To a former Roswell police sergeant and her supporters, the Confederate battle flag that flew in front of her house last summer honored Southern heritage and the memory of her late husband.
To others, it’s the emblem of the slave-owning society that fought a war against the United States in the 19th century, and a symbol that’s been embraced by modern-day white supremacists.
Roswell dismissed Sgt. Silvia Cotriss in July for conduct unbecoming a police officer after someone reported the Confederate banner flying in front of her Woodstock home – reportedly, with a Roswell police car parked in the driveway.
Cotriss contests the firing in a federal lawsuit filed Dec. 14 in U.S. District Court, Atlanta.
This summer, in an interview with the AJC, Cotriss said she hadn’t realized some found the flag offensive.
“If I knew it offended someone, my friends, my family, I wouldn’t do it,” Cotriss said. “Police officers have to adjust a lot of things in our lives, and for 20 years my whole life has been about making change and being held to a higher standard. We take an oath to help and protect people, so we can’t have a private life that’s really bad.”
Cotriss’ suit, filed by attorney David Ates, contends flying the flag was a constitutionally protected exercise of free speech and did not relate to her job or job duties as a police officer. (The suit also disputes that Cotriss had a Roswell police vehicle at home at the time.)
Roswell officials have declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Is it within a police officer’s First Amendment rights to fly a Confederate flag? Or was Roswell justified in firing her? Tell what you think.
Send comments by email to communitynews@ajc.com. They may be published in print and/or online.
Earlier this month a facilities task force recommended to Decatur’s school board that the district reconfigure its grade structure.
The proposal was surprising for several reasons, not the least because of years-long controversy following the last time City Schools Decatur changed formats in 2004-05. That year the system changed from a K-5 model to the current K-3/4-5, although that was also accompanied by the closing of two elementary schools (since reopened).
The task force actually presented two options, though its members specifically favored the first:
*In the K-2/3-5 configuration, K-2 buildings would include Clairemont, Glennwood, Winnona Park, Westchester and College Heights, which would be renovated to hold 293 students. The 3-5 buildings would be at Oakhurst, Fifth Avenue and a new structure at the recently purchased property on Talley Street and South Columbia Drive (the Renfroe and Decatur High structures remain unchanged).
*The current structure overall remains the same except a sixth elementary—at College Heights—gets added to the mix and second 4/5 Academy get built on Talley Street.
As for returning to the old pre 2004 structure, CSD Chief Operating Officer Noel Maloof said recently, “the K-5 is inefficient in that we can’t support that financially.”
Ultimately the board will make the final decision, presumably after a series of community meetings.
We asked which option you favor or if, as the school board may choose, have a third original alternative of your own.
Here are some responses:
Seven years ago our system went to a (largely) pre-k-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 configuration. This has been very successful, especially at the 5-6, 7-8 levels. We have one school that is pre-k-4. I have been surprised at how well, generally, it has worked. — Ginger Marine (no city given)
Go back to K-5. That way all elementary kids can walk to school, you save a $1 million a year in bussing and the longer grade spans are better for kids. You also get better parent participation and leadership opportunities for fourth and fifth graders. CSD has spent millions renovating, re-renovating and re-re-re-renovating. — Adele Paule, Decatur
I wonder how much community input Dr. Dude and Mr. Maloof have gathered. Decatur has a positive history of parent involvement, and they seem to value that, by using it as a defense of taking 3rd graders out of their neighborhoods. I hope that presenting the task force results right before winter holidays was NOT intentional timing. Why didn't they or your article say which option is the cheapest? Is it K-2 + 3-5? I mourn the days of K-5, where my older son formed his lifelong friendships, and diversity is better served. My younger son is so happy at The Museum School of Avondale Estates, a K-8 program, and community involvement is outstanding. — Juli Fleming, Decatur
Bill Banks for the AJC
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