that don’t want to learn are separated from their parents and taken away to learn, or they can simply go home and learn from mommy an daddy. In this society, that will never happen because it might actually work.

By B. Killebrew

September 19, 2005 04:03 PM | Link to this

Jake, I’m with you all the way. Just keep in mind that the “bashing” you are receiving is from private school parents who are projecting their societal guilt in an adolescent manner. They know for a fact that what they are doing corrodes our society from within. They may even realize (deep-down) that if we keep promoting private schools, “America” will no longer be America…but a true social pyramid based on a Latin American model. I’m scared.

Folks, public education is critical to having a stable democracy. We really need to understand the seriousness of this matter. In the words of Johnny Isakson (a famous Republican), “When we’ve given up on public schools, we’ve given up on America.” Mark his words.

RF, you are right, problems with public education are a reflection of society, not the system. The American model of education is ideal and in fact is emulated and desired around the world.

By SchoolFriend

September 19, 2005 04:03 PM | Link to this

It’s not just the mismanagement of public education - it’s the mismanagement of government. Don’t just dump it on the school - our government is broken at every level, no one cares, it is getting worse.

By Jake

September 19, 2005 04:06 PM | Link to this

D - How did the ‘white flight’ from urban centers to the suburbs degrade the inner city communities? Same thing, because only the less motivated and less resourceful are left behind. So you would have driven out of NO because you could afford to, and left behind those that couldn’t. You couldn’t take them all with you, so that’s all you can do is save you and yours. How very noble of you. What’s so good about private schools? Primarily the fact that you and all the other motivated parents that make the sacrifices demand accountability from them on a school by school basis. I’m suggesting if you and thousands of motivated parents like you stayed and worked within the public school system, you could make a difference, just like regentrification of some of our urban areas has made a difference in those communities. And what’s your objective? More sacrifices to pay for private universities? Or just take most of the spots in the better public universities? So your kids can then get the better paying jobs and live in the nicer gated communities? That’s fine if it’s all about you and yours. But this is about ethics and selfishness isn’t generally considered a virtue. Read John Donne, “no man is an island”.

By Dick

September 19, 2005 04:07 PM | Link to this

We would not be faced with events such as this if there were no private schools around. We would not need private schools IF our elected school officials would operate the school systems as they should be and that is a learning enviroment. Our school officials are operating today on the bases of being “best buddies” of our school systems. Don’t do anything to hurt the childs self esteem, no gradeds lower than a 65. Our state school superintendend says what ever needs to be said to get elected, or re-elected. It is like my local school systems superintendent told the teachers this year “our number one goal is to do what ever it takes to make the parents happy”. I say to heck with the parents, stand up for the teachers. A teacher cannot teach as they are too busy trying to raise the children because the custodial parent/guardian does not want to hurt the little kids feelings. We would not need private school if our public schools returned back to the teaching curricilum in the 60’s.

By SG

September 19, 2005 04:17 PM | Link to this

I ache for all in this situation (except the FCBOE) I have two kids in one of the incredibly overcrowded elementary schools in the Sandy Springs area. The situation in our school has been getting worse for the last five years. We are now at nearly DOUBLE the capacity at what our school was built for. The FCBOE has certainly been made aware of the situation numerous times for the last five years. We have tried in vain to get some kind of relief on our own campus. For them to try and pull this off when the Weber School is at their groundbreaking is dispicable and further points to the board’s lack of foresight. I support the quality of education my children have been recieving, but it is getting very difficult to keep them there with the conditions as they are. Also, not that this matters too much, but my kids are Jewish and I graduated from one of the “top” private schools here in Atlanta.

By NL

September 19, 2005 04:18 PM | Link to this

Jake: My kid goes to a private 15k/yr school, Wealthy?? Hardly! I drive a beater 12 year old car and cut every corner I can so my child can get a decent education in a private school. I’m a product of public education and I wouldn’t want to expose my child to the mediocrity of the thug and drug filled public magnet school I was so privileged to atend.

