Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2005 > November > 21 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USShould popular teachers operate outside the rules?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m a wuss.
At least one reader thought so after Sunday’s column on Ed Youngblood. He’s the popular South Gwinnett High teacher who resigned because he showed “Elizabeth,” an R-rated movie with violence and sexuality, to students. He didn’t follow procedure for getting the movie approved. School system brass decided he had to go.
No teacher, I wrote, is above rules and regulations. No matter how much he or she is respected by peers or revered by students.
Many readers who e-mailed me or posted comments on the Badie Blog (60 as of late Monday) didn’t see it my way. Others did. Read on.
Sally D. Ellis of Loganville suggested I slip on Youngblood’s shoes.
“You would want a chance to apologize, learn from your error, and continue your career,” she wrote. “It’s the Gwinnett students who lose on this one.”
Phil McIntosh of Grayson compared the test-crazy state of public schools to a brainwashing.
“The current micromanaged curriculum and several weeks of standardized testing per year smack of brainwashing, not education. The ridiculous policy of firing successful teaches for trying to keep something of themselves in the classroom sends our kids further down that road.” In the Badie Blog, Marcus Spencer, a former student of Youngblood’s, posted several entries, the first of which defended the right of him and others to support the instructor.
“You’re damn right parents and students are going to rally behind him. Ed Youngblood never once asked anyone to stand up and help him. Not once. I, we, requested his permission to stand up for what we feel is right. He granted it mainly because he feels it is our job to do what we feel is right. Gwinnett County stepped on the wrong David this time. If you look around him, you’ll notice a few thousand people armed with knowledge and democracy preparing to swarm Goliath.”
Daniel Sobczak of Snellville wrote that we can’t afford to lose good teachers like Youngblood and Doc Neace.
“Both could have been suspended without pay and let well enough alone. Neither should have been a terminable offense.”
Denise Benshoof of Snellville majored in British history.
“You are absolutely correct to focus on the organization and its need to meet its own rules in the issue of Ed Youngblood. Tudor images are all over my house, and I applaud any film with historic accuracy. For me, though, I would equate images in “Elizabeth” with soft-core porn and would suggest it as a college-age film.”
On the blog, Dave Oliver of Lawrenceville said Youngblood got his just deserts.
“Mr. Wilbanks was hired to enforce the rules, along with making sure the children of Gwinnett County receive an excellent education. He is enforcing the rules concerning R-rated movies, and as far as we all should be concerned, that’s all there is, there ain’t no more. Bye, bye, Mr. Youngblood.”
• Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
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By Leia
November 21, 2005 07:24 PM | Link to this
So when are the high school principals and Wilbanks going to be “forced to resign” for under-reporting all of the criminal activity that goes on in the schools?
By Victoria
November 21, 2005 08:56 PM | Link to this
“So when are the high school principals and Wilbanks going to be “forced to resignâ€? for under-reporting all of the criminal activity that goes on in the schools?”
HEAR HEAR!
By Michael H. Smith
November 21, 2005 11:14 PM | Link to this
Exactly Mr. Badie, a lesson for all indeed, and as you so aptly pointed out without adherence to rules and laws all we would have left is chaos and anarchy. Many have anger at this moment and seek a speedy resolve. Well our system seldom works at such light-speed, though the system is admittedly flawed, don’t give in to anger, don’t give in to hopelessness and never give up a just cause when you know you are right. The path of justice is often paved with Martyrs. It took years after that fatal shot range out in the Memphis sky for the rules to eventually apply to many deserving souls – like an old, old, man in Mississippi, who thought he’d gotten away with it.
Eventually, the system got it right.
A side note to Jim Dumond: Fire’em all means exactly what it says. A while back I wrote Mr. Badie along this line of thought in respects to transparency: To have change, you must make changes. When new faces – the right new faces – appear on the B.o.E. folks, then and only then, will you have those changes so many desire; and that my friends, is when the rules will apply to all the old faces, no matter how good they thought they were.
By jim dumond
November 22, 2005 08:52 AM | Link to this
ZERO tolerance? Damn straight!
So when’s the people that allowed a non-custodial parent to check a student out and disappear going to be fired? (or allowed to resign)
We have much more serious issues in Gwinnett than a teacher showing a Senior class of honors students a movie with an “R” rating.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 22, 2005 10:47 AM | Link to this
“without adherence to rules and laws all we would have left is chaos and anarchy” and still be ruled by England.
