By Phil

Oct 22, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

I grew up in DeKalb and I want the teachers to understand one thing.

Students and parents pay the bills ( the tax payer), when teachers teach for free then they can complain all they want. I being a tax payer have had enough of the teachers union teaching thier on agenda's.
Try teaching something that the children need to succeed in life, the basics like how to make a salad, write a check , manage a budget and respect thier elders and thier self (including teachers).

By joe

Oct 21, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this

I grew up in DeKalb County, and I'm a product of the DeKalb School System. After graduating from the prestigious Druid Hills High, I went on to receive my Bachelor's, Masters, and Educational Specialist.

I became a teacher myself, and I have taught in the best schools in DeKalb, North Fulton and Gwinnett. I have earned TOTY twice in both DeKalb and Fulton. DeKalb County Schools, teachers, and my parents prepared me to be successful. They believed in me!

I think that the lack of dedication of parents leaves schools abandoned and schools cannot survive without a strong community. Students and parents need to be held accountable and stop placing blame on the schools.

By Pattie Breslin

Oct 20, 2008 12:13 AM | Link to this

I've lived in the Atlanta area for many years now, some of it in dekalb county , some in gwinnett. I read about all the lay off, and one of the comments written in the 19ths paper touched me. For all of you Dekalb employees facing the loss of your jobs....demand that some job fairs are set up for you. demand that financial agents come in and help you move the money you have saved, or set you up with protection for your family before you are given that pink slip.
how many companies simply shut down and send people out on the street with no potentials for their future. . The administrators are protecting themselves and their families. shouldn't you be able to do that for yourselves. let me help you get what you deserve.
pattiebwfg@yahoo.net.

By Involved Parent

Oct 17, 2008 6:02 AM | Link to this

I am staying in DeKalb. I do not expect any school to raise my children. My husband and I are active in our children's schools. We keep in touch with all the teachers. If we have a question, we ask the school. Our oldest child graduated from a school that "did not make AYP", but is on full academic scholarship at one of the nation's best schools. His two sisters are also doing well. I check their grades frequently on the on line grading system. Both my husband and I work but we also work to make certain that our children bring their books home, study, do their homework and behave in school. We are not rich. Instead of designer clothes, we buy computers. Instead of luxury cars, we pay for music lessons. I came from one of the worst high schools in the Atlanta Public Schools System, and I also went to college on a full scholarship. I was in college with people from private schools that flunked out after the first term. There is no magic in the school. The magic comes from a parent working with the schools and administration. To the comment about phones in the classroom, that is a safety feature and a communication feature. The phones are in the rooms so that a parent can call leave a message or speak directly to a teacher. As parents we must look at ourselves. If our school are not meeting AYP what are we doing with our children? What are we doing to support the schools? There are bad employees in DeKalb, but there are exceptionally, dedicated ones on every level. It is very hard to be an educator in a school. My deepest appreciation and respect go to all of the people that work each day to provde our children with an education. We need to get on board and help. It truly does take a village to raise a child.

By GOING BACK TO CALIFORNIA

Oct 16, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this

My family and I are going back to California as soon as possible. I moved to DeKalb County because of my employment. My children were in good schools in California. I feel like I let my kids down by putting them in the "the lack of administration and the mismanagement nightmare called DeKalb County Schools". THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM! UNREAL! I do not blame the teachers for the outrageous behavior that they have to put up from lax administrators, sorry excuse for parents, and their unruly children. And then, I found out that the entire DeKalb COunty Schools System as a whole did not make Adequately Yearly Progress and is on the Needs Improvement list with the Georgia Department of Education. The families and their children that value education get lost in the mess in DeKalb Schools. Parents, if you value education and know your child does well in school, BE PROACTIVE AND GET THEM OUT OF DEKALB SCHOOLS BEFORE THEY GET SUCKED IN THE CRAP THAT IS ALLOWED TO EXIST!