By Swangirl

September 19, 2005 04:24 PM | Link to this

I recall when the hoopla occured over the Supreme Court decision that all the state legislators were doing all they could to reassure us that state laws could never allow this kind of thing to happen in Georgia due to measures already put into place. Were they lying?

Regardless, I hope Weber wins their fight. They put a lot of hard work and effort into this and it isn’t right for Fulton to suddenly decide they want it.

By Dan

September 19, 2005 04:37 PM | Link to this

The recent Supreme decision really doesn’t have anything to do with this. That decision stretched the definition of use to benefit. The problem hear is they are seeking to take this property not because it is uniquely suitable for a school but because someone else has already done the legwork, purchased the land at a good price and determined all the logistics. Which is also stretching the rules. Hard to believe anyone thinking this is ethical

By Steve Barton

September 19, 2005 04:47 PM | Link to this

Comments above that are on topic that made sense to me:

Dana (Weber teacher): Where was the Fulton Co Sch Bd a year ago when we were desparately trying to sell a portion of the property?

yesiamworried: It’s a poor site in a busy commercial district

SG (parent of students in overcrowded Sandy Springs schools): Doing this now to Weber is despicable.

Hey, I’m a neighbor of Weber’s current location and they have been a good neighbor (after they bulldozed all the trees with little notice, an unwelcome necessity for their operations). They have got to move to grow — and they spent a long time looking for a site to buy.

I think this action is put in a different light (Patti’s question) by it being another school that might be shoved out.

I would prefer the template for new schools be changed: build up, so smaller sites are needed; and locate in neighborhoods, close to students (existing neighbors will not be happy, but the community will be better).

Our neighborhood schools in Dunwoody (Austin, Vanderlyn, Chesnut, Kingsley, Peachtree, Dunwoody) are all amongst the homes in the neighborhoods. They are close by, welcoming, part of the community.

And the traffic tie ups are easier on the neighborhood streets than having them out on a main commuting thoroughfare.

Big distant schools set behind a small sea of parking — that’s what I see in Gwinnett and Cobb, Dunwoody Springs Elem in Fulton is one, too.

If you live across the street from any of those Dunwoody schools mentioned above, you can walk from your front door to the school’s door in under a minute.

Something real is lost when the “neighborhood” school is situated for maximum traffic access. Let Weber set up there at the crossroads — their students are coming from all over.

By DB

September 20, 2005 08:24 AM | Link to this

Jake: Sorry, but I’m not a “white flight” proponent. I’m an education proponent, and I’m all for improving public education wherever they are and whatever it takes. I taught public ed for 5 years before I realized it’s all a big joke. I’m not here to waste my time with kids and parents that don’t care and an administration that also doesn’t care. Also, before you go calling people selfish, you should know that I was born into a very poor family where I had to work from the age of 12 to help my parents survive. I went to public school, and it was a joke. That was 15 years ago in a very rural place, much unlike the city schools where I taught, which were much worse. You had to do little to get good grades, and you were able to act like an idiot and get away with it. It’s no wonder why many kids get to college(or a job) and fail out(or get fired). Our schools are not preparing them for real life; in fact, most are sheltering them from real life by telling them life is fair by giving endless second chances and unwarranted compliments. I don’t care how poor people are, their kids are unsuccessful because they don’t care, and their parents don’t teach them to respect authority and education. And being poor is not an excuse. And no public school will teach them otherwise. PUBLIC ED IS HURTING THOSE CHILDREN BY HANDING EVERYTHING TO THEM. I only stepped out of denial and realized that. Public education cannot do much for those kids as long as they still go home to the terrible homes where they live. So, as I suggested earlier, real progress will only happen when you take bad kids and separate them from their parents and put them in separate “behavioral” boarding schools until they earn their way back to mainstream. The only other option is to kick bad kids out, but we can’t do that. If we start to do this, the “behavioral” schools will serve as mob control, and public schools will once again become a place where you show up to learn. And our tax money will no longer be wasted on creating public assistance recipients or criminals. It will be educating those that want to learn, and it will be “adjusting” those that need guidance.