By dee
November 22, 2005 11:25 AM | Link to this
There are more serious issues. Kids can’t read and kids can’t behave. Teachers can’t stop the kids form misbehaving, and there is no class for reading.
By dee
November 22, 2005 11:26 AM | Link to this
There are more serious issues. Kids can’t read and kids can’t behave. Teachers can’t stop the kids form misbehaving, and there is no class for reading. You can’t read, you can’t do well and you misbehave.
By jim dumond
November 22, 2005 11:46 AM | Link to this
More serious than allowing an 8 year old to leave the school with a non custodial parent who hadn’t cared for the child since she was 8 months old? I don’t think so.
Heads need to roll over this one, but I doubt they will. after all this was just a little black girl so who really gives a dump? Right?
NOT!!
By MJK
November 22, 2005 01:21 PM | Link to this
Rick,
I love your work and often agree with you and your point of view, but not this time.
I think its very unfortunate the Gwinnett County Public Schools are losing an edcuator like Mr. Youngblood. We need teachers that have this kind of passion about educating and look for unique methods to deliver and teach the material to students. Often popular culture provides very limited learning opportunities for young adults and I commend Mr. Youngblood for “thinking outside the box” and using a relatively recent film as a teaching tool.
Since Mr. Youngblood didn’t follow policy in this case I can understand a reprimand may have been in order, but has anything been accomplished by this (forced) resignation.
I read about another case of a teacher not following policy in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/22/AR2005112200676.html?nav=hcmodule
What’s so wrong with passion? Why do we want to penalize educators who are trying to educate and really engage students?
What are we teaching our young people when someone loses his/her job because he/she tries to push the envelope a bit to educate?
The students were let down by the administrator who either pushed for or merely accepted Mr. Youngblood’s resignation. They were further let down when you piled on, Rick.
By dee
November 22, 2005 02:48 PM | Link to this
After listening to people rage for days, can we have a more positive subject, like being thankful for something. The psychotic posts here are getting on my nerves
By Victoria
November 22, 2005 03:00 PM | Link to this
None of us are psychotic, dee. We are people passionate enough to fight for our cause. No offense intended or anything, but this is a place for posting comments about the Youngblood issue. It’s wonderful you want to say how thankful you are, truly it is, but it’s not relevant to the topic.
By jim dumond
November 22, 2005 03:04 PM | Link to this
I’m thankful we have young people willing to stand up for what they believe.
How’s that Dee?
By PE
November 22, 2005 03:27 PM | Link to this
People, the resignation was not “forced” as so many of you want to believe. Youngblood left of his own freewill. Had he stayed, maybe he would have simply received a reprimand. Seems to me this “outstanding” educator that Gwinnett is going to miss so much didn’t have much of a commitment to his students to jump ship so quickly. Being that he was already retired and was teaching part-time, seems to me he was just having fun, then when he got caught, he ran. Nice message to send to his students: “When the going gets tough, QUIT!”
By dee
November 22, 2005 03:35 PM | Link to this
Victoria: When did you become the moderator? I am tired of people who fail to acknowledge the other person’s point and just continue being rude. (like you)
By Me
November 22, 2005 03:36 PM | Link to this
If you are passionate about what you believe, get on the school board and stop whining
By LDR
November 22, 2005 04:39 PM | Link to this
Rick, I have enjoyed quite a few of your articles. I absolutely DISAGREE with you on this one.
A “long-term” OUTSTANDING educator, shows a film with an “R” rating… this does not break any “written” rules by the BoE. “ONE” parent objects… and this educator is given a few moments to make a decision between “being fired” or “RETIRING.” This is ABSOLUTELY outrageous.
I followed the Doc Neace situation as well. That too was outrageous. These are two reasons that Georgia is near last in testing.
Mr. Wilbanks seems to reign supreme on the school board. He seems to want to fire rather than reprimand “long-term” educators!
I believe there is something else going on…
By Marcus Spencer
November 22, 2005 04:59 PM | Link to this
To PE,
Ok, you are right, he did resign. However, what is the difference between being forced to resign and being told he will immediately be fired if he does not?
