SCRAM Rally Mixes Praise for Schools With Calls For Marlow To Resign

Over 100 adults, school children and stakeholders in the Cherokee County School District crowded onto the lawn of a home in BridgeMill to demonstrate their support of the school district — and to call for District 1 School Board Member Kelly Marlow to resign.

Members of the SCRAM, or Smart Citizens Rally Against Marlow, organized a rally to shed light on what the characterize as Marlow's destructive actions that could jeopardize the accreditation status of the school district.

Marlow, who is in her first term, has been accused of violating School Board policies by communicating directly with teachers and threatening the district's accreditation by requesting AdvancED to investigate the school board. 

Christine Rea, one of the main people behind the creation of SCRAM, said she was "really proud" and happy to see so many come out for the rally. 

Several residents, including some students and Cherokee school district teachers, voiced their support of the district and their dismay at Marlow's actions.

Clark Menard, who has one child who attends Carmel Elementary School and another who attends Woodstock Middle School, noted that while he appreciates that Marlow embodies the American traits of challenging the status quo, asking questions and pushing for improvements, her version has taken those traits to the extreme. 

There's a difference, he said, between radical change and reform, and thinking outside the box requires one to know the boundaries of that box.

If not, "then you’re really just pushing for change without understanding where the change could be," he added.

"Ms. Marlow’s actions have shown us that she doesn’t understand our box…therefore, her actions have become a petulance exercise in resistance," he said.

The rally was also attended by State Senator Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta), who expressed his support of the school district, its teacher and the parents who have committed countless hours to be involved in their children's schools. 

Without a strong public education foundation that relies on parental involvement, many counties would be unable to provide a desirable quality of life for its residents.

"We don’t have great jobs, we don’t have great parks, we don’t have good quality hospitals if we don’t have the foundation of great quality schools," he said. "That’s the foundation. When you peel the onion back, it all starts with great quality education."

Julie Olvin, who has two children who attend Sixes Elementary School and a toddler, added she has "a lot of years ahead of me" with the Cherokee County School District. While she is not involved in local politics, Olvin said both she and her husband regularly talk with their children about what goes on inside their classrooms.

However, up until a few weeks ago, Olvin said she had no complaints about the school district and how it ran its schools. 

"As a parent, I see the attacks that Kelly Marlow has made on Cherokee County schools and some of the personal attacks that she has made on some of the teachers and that’s not something I can stand for," she said, adding Marlow should resign her seat.

Olvin also said she was relieved her two older children were out of town so she wouldn't have to "explain to them why there is a mug shot of a school board member in the newspaper."

The Canton Police Department on Friday issued arrest warrantsagainst Marlow, local political advisor Robert Trim and Cherokee County Republican Party Secretary Barbara Knowles. 

Knowles was charged with filing a false police report and making false statements to the police when she accused Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo of trying to run her over outside The Painted Pig Tavern in Canton.

For their role, both Marlow and Trim were charged with felony counts of making false statements. 

Two students also expressed their concerns about Marlow's actions. 

John Bowling, a rising senior at River Ridge High School, said he routinely see his mother, who also is a teacher, stay up until 2 a.m. in the mornings to make sure she is prepared for the next day's lessons. 

He noted that teachers like his mother and students like him have worked too hard "to let it all go down hill." 

Rising Woodstock High School Sophomore Taylor Poole was more critical of Marlow's behavior. Taylor said Marlow often wastes time during school board meetings asking questions that have already been answered and called on her to resign her position as the District 1 board chair.

“As an elected official, I expect Ms. Marlow to be a role model and this behavior is unacceptable," she said.