Also, I pay taxes just like everyone else, and I send one kid to private school and one kid to public school. And let me tell you, the differences between the two are undeniable. I don’t have a lot of money, and I drive a $1200 car. As soon as I cut a few more expenses, I’ll send the other. Call me selfish, and I don’t care. If anyone honestly thinks public education is better, they’re in complete denial. If you think you can change the laws to make it better, do it. For the time being, I’m contributing to society by making sure my kids are productive and respectful. And I don’t want my kids to live in gated communities, and I don’t either. If that’s what they want when they grow up, that’s their problem. But it’s my duty to make my kids well-educated, responsible adults who contribute to society. If everyone else thought that way before having kids, we wouldn’t need private education, now would we? My kids will hopefully value doing the right thing over collecting a big paycheck. And what school they go to, if any, after high school is whatever school they can afford because I’m not paying for their college. At 18, I will consider them able to fend for themselves. If they don’t go to college, that’s their problem, and they’ll be much better off than those that only went to the local public school.

Unfortunately, the control of public schools is in the hands of the public where complainers always get their way, and the kids lose in the long run because they have the power. They learn nothing about consequences and real life. And policy is made more for political reasons by people that are the furthest from the classroom and know very little about it than for the good of the students that care. Public schools do not instill personal accountability, dilligence, and civic duty. Just look at the blame game we all play. It’s partly a result of public education, which instills that people have an entitlement to everything and don’t have to earn anything. Because of this, we live in a society where few display common decency and common courtesy, and most kids graduate with little or no self-control combined with a superficial, materialistic approach toward life. They feel they have to respect nobody. Then we wonder why we can’t get good service anywhere, or we wonder why people are getting shot on the streets everyday, and we wonder why we have to lock our doors and are cars. And we wonder why most families get knee-deep in debt so they can have this or that in the house.

So, in essence, although I can barely survive, I will send my kids to a private school because private school teachers and administrators still run the show. Until public schools are able to take control, they are absolutely anti-productive. And because of that, my kids will be challenged and safe. Sorry if I won’t expose my kids to extreme negligence and danger in order to improve the public education system. If they decide not to go to college, their education will have prepared them for life.

I understand your point, but the laws simply have to change for public education to even start to improve.

By DB

September 20, 2005 08:29 AM | Link to this

Typo: are = our

By old teacher

September 20, 2005 09:07 AM | Link to this

The government is going to take the land if they want it. This is sad but true. The next group to get hit with this land grab are those of us who live around the new Gwinnett UGA. They will be taking our land soon for school buildings and dorms.

By old teacher

September 20, 2005 09:22 AM | Link to this

Public school is handing everything to kids! Oh, please. It is the upper class kid who is handed everything, it doesn’t matter if they are public, private, or home schooled.

By Karen Armsby

September 20, 2005 09:34 AM | Link to this

old teacher, Can you define what you mean by ‘upper class’?

By Karen Armsby

September 20, 2005 09:45 AM | Link to this

My two cents about white flight and public vs. private:

The population of the suburban counties and their school districts has risen dramatically over the last twenty years, mostly from the huge number of people moving to Metro Atlanta from outside of Georgia. And there has been an exodus of whites and blacks from Dekalb Co., as they sold their houses that had tripled in value to the newcomers and moved out where they could get twice the house for half the price and in a good school district.

There are great public schools and crummy ones and great private schools and crummy ones. The choice is yours; either you stay and work for change in your crummy school, send your child to private schoiol, or move to a better school district.

Farrah Gray, author of ‘The Reallionaire’ says, “You can change the people around you, or change the people around you.” I say, quit complaining, and get working, or get moving. Standing in place and whining and blaming will not change a thing.

By johnny

September 20, 2005 09:50 AM | Link to this

Where is Jake this a.m.? Did DB’s wonderful argument make him realise how wrong he was?