By Marcus Spencer
November 22, 2005 06:03 PM | Link to this
To MJK
The only thing Rick’s article did to the students and the others fighting was emblazen them. Rick’s article presented some intelligent points that needed to be attacked. We have been waiting for something like that and were more than happy to jump at it. Because of the multitude of reactions(the utterly stupid ones included) I have a one on one interview with Rick tomorrow.
This gives us a chance to present our stance publicly and hopefully without skew. I will not answer any question that is not going to be published fully and without his personal comment. I believe that we should be presented an opportunity to state our stance without edit and media bias. We are bias, correct, however I believe it is up to the people reading the article to decide how they feel about us. It is the duty of the journalist to present the news in a fair manner. We all know how often this happens in today’s world.
Let us call for Rick and the AJC to stand up and let us be heard fairly and to allow the people to make up their own minds.
By Michael C. Springer
November 22, 2005 07:35 PM | Link to this
PE. I am a student of Youngblood’s and I was told personally BY HIM that he resigned by force since, like Marcus said, he would immediately be fired otherwise. You need to set the facts straight so that you can see our point.
By Joe
November 22, 2005 08:36 PM | Link to this
Rick,
I appreciate it that you have a blog, but if this subject (over two blogs) is a sample, it will get tiresome real quick. The same people making the same point 5, 6, 7 and more times. Maybe that is how blogs are supposed to work, but it like having someone who talks but never listens. They may let you talk, not to listen, only to catch their breath so they can keep running their mouth.
By anon
November 22, 2005 09:03 PM | Link to this
Okay, I have been waiting to blog for days, and now I think the time has come. Someone please research the 2001/2002 firing of the special education teachers. Look for race,age, gender, and previous offenses.
It might just be that this policy (written or verbal) was used to justify the firing of the special ed teachers. Now that this has come up again, the county feels it has no other option than to exercise the exact same discipline. To do otherwise, would invite litigation risk. I have no idea if this is what is going on, but I agree with a blogger, something here does not smell right.
In business, sometimes HR people “find” rules to terminate or interpret a policy to a justify a terminable offense, (I understand that this policy does not specify movie permission),and they are searching for a violation that would support a final termination. The problem with this HR policy is that the decison makers find themselves in a bind when they have not been in the habit of good HR policy - evaluating the person’s history when reviewing disciplinary procedures and act accordingly, regardless of race, age or gender.
So to your original post Rick, should rules apply to popular teachers ? Yes, rules should apply to all - popular and unpopular -the difference though is there is room for consideration of past performance in reviewing disciplinary measures.
By Marcus Spencer
November 22, 2005 10:27 PM | Link to this
Well, I don’t know much about the special ed case other than the teachers resigned and the movie was History of the World Part I. They showed it cause they were bored. Special education has entirely different rules. I believe these two men should have been fired.
By mark owens
November 22, 2005 11:50 PM | Link to this
You gotta love zero tolerance policies. Having them in place takes the burden of thought away from school administrators and newspaper columnists. No need to apply reason or common sense to problems anymore.
A kid brings a plastic GI Joe gun to school? Easy answer, expel him. Thems the rules. An excellent teacher who teaches kids how to think instead of just learning clerical skills breaks the rules by showing an R rated movie to a bunch of kids who are legally old enough to watch it? Easy answer, fire him. Now we’re all a lot better off, aren’t we? That’ll teach ‘em.
Hey, kids who graduate high school in Georgia may not be ready for college, but they sure will learn the value of blindly following policy. Apparently that’s something this columnist thinks we should all be proud of.
By Michael H. Smith
November 23, 2005 03:53 AM | Link to this
The end always justifies the means. You gotta love this anything goes ideology. It’s your thang, do what you want to do. Like the 25 old women and the 14 year old kid lover thing in Florida…. She was too pretty to go to jail! I’ll bet she was popular too. How’s that for challenging the conventional child nurturing mind-set?
If you don’t like the rules, change the rule makers.
