Hill Unaware of BOE's Stance
"I would never knowingly do anything that would reflect negatively on the District’s accreditation and I do not believe any of the other members would do so either," Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton) said.
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Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton), one of the co-sponsors of a bill that's become a flashpoint in a fight over local control of the Cherokee school board, said he wasn't aware that the county Board of Education's top legislative priority was to maintain the current governance model.
Emails were exchanged between Hill and Barbara Jacoby, spokeswoman for the Cherokee County School District, after Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of AdvancEd, sent a letter to Cherokee BOE Chairman Mike Chapman Monday afternoon.
Hill said the following in a response email just 34 minutes after Elgart's letter sent from the district,
"As this process has be ongoing for several month, it is unfortunate that no one had shared any of these concerns with me – or to my knowledge – any of the other delegation members.
I know that I would never knowingly do anything that would reflect negatively on the District’s accreditation and I do not believe any of the other members would do so either. This is where communication is so vital for all parties whenever decisions are to be made.
Thank you for sharing this in such a timely manner."
The proposed House Bill 978, which cleared the Georgia House of Representatives Thursday by a vote of 149-0, would change the way local residents elect members of the Board of Education.
Elgart raised several concerns in his letter such as the election of the BOE chair by registered Cherokee County voters being highly irregular. "Normally the Board chair is elected by members of the Board," he said. "This is a normal and effective practice."
Elgart also warned state officials against enacting "legislation that bypasses or usurps the local control" of school boards.
Jacoby responded to Hill this morning,
"On behalf of the Superintendent, while intending no disrespect, it is difficult to understand how you, or any other member of the Delegation, could say the School Board’s opinion on its governance model has not been clearly and in a timely way communicated.
The School Board last fall at a public meeting unanimously approved its Legislative Program, which was sent to all members of the Delegation. It also was distributed to other local elected officials, community and business leaders, our employees and our parents; posted on the School District’s website; reported on in local media; and a poster-size brochure was displayed in every one of our schools and in our administrative offices and in the School Board auditorium. I’ve attached another copy of the Legislative Program to this email; please note Priority No. 1 is to maintain the current School Board governance model. Had any members of the Delegation asked for a statement as to why this is a priority, the issue of accreditation would have been a part of that statement. In any event, School Board Chairman Mike Chapman recently called you, Sen. Rogers and Rep. Jerguson directly to alert you to potential current and future accreditation issues/problems in this regard.
I agree communication is vital, which is why the Legislative Program was sent to the Delegation prior to the start of the legislative session. Unfortunately, it is clear from not only HB 978, but also from other education bills that erode local control and impose State unfunded mandates supported by the Delegation and, in some cases, introduced and/or co-sponsored by its members, that the Legislative Program expressing the School Board’s concerns has had virtually no impact on the Delegation’s decisions."
Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming), the lead author of HB 978, also spoke up this morning in a letter to Patch. He cites the processes they went through including the Town Hall meeting in Woodstock, the only County-wide scientific poll of 23,000 Cherokee households and the 13-member “Blue Ribbon” Committee. From there, they drew the maps.
"They are fair, balanced, compact, and equally distribute representation across the County," Hamilton said. "In moving to a district based system of elections we have also honored the American tradition of 'one man, one vote'."
Cherokee Citizens for Kids did not feel the same way. In their response to Elgart's letter, they ask the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation to amend or rescind the HB 978.
"You were only required to redraw districts according to the latest census data, not to change the way officials are elected," Cherokee Citizens for Kids wrote.
Concerned Mom
5:44 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Representative Hill had to be aware. How could he not be aware. Anyone even remotely following this debate has known exactly how the school board felt about this. I am becoming more and more aware of how Representative Hill handles situations when he finds his back against the wall. He blames others, he claims ignorance, or he lashes out with comments (ex: hiding behind the skirts of parents). Representative Hill seems to be under the mistaken impression that we stay at home moms are uneducated, easily manipulated, and able to be redirected. He is soon going to learn how wrong he is. I've got money, education, dedication, and a long memory. My children, their education, and my county are my focus right now. We are coming out of the woodwork, we are uniting and we are comparing notes. The back room policy making isn't going to work anymore Representative Hill. We won't sit back and be silent. I'm entitled to vote for every person who is on the board and who makes decisions that affect the county my child is in and spends the taxes I pay. I'm his worst nightmare, a female with smarts, money, time on my hands, and a mission. I will not be pushed back into the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant, and silently let the men handle the issues. Get ready Representative Hill, you messed with the wrong Mom.