By DB

September 20, 2005 09:55 AM | Link to this

Well, upper, middle, lower class doesn’t matter. If you take it from a materialistic point of view, all kids are being handed things. Parents these days bend over backwards and bless their kids with all these “things” regardless of their income. And private schools are represented much more by middle class kids than everyone thinks. When I said “BEING HANDED EVERYTHING”, I’m talking about most kids in a public school that don’t have to work for good grades and can blame their failures and misbehavior on everyone else, and the administrators and public eat it up and cater to these “few” who ruin it for the rest. If you can’t make the grade, blame the teacher, if you misbehave, blame the teacher or school, it goes on and on. In the end, Johnny honestly thinks nothing is his fault, and that’s the society we live in.

By DB

September 20, 2005 10:10 AM | Link to this

Sorry guys, this has been taken off topic. I didn’t mean for that to happen, and I apologize. And I didn’t want it to become a right/wrong fight. I just want people to know my opinion that we’re hurting our kids(and society) these days by taking away a sense of accomplishment and self-accountability and creating people that expect everyone to take care of them while doing nothing for themselves.

By SWC

September 20, 2005 10:23 AM | Link to this

JAKE - 1. The “Greater Good” is what YOU and Hilary Clinton think it is, not what people vote for. “The greater good” is not the same thing as “the general welfare”, especially when you ignore the “Blessings of Liberty”. That’s why I compare your ideas to Communist Cuba - its all about utopian dreams forced on the populace (often through the courts) versus practical solutions and the marketplace of ideas - proposals that are VOTED on by citizens or their representatives.

BTW, my son goes to public school. I went to public and private (non-religious) school and I know how good an education can be as I experienced it myself.

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 11:00 AM | Link to this

DB (and your henchman Johnny)- A sense of accomplishment and self-accountability have nothing to do with the fact that public education is the foundation of the United States.

If public education truly fails, the U.S. as we know it will fall. The undermining of public education is huge! One only has to look at many countries around the world (where the only decent education is available to the wealthy who can pay for it) and you will see what the U.S. can become. Americans should be very scared. A stable democracy cannot depend on the private sector to educate (K-12) its citizenry. It is the civic duty of a true democratic government and its citizens to provide a quality K-12 education for all. It was this initiative in the 19th and early 20th centuries that helped the U.S. jump pass its counterparts.

Friends, this trendy “anti-government” fervor is misplaced and misguided. We are no longer a collection of simple folks farming in the vales of the Appalachians. Being a citizen of the U.S. means you are part of a social contract and with this citizenship comes certain (and very important) civic duties.

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 11:08 AM | Link to this

SWC-

My post was for you as well. Enjoy!

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:16 AM | Link to this

DB: Killebrew, that has already happened.

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:22 AM | Link to this

By the way, I’m not pushing for anti-government schools. I believe the government has the responsibility to educate our kids about life, and it’s failing miserably. I wish the public would step up to the plate and hand out real consequences and get rid of the trash that disrupt the educational process, but it’s not happening, and I’m dealing with what I have here and now. So I’m going to educate my kids either myself, or through private education that has control. Public schools are out of control; expectations are low, and the inmates are running the asylum. If people can’t see that, I suggest you start teaching and feel just how much things are out of control. Things are absolutely backwards.

By SWC

September 20, 2005 11:22 AM | Link to this

B KILLEBREW: The issue at hand (Fulton school board versus Weber) has nothing to do with anything that you are talking about. NO ONE HAS SUGGESTED THAT WE ELIMINATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THEY NEED IMPROVEMENT - again off topic! I am not “anti-government, but I am all too aware of its limits. Furthermore, I do not come from Appalachia - and for you to presume that the readers of the AJC do is indicative of your ignorance. My ancestors were signers of the Declaration of Independence, negotiated the Lousiana Purchase, Colonial Governors (Massachusets, R.I.), revolutionary war heroes, recepients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, explorers, famous writers, congressmen et cetera. As my family had a stake in its founding and progress, I take particular offense when people like you and Jake, who know NOTHING about American history (except the wholesale leftist propaganda that you may have been fed by professors who RE-WRITE history), make ridiculous and ludicrous statements where YOU define what being an American is on YOUR terms, not what was written by our founding fathers, appears in our Declaration, Constitution, or Bill of Rights. Unlike you, I am not forcing anyone to support things that they do not believe in because of some non-existent “social contract”. I recognize your right to your beliefs, but you are not entitled to your own facts.