Of course not many critical thinkers so far it seems have reached in critical mass that level of abstract thought. Fortunately back in the 1700’s a small group did, and decided that after a long time of following the rules at great cost and hardship, it was time to change the Ruler. Thankfully, THOSE REBELS, y’all, were more than mere lib-radicals challenging the conventions of a system or tuffs with angst to prove they were so good, so smart, so popular, so creative, so invigoratingly challenging in knowledge and grace they knew better than anyone how to rule. In fact, THOSE REBELS, y’all, followed the rules to the bitter end, till nothing was left but to invoke the ultimate “law of all lawsâ€? in declaring the inalienable rights of man, y’all. Yeah they followed the rules and fired a King, his army and the whole stinking Empire, fired’em one, fired’em all y’all - they even took down the “King’s flag”. Then of all things, the nerve of THOSE REBEL commoners y’all, they took the liberty to create self-governance, a ballot box so they could have continuing revolutions without a need for exchanging bullets and left a poison pill clause – so to speak – in that Declaration so that should their new government ever become so egregious, insufferable and extraneous as was under the King, they retained the human right of all future generations to destroy it, dissolve the bonds that united them and begin anew. Now most of us who remember this little ditty, have never followed anyone or anything blindly since hearing of it.
Unfortunately many have forgotten why we have made the rules, and thems the fools!
Hey, kids in Georgia, before you graduate high school preferably elementary school, read the Declaration of Independence till you can regurgitate it. Know why we follow rules rather than Rulers and why we do not change things on a whim, or change rules and laws for transient purposes and why these rules and laws must apply to all us equally – Even to our blankedy blank rule-makers who think they are Kings!
You can almost bet your last nickel the writer of this column/blog thinks that Declaration and what it says is something we should all be proud of.
Apparently I agree.
By Rick Badie
November 23, 2005 10:51 AM | Link to this
My oh my. The column regarding Youngblood’s resignation has created a monster out of some of you. And I mean that in the kindest, most respectful way. I want to emphasize one thing, though: No personal attacks, people. Very uncool. I also have a suggestion. Why don’t we chill for a bit? Stop posting comments on this subject, as someone suggested in the blog. At least until the weekend is over, and here’s why I say that. As many of you know, I am interviewing Marcus Spencer, the young man who is part of the movement to reinstate Youngblood, for my Sunday column.I know Marcus has posted many, many comments in my blog, but I think the larger community may want to learn more about a young man who is so passionate about this particular teacher’s treatment. So: let’s take a break over the holiday. Read Sunday’s column, though. (You gotta keep reading me!!) Then get back to the discussion, if you want to. Cool? Happy Thanksgiving to all. Be safe. And have a great weekend. PEACE.
By Marcus Spencer
November 23, 2005 01:49 PM | Link to this
Does anybody honestly care about me personally? I am insulted that we would be considered daft enough to fall for such a ploy.I will not subject myself to personal character defamation that could possibly depict our “reinstatement group” as anything less than credible, intelligent individuals. I have nothing to hide, however I do not have time to waste on answering irelevant questions. If you want to know me personally, here is my email. animemedicus@gmail.com
By LDR
November 23, 2005 02:57 PM | Link to this
Marcus: I don’t know you… but I say “STAND STRONG!” I applaud your efforts to help get this educator reinstated.
Rick Badie: I look forward to reading the interview.
Happy Holidays ALL!
By Marcus Spencer
November 23, 2005 06:29 PM | Link to this
Hey guys, can I ask a question. Can anyone here vouch for Badie’s integrity and fairness? I don’t mean to insult you Rick, but I have said before it is essential to present ourselves in a credible manner. I don’t mind giving him information about myself as long as I feel he isn’t going to use my age as a way to cut us down. I just want to know if he will give what I say a fair chance. I don’t know him, that’s all. Can anyone help?
By Michael H. Smith
November 23, 2005 08:00 PM | Link to this
Well Marcus I don’t know you either, soon I probably will know more about you after the up close and personally with Rick. Not to discourage you but the odds you’re going get Mr. Youngblood back on the GCPS payroll are probably slim. Don’t take it too hard if I’m right. You can blame that on an old man whose probably seen too much of our system and how it works, though in truth Marcus, I wouldn’t trade that system, what we have left of America, for any other country in this world. Don’t give up fighting for what you believe in, no one with the minutia of a brain stem should take you for a joke. If it’s any consolation, you’ve got the fire and over time, if you remain involved, you’ll probably gain more wisdom than I on how better to use it, which is very good; because you’ve got more time to straighten out a lot of things my generation has really messed up. This is from a fellow who knew a few things about social change and reform you may want to use in case you’ve never heard it before: If you keep your cool, while others around you are losing theirs, you will remain in control.
