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DEL.ICIO.USThat Greene County Saga
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There were lots of fireworks, figuratively speaking, after the State Board of Education meeting today — so much so that a visiting reporter from Athens asked if the meetings were always that exciting.
Unfortunately, no.
The issue stirring so many passions? That proposed charter school at Lake Oconee, which has roiled Greene County for months.
Board members today officially sanctioned a 10-year charter for a campus in the Greensboro area, near the ritzy Ritz-Carlton Lodge. Organizers hope to open by late August or early September with about 15 kindergartners in space they’re temporarily leasing from a church.
All the angst was over the structure of the academy’s attendance zone, which opponents said favored wealthy, white families with second homes in the area over less-affluent black families, who are stuck in the county’s under-performing public schools.
Nellie Stovall, whose niece and nephews attend some of those schools, had tears in her eyes as she spoke with me after the meeting. “Everybody wants a better education for their kids, but it’s like the black kids don’t count,” she said. “I want them to have the same privileges that the kids on the lake have.”
State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox, who recommended the charter’s approval, also got emotional as she spoke with hurt parents after the vote. “We should be remaking every school like a charter school,” she told one group. “Look at the history of Greene County schools. They haven’t had a good track record of raising student achievement.”
For his part, W. Rabun Neal, president of the Reynolds Plantation golf and lake community, looked pretty somber after the meeting, even though his proposal was approved. Despite his demeanor, he said he has high hopes that the school will draw new families — from all income levels — to a county, which has seen its public school enrollment decline.
“We want people to come back a year from now, two years from now, three years from now,” he said, “to see how successful the school is.”
Comments
By Jeff
July 12, 2007 3:52 PM | Link to this
Why all the fuss? They created a LOCAL school, and that LOCAL school happens to be located in a majority white area. Boo Hoo. The blacks can create their OWN LOCAL school in a majority black area.
Besides, if I can get enough supporters for my currently evolving idea, school buildings - and the System they represent - will be largely antiquated within 10 - 15 years.
By Nikole
July 12, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
I think that the fact that it is a charter school means that they do not have to follow the rigid rules about who they allow to attend like public schools do. How frustrating. This shouldn’t even be a big deal because the public school should be providing quality education anyway.
By Man
July 12, 2007 5:59 PM | Link to this
I think this article is creating a dengerous view. As an African American who supports education, I believe that parent who was crying at the board meeting thinks that a white school is better to educate her children. I am not against anyone who wants to begin to have a charter for their school, but use the same energy you displayed at the meeting and make your public school better.
For the public that has never been in a classroom, I would say that the problem is more complex than some charter. I believe most schools have the structure in place but we have to remember that students and teachers are humans. Every theory looks wonderful on paper, but when you deal with the human elements, it gets difficult. I do not know what is going on at Green County and its schools, but I will challenge any citizen in that county to help the school suceed by ensuring that their kids are ready to embark in education everyday.
One reason why some school succeed is because the parents have trained their kids to appreciate education ans listen to adults. A teacher can teach their butts off but if the kid is not forced to study at home then the whole process is in vain. Now I am not blaming anyone. But all stakeholders are in this together including parents and students. If the parents do not care about education then the student is not going to care about education and that happens at any school no matter where the school is or the color of its students.
I truly believe that if the students come prepared to learn and allow the teacher to TEACH then you would not be complaining about an attendance zone for your county.
By Janine
July 12, 2007 6:25 PM | Link to this
In the last 20-30 years, attendance zones have always played a huge role in education, Man….precisely because all students do NOT come , in your words, ” prepared to learn and allow the teacher to TEACH”. I well remember moving to be sure that my children would be in at attendance zone where they would spend the majority of their time [and that’s exactly what they do…..9-10 hours a day AND MORE…in or about school] with other students who valued education. Unfortunately, this is nothing new.