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this

DB-

Trust me, it has NOT already happened. If you spend some time overseas (actually living overseas), you will have a much more favorable view of American public education. We are actually very fortunate. The problem is not the system, curriculum, etc. The problem is the break down of community and the collapse of good-parenting (in the last few decades). The U.S.’s format for education is good. It just needs to be supported and implemented more intelligently.

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 11:36 AM | Link to this

DB-I am a teacher.

SWC-You just need to understand how critical public education is the U.S. It has nothing to do with Left or Right, Christian or non-Christian, etc.

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:37 AM | Link to this

I feel bad for most teachers in most public schools! Most start out with great expectations and passion, but they’re eventually beaten down by the system that promotes mediocrity and self-indulgence to the point where they either quit or they submit by handing out easy grades and not making waves. Or they get fired for taking stands that actually teach kids about life by standing up to parents that want to bail their kids out of everything.

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:50 AM | Link to this

Exactly Killebrew: I’m with you that it’s not just public education, and I have spent time overseas and noticed there is much more discipline and kids more educated and more mature and at least more successful because they work hard and respect authority. So I’d have to disagree with you there. In other countries, kids are REALLY poor, and they would love to have the chance to attend a school. Here, the poor despise school. Our public education has spiralled into chaos. And I’m not judging anyone to the Left, Right, Christian, Non-Christian, etc. And I’m not conservative, Christian, either as many would like to assume. Don’t confuse my political opinions with SWC. Our system has to either start parenting for those that don’t have it(public boarding schools), or start kicking out those that don’t have good parents(not a realistic option). Accountability is the key. A kid can have a terrible home, but if he or she knows he or she can’t get away with things at school, they will magically behave well at school and actually crave the structure over the home environment. I agree that the family has broken down over the years, but public education is part of that problem by allowing these terrible parents to run the show, and it’s not the only thing that will fix it. But I still hold that public education is failing our kids. And public school curriculum is terrible. It takes years to sift through the bureaucracy and actually change curricula(say biology) to reflect modern technology like DNA Science, which is the crux of biology these days. This stuff is just now getting into the curriculum. How terrible.

It’s time for public educators to take back the system and get some spine. Good parents are in the minority these days, and I would argue that it’s all a result of poor education over the last 20 years or so. Public education molds our culture, and it combined with living for the “almighty dollar” has created a terrible situation.

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:54 AM | Link to this

My bad, I see you were referring to SWC for the stereotyping.

By DB

September 20, 2005 11:57 AM | Link to this

Killebrew: Oh, I do agree that the system in place isn’t all that bad. I just think the fact that we pay too much attention to the “enablers” is the problem. If we put discipline and accountability back into the public system, everything else would start to take care of itself, or at least improvement would then be possible.

By DB

September 20, 2005 12:04 PM | Link to this

Killebrew: I think you’re misinterpreting my opinion in that I think we need to improve our public system. I’m not saying we should abandon it. I’m just sending my kids to private school because the public school in my area is terrible(as are many others).

Also, by chance to you teach in an affluent area? Or are you in the inner city?

By DB

September 20, 2005 12:26 PM | Link to this

DB—exactly how do we teachers “get some spine” as you call it? We try, believe me we do. But we can’t fight the trend in society towards devaluing education. No matter how much backbone we put into it, the system is flawed because the attitude towards it has changed. The media beat us down for test scores (comparisons of which are totally erroneous), and society in general has this horrible attitude about public schools. As a teacher I can tell you that it just isn’t that bad. How can we change all that?

By Aubrey Kinnaman

September 20, 2005 12:52 PM | Link to this

To the person who claims that eminent domain is the fault of republicans. Funny, but the last case brought forward about government being able to take land for private use was passed by the liberal judges. Not the conservatives.