Do I care about you?
I’ve probably fudged the truth a little in full disclosure there by holding back, so hear goes. You bet I care! I only wish there were a 1,000…. no make that 10 million more, just like you. I’ve got grandchildren and it’s young men like you, that an old guys like me, are banking on to bring that next generation of Americans into fruition.
As for making the B.o.E. and J. Alvin follow the rules, well Marcus, 06’ is an election year, which means a lot us will be revisiting that Declaration. Won’t we y’all.
Have a good Thanksgiving everyone, and thanks to you Marcus, I’ve got one more reason to give thanks.
By Michael H. Smith
November 23, 2005 08:09 PM | Link to this
Yes Marcus, Mr. Rich Badie is a stand up guy, who really has concern about this county and community. You will receive fair treatment with Rich. He’s not setting you up for a fall.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 24, 2005 06:36 AM | Link to this
Marcus be weary, it seems that Mr. Badie doesn’t take kindly to those who disagree with his opinion.
Just state your case, remember you represent a group that is most effected by this inane policy. By standing tall and strong for what you believe in you can never go wrong.
By jim dumond
November 24, 2005 07:13 AM | Link to this
You’re wrong Bruce. Rick has always been a stand up kind of a guy. His only flaw maybe that he does care, If you want to consider that a flaw. You need to be making allies if you want your message heard.
Thank you MR. Smith for putting into words what many of are thinking. Whenever I see this type of passion in our young people I become hopeful of the future. The reality is that they can neither win nor lose this particular issue. What they can walk away with is a passion to become more involved to make change. If this happens———— we all win.
God bless you guys and have a happy Thanksgiving.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 24, 2005 07:54 AM | Link to this
Jim, may I refer you to his column on Jimmy Carter Blvd and B.J. Van Gundy’s treatment on Nov. 5th., I hardly called that fair. Mr. Badie took up the majority of story just repeating what he stated earlier on the subject giving Mr. Van Gundy very little space to air his version. A few quotes from the article.
“B.J. Van Gundy doesn’t want to be the village idiot.”
“Van Gundy saw everything I saw. Only he saw it differently.”
“He’s a dreamer.”
People see things differently, that’s why there are opinions. Happy Thanksgiving.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 24, 2005 08:48 AM | Link to this
One more thing Jim, you said “You need to be making allies if you want your message heard.”, I’m sure some, as shown before, that many do agree with my positions. Without any dissenting opinions it wouldn’t be much of a blog would it?
Mr Badie knows how I feel, we have communicated by e-mail many times before, yet he still lets me air my opinion. I believe Mr Badie respects my opinions, as I do his.
By Dale Garner
November 24, 2005 10:01 AM | Link to this
Marcus,
You will get an accurate reporting of your position with Rick—he’s tight.
By Rick Badie
November 25, 2005 09:40 AM | Link to this
Hello everybody. Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving - good food, drink and conversationm the whole 9. Looks like I jumped the gun by forecasting Sunday’s column. Seems Marcus is/was insulted by the questions I e-mailed him Wednesday morning. He thought I was trying to ‘trick him’ by asking personal questions about family, life in Gwinnett, interests, etc. Those are questions I ask everybody I interview. They help bring the person to life. So I scrapped writing about him for now. Sunday’s column will be about a different subject. Now I am going to get out of the office, into the community, and find a topic. That’s how I do my job. I appreciate Mr. Smith and Mr. Garner standing up for my professionalism. I have NEVER taken offense to anyone voicing their opposition to my opinions. For anyone to say otherwise is flat-out wrong. Enough about that. Take care. Be safe. PEACE. Look for Sunday’s column, and keep posting those comments.
By Marcus Spencer
November 25, 2005 11:39 AM | Link to this
Clever man. I believe we were both vitims of a misunderstanding. He got my answers, let’s see where this goes.
By Michael H. Smith
November 25, 2005 11:53 AM | Link to this
Our Opinion pity party not the answer.
It’s time to take the lid off so to speak and bring clarity to this issue of illegal immigration. A continuum of articles seems purposely floated to gain sympathy for people who enter this country illegally as something less than a crime. No matter how many sob stories are told illegal means it’s against the law. A person cannot enter this country without authorization and say no crime has been committed – it is a crime, it’s that simple.