Be Informed
6:59 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Oh please. Parents and teachers brought up concerns over SACS' position at the Town Hall meeting in Woodstock. Michael Sinco from Cherokee Citizens for the Kids was one of the teachers that spoke with his concerns regarding possible negative ramifications from SACS.
If the legislators didn't know, or claimed to have never heard then they were asleep or on medication.
Now that they know.... what are they going to do about it?
Be Informed
7:07 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
@ Concerned Mom
I'm with you. I too am a stay at home mom but I am very well educated and I plan to spend ALL of my free time and every cent in my bank account to get these bozos out of office.
They are just spouting lie after lie at this point! Didn't know...my *#@! They will rue the day!
Holly J
8:23 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
I am just as angry and frustrated, but how do we make them listen? I have emailed my rep. and senator, to no avail. They will only do what in is in their best interest- they have absolutely no vested interest in our schools. We are without representation and voice with this delegation under the Gold Dome. What is the next step- I'm ready.
Cheryl
10:39 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Calvin Hill... Are you kidding me? .it is your job to know what the recommendations of other elected bodies in your district. I, too, am an educated, concerned parent so you better get your act together. HB 978 should be looked at again because the delegation way overstepped here. Redistrict...yes....changing the way board members are elected...NO!
"The Real Deal" Education Advocate
5:56 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
First of all., what the public should really know and be told is that everyone on this blog (save for me) is a teacher or CCSD employee. Also, Cherokee Citizens for Kids is a NOT group of "REAL PARENTS" concerned for kids but a front organization for teachers and CCSD Employees MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR POWER AND CONTROL OVER EDUCATION THAN THE KIDS THEY TEACHER OR ADMINISTER.
Lastly, it is laughable that the the district would stoop to this level to claim that "accreditation" would be "in trouble." Like Tony Roberts said in his commentary, the left and the establishment are using the "Bear Under the Bed will Get You" rhetoric that is false. For the record, Cherokee Charter Academy is SACs Accredited...and they did this all without the CCSD BOE...and with the MOST LOCAL OF CONTROL - PARENT AND LOCAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP!!!
Concerned Mom
7:25 pm on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Read Deal you got it wrong, just like Rep. Hill did. I am not now, nor have I ever been a teacher in this county or any other. I am exactly what I said I was, a stay at home mom. I belong to the PTA, and yes indeed when I heard of them, I joined Cherokee Citizens for Kids. Why, because I have watched with horror my rights have been taken away by the RHINO representation in office. No real conservative would take local power away and hand it to state representation instead. It's simply "Taxiation without Representation". Maybe you've heard of it, it's the whole "Tea Party" rally cry. When you take power from the people and hande it to the government which is being done with this whole ridiculous plan you are taking away the rights of the people.
The District posted a letter from SACS, they didn't claim anything, the facts are there. As for the Charter's Accreditation, SACS never came to your school.
No More Bullies
6:26 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The cherokee charter only has SACS accreditation because its private vendor management company got corporate accreditation last year, not because SACS ever visited the school or talked to a parent.
Holly J
6:27 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I am NOT a CCSD teacher- although I was for 10 years and watched as the Board under previous superintendents made us the laughingstock of the metro area and got us on SACS probation. I am also a member of CCFTK- again, I am not a teacher, but very concerned about the attitudes expresses openly and not so openly by our elected legislators. While he didn't come right out and say it, Mark Elgart did indicate the our status could be impacted by this ridiculous piece of legislation which thinly masks the continued attempts by the GOP to dismantle public schools. Do public schools need reform? Absolutely. Are vouchers and charters run by for-profit companies they way to go? Absolutely not. I have no problem with conversion charter schools, because THEY are truly the most local of control- parents and the school leaders write the charter and make it work. No need for an out-of-state, for-profit company to come in and take my tax dollars. There should not be this "us vs. them" attitude when it comes to the education of our children. We should ALL be working to assure that every child has access to a top-notch education, not allowing politics to create dissention among us.
Scott
9:17 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Calvin Hill. The man is a boob.
Scott
9:18 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sorry. So is the so called Real Deal.
Cheryl
9:26 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I am not nor have I ever been an employee of CCSD. I am a parent of 2 children who attend great public schools in Cherokee county. Even if teachers do make comments on this blog, why is that a bad thing? They would be advocating for the kids that they teach, their own kids and their jobs. Why is Real Deal so angry with the schools?
John
11:09 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
As a request to have the change to the governance model be placed before the electorate, in the form of a referendum, was made to the Cherokee delegation during a town hall in Hickory Flat on 2/18 and ignored, it is obvious that our elected officials have no regard for what the citizens want. While not expecting any satisfaction, can request the governor veto the bill and ask that it be placed before the people to decide this matter.
https://twitter.com/#!/GovernorDeal