By DB

September 20, 2005 01:22 PM | Link to this

DB? Posting as me? I don’t blame the teachers on lack of spine. I see I used the word educators, but I didn’t mean teachers. Sorry for the ambiguity. What I meant is for administrators and the State and Federal Department of Educations to get more spine and quit feeling so sorry for everyone. And good parents have to stick up for preserving a system that promotes good behavior and high expectations. If my kid was at a public school, and I heard of a few kids disrupting the class, I would go straight to the teacher and see if he or she tried to do something. Then, of course, the teachers are handcuffed, and then I would ask the administrator why those kids are allowed to stay in the classroom and disrupt everyone else. Then the administrator would sweet-talk me and make me feel like he or she would do something. Then, a week later, the same thing would happen. Then they would tell me that you can’t, according to law, kick a kid out of class due to minor disruptive behavior. What a farce? In other words, instead of administrators bending over everytime a parent threatens a lawsuit or complains, they need to say, “Well, I’m sorry you see it that way. I’ll see you in court.” Even if the teachers are right, administrators fire them to save their own job. That’s just wrong. In fact, I said that teachers are “beaten down” out by the system. That’s a prime example. They are usually the scapegoats of the sytem. There are bad teachers, but they are fewer in number than most think. The “system” needs to get some spine and take a stand against the public enablers, period. Believe me, I understand that teachers are the only ones that have spine, and that’s exactly why they end up quitting, retiring, getting chased out of districts, or simply lowering their expectations.

By ATS

September 20, 2005 01:23 PM | Link to this

I agree DB. The parents want to fight you about everything including the amount of homework that the student brings home. Some parents argue that the books are too heavy for the students. Others argue that the papers should not be graded in red ink because the red ink lowers self-esteem.

Also, the students complain when they don’t get their way, and you aren’t treating them fairly. The sense of entitlement is appalling.

It’s sad that it has come to this. The students nor the parents want to take responsibility for their actions.

By johnny

September 20, 2005 01:24 PM | Link to this

KILLEBREW, I am not a henchman. Do people who agree with you become henchmen? I don’t believe public education should be abandoned. There will always be people out there who could not imagine anyone except the government teaching their children, and for them I say let ‘em have it. For your later comment about putting discipline and accountability back into the system, I can’t imagine that happening in this life or the next. PC has gone too far and I am not sure that it can be turned around.

By RF

September 20, 2005 01:37 PM | Link to this

Sorry DB for the confusion in names. I’m doing this between classes before the kids come charging in. Thanks for the clarification—-the teachers do indeed bear the brunt of the disciplinary struggle. You are right that often we lose. Administrators do often try to deal with kids, but when parents fight us, the system loses in a few cases. Most truly troublesome kids can eventually be removed, but the paper trail has to done right. I think that’s fair. There’s a system for doing it, but it depends on the principal and board of education as to whether or not it’s done. Thanks for seeing the reality of that. I don’t know exactly when it happened, but in the last few decades an attitude of “it’s us against them” has developed among parents. This is, in fact, making it very difficult for schools to work effectively.

By kate

September 20, 2005 01:37 PM | Link to this

I am Jewish and I am a Republican. (wow, what a sore thumb i am to stick out!) Don’t diss the Republicans for emminent domain. The whole domain issue was created by liberals who TOOK land in the first place! (remember, Republicans want limited government control? or did you miss that?) Remember, The Fulton school board has backed down… so the situation is OVER. They made a mistake. Don’t fault them for TRYING TO FIND A LOCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL!! If you are so opposed to building a new school, however it happens, why don’t you be a good, responsible mother and home school your kids. Actually, better yet, put them in public school and they will probably turn out better than you did.

By Glenda

September 20, 2005 01:56 PM | Link to this

I’m from Cobb County. Why is it so hard to find property? Seems to me that FC should look up an abandoned Wal-mart. There’s one on every other street here.

