Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2009 > January > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPerdue to demand that DeKalb, Clayton school boards shrink by two
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue is about to unveil legislation that would force DeKalb and Clayton County to reduce the size of their boards of education.
The legislation would limit school boards to no more than seven seats. Boards in Clayton and DeKalb each have nine.
Eleven other school districts, including Bibb County, would be affected, according to the Macon Telegraph:
Formal legislation calling for the change likely will be ready next week, according to the governor’s office. The size restriction was recommended by a state education commission that made several recommendations to change the way school boards operate after a meltdown in the Clayton County school system led to its loss of accreditation.
Among the other recommendations included in Perdue’s proposal: a new code of ethics, new minimum standards to serve on a school board and a new state power to throw members off of school boards when things go awry, replacing them with other school district residents.
Services »
Comments
By Tank
January 23, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this
Has anyone seen or heard of the comments made my Robert Reich, the new labor secretary, regarding white construction workers?
By HB
January 23, 2009 10:02 AM | Link to this
Unless I missed an announcement, Robert Reich is not the new labor secretary — Hilda Solis is. Reich was Clinton’s.
By Clatyon County Resident
January 23, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this
I am in favor of this legislation. What happened here should never happen again! We were begging for the state to step in and were frustrated to learn that they could not.
By Clarence
January 23, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this
Can we also make school boards nonpartisan? It is ridiculous that in most districts these elections are essentially held in the summer, with all opposition occuring in the primary.
By Give us insight, insider
January 23, 2009 12:02 PM | Link to this
Mr. Insider,
Can you explain why a Republican governor, a Republican school supt. and a Republican General Assembly that claims to support the rule of law and personal responsibility, and traditional values like respect for authority has not done a single thing to address the discipline problems teachers routinely face in Georgia?
Or with the AJC hemmoraging over one million dollars a week in losses, are you not allowed to address anything that might upset the Chamber of Commerce?
By Allen
January 23, 2009 12:05 PM | Link to this
I’m no fan of Sonny, but this would be a positive step for DeKalb, especially if 7 and not 9 board members meant staff and administrative expenses for 7 rather than 9 people. DCSS spends far too high a percentage of its budget outside the classrooms.
By Burroughston Broch
January 23, 2009 10:41 PM | Link to this
In urban “blue” areas the public schools, like the government, are a jobs program. DeKalb is following the Atlanta example and Clayton is right behind.
By Jill
January 24, 2009 5:06 PM | Link to this
How dare Sunny tell us who can sit on our school boards is he crazy? They are trying to take power from our duly elected school board members and cherry pick who can and cannot sit on the board. What an outrage! The should put a law in to raise standards for who can become governor,mayor,senator,state legislature,city councilman etc. I am so sick of our government wasting our time and money on issues that are not important. They need to figure out how we can educate and gradute more students. Just dumb idiots all of them. We are stupid to for not demanding more.