If as much effort was put forth by this newspaper - Cox Enterprises - and people like Mrs. Garcia of Duluth to address the source of this great human indignity rather than bemoaning, defending and literally persecuting U.S. citizens for, illegal immigrations, then the true culprits might at last receive justice.
Here’s a sob story, lets see how many will cry. Mexico instead of building an economy of inclusion only makes excuses on why Mexico has failed. Though $20 billion in remittances annually are now legally sent back to Mexico, this does not include the undeterminable amount of illegal cash follow transferred back to Mexico, and with thousands of U.S. jobs gone to Mexico displacing more than an equal number of U.S. citizens from jobs and closing the doors on many small businesses in communities from where those jobs where taken; the benefits from all of this, has done virtually nothing to stop Mexico from producing poverty and promoting illegal immigrations into the United States. Though Mexico is not a poor country over 40% of Mexican citizens now live in Third World poverty.
Senseless!
Of course, don’t worry about American workers they have no families to feed. Besides, it’s only the hurting those who can afford to do with less, the ones who have had an easy life made for many years.
Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion but not their own set of facts.
Illegal immigration affects financially the following people, starting from the most financially harmed to the least financially affected: (Reference The Pew Hispanic Center)
(1) Legal Immigrants
(2) Blacks
(3) Whites
Aiding and abiding illegal aliens is not the answer – in fact it is a crime. Simply talking about how miserable their lives are here will never change how futile their lives remain in Mexico, “the source of this human tragedy�.
Mexico needs a Boston Tea Party not an American pity party.
By Marcus Spencer
November 25, 2005 12:11 PM | Link to this
Michael, I did not reply to your post earlier because I felt that by doing so I would demean your words. I’m sorry if you took this as ingratitude.
By Michael H. Smith
November 25, 2005 01:15 PM | Link to this
No offence was taken Marcus you have nothing to apologize for to me. Though we may differ somewhat on this issue as one battle, we probably totally agree on winning the war against a government body engrossed in applauding their own arrogance and obstinacies.
By Susan
November 25, 2005 02:22 PM | Link to this
Since when are teachers above the rules and protcol of the school? That teacher is telling kids it’s ok to break the rules. Our kids are learning enough of that already. I say he was wrong, and he got what he deserved. Maybe this will be a “learning experience” for the other teachers who get an itch to break rules.
By Marcus Spencer
November 25, 2005 02:48 PM | Link to this
Because he showed the movie to satisfy a rebelious itch?
By Michael H. Smith
November 25, 2005 03:10 PM | Link to this
@ Susan
I certainly don’t disagree with what you said Susan but out of respect to Mr. Badie’s previous request I will refrain from further discussing details of the issue and its’ merits until after his article appears on the Blog for comment.
By Michael Chesley Johnson
November 27, 2005 02:55 PM | Link to this
In case this was missed, here is a copy of a letter I sent to the Gwinnett County School Board regarding Ed Youngblood.
Letter:
J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO/Superintendent Gwinnett County Public Schools P.O. Box 343 Lawrenceville, GA 30046-0343
Dear Mr.Wilbanks,
I have just learned from a former classmate of mine that Mr. Ed Youngblood was recently forced to resign his position at South Gwinnett High School.
His mistake was, in my opinion, slight, and only occurred because of his extreme enthusiasm for teaching students well. It is unfortunate that “Elizabeth,” a very fine film that is not only historically accurate but also pertinent to the study of English literature, has an “R” rating. It is also unforunate that this film has not yet been approved by the Board as suitable for viewing by young adults.
I entreat the Board to offer Mr. Youngblood the opportunity to apologize as he has offered to do and then re-instate him in his position. Mr. Youngblood has done much good over the decades. Many former students and colleagues will attest to this fact. I, for one, can say with surety that Mr. Youngblood set me on the path to success.
Forcing Mr. Youngblood out will do much more harm than the film “Elizabeth” ever could. Please reconsider.
Sincerely,
Michael Chesley Johnson
South Gwinnett Class of 1974 B.A. English Literature, University of Georgia, 1977 M.A. English Literature, Middlebury College, 1982 Contributing Editor, The Pastel Journal Author, The Art of Ann Templeton