By SWC

September 20, 2005 02:26 PM | Link to this

Killebrew - sorry, but it has everything to do with left versus right. The Left and Right have different solutions to the same problem. Public education was pretty good until the Left and the unions took over (and this is true 100 fold in the university system).

European education may be better in the sciences, but ingrained Socialism has created a continent and electorate of appeasers and wimps. Not what I want for my kid! This is also good reason to be very wary of “International Baccalaureate” degree programs - they are propaganda tools to promote “peace studies” and the like. Americans also spend more on education as a percentage of GDP than any European country, with the exception of Scandanavia.

I am fully aware of how important public education is, but it is not “the foundation of the United States” - our founding documents are. What exactly is your solution to improving education?

DB- Your solution is PUTTING KIDS IN COMPULSORY BOARDING SCHOOLS? Now that’s radical! And you’re a teacher? Jeez. I guess you and Jake get to decide who goes to boarding school.

By DB

September 20, 2005 02:27 PM | Link to this

Oops! My use of the word “Johnny” didn’t mean the guy posting on this site! I meant the proverbial Johnny as in the average Joe, and not the Joe that may be posting on this site. ;-)

By DB

September 20, 2005 02:33 PM | Link to this

The problems of today need radical change since things have gotten so far out of hand. The only other option is to kick them out, would you rather have that? Maybe not boarding schoool? Maybe just a school in every county for those that don’t care to play be the rules. I think we’ve already tried all this.

My point is that if a kid has the right to a quality education, they should have that right revoked if they fail to use it by disrupting the process and therefore take that same right away from others. The only other option possible given our laws and rights is to put them in a “behavioral” school. And since the parents are the real problem, they need to be separated from them in extreme cases. I saw many examples of this being needed. It’s either this or prison later.

By DB

September 20, 2005 02:39 PM | Link to this

At some point, many need to realize that there is a point where society can only do so much. Second chance after second chance after second chance is not working! Sure, offer a free education to everyone, but kick those out that ruin it for others. Or, better yet, send them to some type of no-nonsense school that will teach them about real life.

By DB

September 20, 2005 02:45 PM | Link to this

correction: public schools can only do so much, not just society

By johnny

September 20, 2005 03:05 PM | Link to this

No prob, DB.

By RF

September 20, 2005 03:21 PM | Link to this

you’re right DB, but do you really see schools ever getting that radical? As a teacher, I wish we could. So, the question is, how do we deal with the disruptive little stinkers in reality? Answer that and I’ll help you write the book!! :)

By B. Killbrew

September 20, 2005 04:24 PM | Link to this

DB- Actually, you will find many countries (if not most) where the overwhelming majority of the population is locked out of decent educations because they only way to receive a decent education is to pay for it. The U.S. cannot become like this!

To know this, you would really have to live in other countries for a long period of time in order to see how fortunate the U.S. system is. Many people would literally kill to get their students into a U.S. public school because they know that the system is actually pretty good. The problem rests with family structure and community initiative.

The break down of family and community is actually related to the rampant mobility and sprawl of the modern U.S. society. The disintegration of the family/community has hurt public education, not the other way around.

I have taught in an urban/inner-city location (40% public housing with affluent families as well). I have also taught overseas. So, I have a pretty well-rounded and realistic view of education to say the least!

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 04:39 PM | Link to this

DB- I agree with you about discipline in schools. Students(kids) need structure.

SWC- Yes, I do have a solution (and it’s good!), but it’s too much to articulate on this blog at this time. We should talk (with the true DB and Jake as well). If you stick around Metro Atlanta or Georgia for the next few decades, you’ll know me (and my real name).

I just want you to remember (write it down, post it a prominent place, make it your motto)…

By B. Killebrew

September 20, 2005 04:43 PM | Link to this

For SWC (there was an error)-

“When we’ve given up on public schools, we’ve given up on America.”

-Johnny Isakson, famous Republican said sometime in the late 90’s

By DB

September 21, 2005 08:43 AM | Link to this

Is there a difference between Killbrew and Killebrew, or is that the same person?