By FED UP

Oct 16, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this

According to the latest SACS report on DeKalb County Schools, "DeKalb is too management top heavy". The job cuts should start at the top. Are the job cuts including all of the "top heavy managment" jobs as described in the SACS report?

Why does all of DeKalb's management including the Crawford Lewis, principals, and assistant principals have Blackberries? All of DeKalb School buildings and the County offices= building have telephones including those in every classroom. What is the point of this expense?

Is it true that the Pre-K program is being cut from DeKalb's schools? Why is Pre-K being cut especially if Pre-K is funded by the lottery?

Also, I would like to know what is the role the school paraprofessional. At my child's school, I have often observed the paraprofessionals (especially female paraprofessionals) either on breakfast duty, lunch duty, covering classrooms, handling children with severe discipline problems, managing time-out rooms and ISS etc. Many teachers complain about needing paraprofessionals to aid with instruction. Why are administrators allowed to use paraprofessionals to do breakfast duty, lunch duty, covering classrooms in a teacher's absence, handling children with severe discipline problems when their help is needed in the classroom? Where are the Assistant Principals for Discipline? Why is there a student code of conduct and no one enforces it?

Please answer my questions. I am new to Dekalb Schools and is very disappointed in what I see going on in the school system. Thanks.

By Citizen Pain

Oct 16, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

The county "waste" alot of money, from new schools that leak when it rains, condensation problems from the a/c units, to plumbing being redone( walls torn out in home economics) because the builder did whatever to get the job done. They have no oversight into what the tax payers receive for their money. You have door that are fire doors that do not close flush and have to be "fixed" by an outside contractor, in essence the tax payer is paying for the same job twice. Dekalb is a sinknig ship, exacerbatted by the current economic crisis, if all was well noe of this would have come to light. I blame us, the tax payer for not being vigilant in protection of our hard earned monies.

By Employee Scorned

Oct 14, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this

In response to Concerned Employee:
It's all about who you know. Prime example Facilities Manager Maria Washington(Pat Pope's right hand)makes $83,664 per year with no degree. Pat Pope has two Administrative Assistant(I know my thoughts exactly, why does she need two admins). Crawford Lewis son worked as a summer intern, slept his entire 8 to 10 hours that he was on the clock(you read it right he received overtime). On Friday 10/10 Pat Pope called a meeting after presenting her proposed(CRP) to the Board from my understanding upon her arrival back to her office she felt had to be escorted by two DCSS police officers. Once she began to speak, you knew that it was a bunch of ********* she wasn't telling it all. Everyone else in the county knows what their future may hold in the school system, but Sam Moss Service Center Employees were left hanging while she went out the country to Costa Rico( what a way to start your weekend). That shows what she thinks of her employees that go out and give 110% everyday to keep the schools up and running(I think she forgot without them there would be no her). Board Members can you please bring your "A" game.

By Brett

Oct 14, 2008 8:40 PM | Link to this

This is in response to Michelle's comment:

If that is what you think a teacher is, than you are perhaps the most ignorant woman to have ever walked the face of this Earth.

Teaching is probably one of the hardest and most challenging professions out there! Get a clue!

By esther

Oct 13, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Please. There is a lot of hurt. I work in Dekalb. I am very concerned. But, let us not turn on each other. This is not the time to "call people out" in public. The truth will come out without people trying to destroy one another. How does that help? What good does that do? I cannot imagine the burden that the superintendent is facing. He is being squeezed on every side. Some of these problems he inherited. No one expected the finacial condition that we and America are facing. Do something that can do some real good. Instead of pointing fingers, take all of the fingers on your hand and use them in the ballot box. If we want real change, then we must wisely pick our new board members and our new president. The only agenda that they both should have is the welfare of the people they serve. Come on DeKalb show the world our class. Let us not air our hurts in the newspaper. We only hurt our schools and ourselves. Pray for a right and fair solution to this issue. I am worried too, but I intend to hold on to my faith and to support our schools. And I intend to vote.!!!!!!