By Janine
July 12, 2007 6:29 PM | Link to this
At the risk of sounding old and cliche….The more things change, the more they stay the same…Have you seen the building…. the McMansions in the Oak Grove Elementary /Lakeside area of Dekalb? Young parents want opt to pay fortunes for a home in order NOt to have to pay private school tuition.
By Janine
July 12, 2007 6:33 PM | Link to this
Every day I hear young couples…and even single parents…discussing whether to plan to pay private school tuition or move, at no little expense, into one of the neighborhoods where their children will be in the company of other children whose parents have the same expectations and respect for education that they themselves do. Almost all say they plan to put their children in private school for middle school, but hope they can “get by” with public elementary school, IF they move to the right area.
By mmm
July 12, 2007 6:34 PM | Link to this
I attended the subcommittee meeting last month, and I am saddened to see this. Perception is everything, and no one won on this one.
By Lee
July 12, 2007 7:20 PM | Link to this
Charter schools. Private schools. Parents moving to a school district that they think has “better schools.”
These are all examples of grouping by ability. Ever since Brown vs Board, the educrats and politicians have yet to figure out that if you stir vinegar and water together, it may appear to be mixed, but over time, will tend to separate into it’s unique self.
The social engineers have tried to mix individuals with disparate IQ’s, cultures, and mores into a classroom. Hey, for good measure, lets throw in a few special ed kids and a few non-English speaking kids.
There you go teacher. There’s your classroom. Now go teach. Oh yeah, by the way, we bought you this nifty Math by the Numbers kit. It’s all the rage in Denmark…
“Why, I don’t know why the kids aren’t learning. They’re all given the same opportunity now. Isn’t that what you want?”
Someone needs to tell them [educrats and politicians] that we don’t want the same opportunity to mediocrity.
Hey MAN, I sent my children to school ready to learn. Unfortunately, the teacher was so busy taking the special ed kid to the nurse to get his diaper changed (true story), taking the troublemakers to the principal (to get a stern talking to), teaching about 3 grades below level to the illegal aliens, and spending what little time was left marking days off the calendar to retirement, that my kids didn’t learn a damn thing at school.
Thank God for Barnes and Noble.
Oh yeah, she’s in private school and doing very well now, thankyouverymuch.
By Mrs. M
July 13, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this
I am a product of a parent (my father) wanting more for his child and doing something about it. Until the time I was 13, my father worked 3 jobs. He worked the nightshift, a part-time day job, and held a weekend position. As a result, I spent plenty of time with my grandparents. Occasionally, I was allowed to hang out with my father at work on Saturdays.
You know what? As busy as my father was, he found the time to keep my brain active. I stayed in the library. We drove to DC so that I could visit the Smithsonian, the zoo, etc… He didn’t sit back and cry about my lack of opportunities. He made opportunities available for me. He had a high school diploma but realized early on that his daughter would need more.
When I turned 13, he used all the money that he saved to open his own business. He probably worked harder in that one business than he did in his previous three jobs combined, but we made it. He sacrificed so that I wouldn’t have to. So that his grandchildren wouldn’t have to.
I feel bad for the Greene County mother but people in that community and others like them have to do more than “want” those things that the kids on the lake have. They have to do something to change their lives. As blacks, we can’t wait around for people to provide opportunities. It’s time to become responsible for yourself.
As an educator, it breaks my heart to see parents who use schools as dumping grounds and daycares. Public schools can be just as good as private schools. Get involved and make a difference in the life of your child!
By catlady
July 13, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this
There are Savage Inequities (see book) in education, as well as in life in general. Folks who “have not” have to even the playing field themselves by doing those things noted above (sacrifice, be involved and don’t expect the school to do it for you, make a huge effort to stimulate their children, etc).
Our system is set up so that the wealthy can have what amounts to a taxpayer-funded private school, it appears. Prejudice is not black/white, it is green.
Best of luck to all involved.