Also, all posts are by the real DB except for the one that RF accidently typed in DB instead of addressing me in the body, which was a simple mistake.

I would look forward to blogging about. I’ll start a blog on my site if you all agree, and we can move over there later on.

By DB

September 21, 2005 08:51 AM | Link to this

Also, don’t think I’m giving up on public ed when I’ve been working on it for years and writing a book about it that will hopefully start some change.

It would be nice if the AJC just starts another topic to discuss the issue. Hint…

By RF

September 21, 2005 09:04 AM | Link to this

DB—I’d love to hear more about the book and whatever solutions you propose. Let me know the site and I’ll try to pop in when a moment is available. As a teacher, I’m open to any and all discussions about how to improve what goes on in my classroom.

By M

September 21, 2005 09:33 AM | Link to this

Robert: Where have you been? Under a rock? The Supreme Court is not Republican dominated! Many of the Justices may have been nominated by a Republican President, but, the majority are either flaming liberals or so called moderates! When someone is a moderate, it simply means they check the direction of the wind to make a decision! Pretty stupid to look at polls and public reactions when the Justices are supposed to interpret the Constitution and if any act or law complies with the letter and intent of the Constitution! The Conservatives voted against the taking of personal or private property for other than public use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By kerk

September 21, 2005 10:05 AM | Link to this

Shame on the school board for even thinking of taking or stealing this private property.

By Ben Skott

September 21, 2005 10:14 AM | Link to this

If everyone would listen to Bill Cosby, in 20 years none of this will matter. Some people will go to public school, some to private, but as long as the next generation of parents instills a desire for education in their kids, students will do well whatever school they go to.

By RF

September 21, 2005 11:17 AM | Link to this

Patti—weren’t Gail Dean’s comments after withdrawing from the deal interesting? Talk about PR- did she honestly think she could just sweep under the rug the fact that her staff sent a letter stating the county’s intention to invoke eminent domain? Her response “oops, we didn’t know…” I can almost see Anna Nicole Smith twirling her hair and saying it for the county! (no sexism or blonde predjudice intended). At least the power of the press prevailed a little and I think influenced the county’s decision to pull out of the deal.

By DB

September 21, 2005 11:55 AM | Link to this

Ok, everyone, I posted a new blog at my blog site that addresses the need for improvement to our public education system. Here it is if you want to visit:

http://db350.blogspot.com/

By Cincy

September 22, 2005 08:47 AM | Link to this

Locating an elementary school on the corner of Roswell Road and Abernathy Road is an abomination. What no one has pointed out yet,is an elementary school placed at that location would most likely become 95% non-white due to the number of apartment complexes that are less than a half a mile away from the school. Those children would also have to cross five lanes of traffic to get to and from school because bus transportation is not provided to students living in such close proximity of the school.

During the past 6 or 7 years, the FCBOE has spent a billion dollars on school construction and rennovation and have not kept their building promises to the South Fulton County Schools. They are now under Federal investigation.

Mrs. Gail Dean is the Board President and the Weber School is in her district. She claimed to be a “construction expert” when she first ran for the BOE. Her comments on this issue and the comments made by other Board members would lead the public to believe that the superintendent of the school system acted on his own when threatening “eminent domain” on the Weber school. Maybe that’s why Fulton County Schools has had five superintendents in three and a half years.

By Bob

September 29, 2005 11:49 AM | Link to this

The Fulton School Board has had their eye on that property for the last few years. Ms. Dean has driven the board to put more and more resources into her district.

Interesting that after the board built a new Northview HS, a new Alpharetta HS and a new Milton HS — all to the tune of $50 to 60 million each — they suddenly become cost-conscienous when it is time to consider south county. Westlake HS in south county is a mess yet the board still keeps its attention on the north.

Not withstanding what Ms. Dean said, I have absolutely no doubt that such a letter threatening eminent domain was written at the instruction of the Fulton Board. They have done it before (new Milton, Northwood ES, etc,) and they will do it again. Perhaps it is time for a new board; no, it is time for a new board…