Clayton residents turn to prayer to fix schools

If the governor summoned a prayer vigil for rain, why not pray for Clayton County’s schools? That’s how Bishop Dianne Collins of College Park’s Faith Walk Ministries Inc. looks at it.

And so, on Sunday afternoon, she was among a handful of preachers who roused the crowd in front of the Harold R. Banke Justice Center in Jonesboro in a vigorous call for God to help restore order to the mess that last month cost Clayton schools their accreditation.

• Photos Prayer vigil for Clayton schools

Clayton County schools headlines:

• Photos: Timeline of Clayton schools' woes

• Union members protest Clayton school pick 
• Retired Marine says he's a contender for Clayton schools chief 
• Clayton poised to hire retired Marine as superintendent 
• Clayton schools regain accreditation 
• Clayton schools to get $25M in federal aid 

• AJC editorial: Less hope

• Read the full report to SACS:
  • Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Large PDFs)



• Read SACS' report (PDF)

Clayton County news

Citing a dysfunctional school board and other problems, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked Clayton’s accreditation effective Sept. 1, making the 50,000-student district only the second in the nation to lose accreditation in the last 40 years.

“God’s reversing it,” Collins shouted, and asked the obliging listeners to turn around to get the feel of the concept.

The vigil, hosted by the Association of Christian Ministers of Clayton County, created a platform for clergy to inspire community members ahead of Tuesday’s special election for the school board.

The crowd seemed enlivened by the prayers, echoing the remarks of the speakers, squeezing shut their eyes and lifting up their hands.

Riverdale Mayor Evelyn Wynn-Dixon estimated 200 people showed up for the rally. She said she heard people in the crowd responding to the crisis with optimism as a result of the prayer vigil.

“Prayer is a powerful instrument,” she said. “It enhances people’s faith level and it helps to decrease fear, and fear is the worst thing ever.”

Clayton resident Cullen Clemons, 58, showed up to support the children, including his 16-year-old daughter. In light of the county’s crisis, he has her dual-enrolled in high school and at Clayton State University to help give her an edge with some college credits.

He said he came to “rally support for the school system” and, “mainly, the children, who are the innocent victims of all of what’s happened.”

In invoking God’s will, several speakers Sunday stressed triumphing over the devil, exposing and driving him from the county.

The final note of the service was a call to citizens to add deed to faith – to head to the polls and attend the meetings of local government.