By MAN
July 13, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
I agree with the bloggers who mentions that some kids do not come to learn thus creating a dificult task fo the ones that do. My only point is that if as a community we all instilled thoses values in our students then the public education system will be better. It is sad that some kids can not learn because some students deny it.
By Nel
July 13, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this
Another part of the equation is that majority black schools in more rural counties also get the least qualified teacher, and teacher who teach subjects they can barely understand themselves. The residents unfortunately don’t seem to understand that so long as the folks in charge realize you can unseat them, they will try harder, it’s just that people complain far more than the are willing to take action. I live in Dekalb County and it’s the same situation. People assume that putting their kids into a majority white school will cause a miracle and the kid will suddenly become this amazing student. Attitude is everything and that goes for parent, student, and Aministration.
The fact still remains that perception is key. These people believe that the white charter school will be better and given that it will be in Reynolds Plantation, provided they can get the folks who own the homes to move there full-time, it most likely will be. Everyone I know who has property there have no intention to move there permanently until they retire…maybe.
By mmm
July 13, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
I agree with Nel’s perception comment. I read the charter and it is a cut and past from neighborhood charter with little that make me expect that it will be anything special. He could have had an open enrollment and it wouldn’t create any net difference because people would discover that it wasn’t worth driving their kid across the county for—then it would settle into being the “workforce housing” school the developer believes he must have before he will get people to buy his houses.
But now we can anticipate very rough school board elections and ill-will between either the poorer population of the county and the board or the newly composed board after the next election that sides with the poorer population and resents the charter that it has been obligated to so many extravagent promises to.
By thomas
July 13, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
Janine hit it right on the head. It is something I have said before. Most of the American middle class places importance on at least performing marginally in school. They make this one of the goals for their children because they know that this will pay dividends in the future.
Also, and more importantly—CULTURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM, SO VERY, VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT. IN FACT, IT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. They want their children associating with other students who share their same values and beliefs.
Whether the school is private or public is irrelevant. If you can move into an exclusive neighborhood, you can send your kids to the neighborhood public school. If not, you send your kids to private school. And if you can’t afford private school or live in one of the exclusive enclaves that exist in Georgia (and throughout) America), you just chalk it up and send your children to the local school and gripe, and complain, and b_h about how lousy schools are.
I am quite familiar with the Greene County situation. Lake Oconee was taken over by developers who turned it into a “very nice” area. The rich and well-to-do flocked to this area. No one beneath middle class lives around that lake (except maybe under a tree). The people who live here are similar to the ones in Alpharetta, East Cobb, Forsyth County, etc. THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE SCHOOLS IN MADISON, MONROE, AND EATONTON TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE “UNWASHED MASSES” THOSE SCHOOLS. You see those schools have diversity- blacks, poor whites, and few Hispanics. There are students of all varieties there.
This “charter school” is the perfect “solution” to their “problem”. If it is a “public charter school”, they don’t have to pay tuition for their children. The “charter school” can function like a psuedo-private school, meaning it doesn’t have to follow the same rules as a public school- state DOE rules for minimal school size for example. The state will not fund building a new elementary school for 200 students or a middle school with 400 students. However, you can do that if you have a “charter school”.
More importantly, they can start this school in their own neighborhood, the Lake Oconee enclave, and LOCK OUT OUTSIDERS. Not by race or economics, but due to geography and “attendance zones.”
I understand why the people did it. In a way, for them, it was the smart move. Deep down, although I don’t entirely agree with the concept of segregation (meaning that I feel that separating oneself from others and thinking only about yourself will ultimately ending up hurting the nation), I see the people’s point.
My only hope is that one day, we will see the mistake of thinking only about ourselves and not society as a whole, or the greater good. People in this society become arrogant and pompous once achieve some amount of material possessions and comfort. They tend to think that the goodies that have acquired (a “good” job, nice car and house, toys and junk inside the house, ability to go on nice vacations, etc.) were the result entirely of their efforts. It took the efforts and sacifices of others for them to live near Lake Oconee.