School Board Takes A Giant Step Backward
Amazing, that one of the first things the new School Board does is take the public out of the meeting and moves their procedures back fifteen years.
Why has the policy of allowing public input at the end of the meeting being changed? It took an arrest and a two day trial to get the Board to allow input from the public and now they seem to be stepping backward. Why is it so hard for some people to realize that being elected to an office does not mean they become elevated above the public but are to serve the public.
School Board or County Commission or City Council means that the person is representing those who elected them, not that they are now above the public
If a person is required to request to speak five days in advance of the meeting when will the agenda for the meeting be published and made available to the public? What happens when new business that isn't on the agenda is brought up. I fear this is just one more step toward eliminating public involvement and the School Board once again becoming isolated from those who pay the bills.
posted by Allen Barrett | 6:05 PM
46 Comments:
It is my belief that the representatives were elected to speak and discuss at these meetings. If one wants a particular item or issue brought up at one of these meetings, then he or she should contact their representative.
Most people who ask to be put on these agendas (WAB) are grandstanding.
It's very obvious that you have seldom ever tried to have your representative address an issue for you.
So you think I was grand standing when I have done things like question the utter stupidity of giving a school director more money than he asked for? It was grandstanding to question thousands of dollars that was being misspent or just missing? Was it grandstanding to question the dishonesty of Mr. Jackson; the truthfulness of Mrs Vanzant or the incompentency of Mrs Garner? When should one ask the questions of why the waste water treatment project at the interstate is still not going anywhere? When would you suggest the public be allowed to ask questions that the local media refuses to ask and publish the responses? How long would you suggest that people be mistreated and abused by political bullies and thugs? I suppose that we see things somewhat different in that you find satisfaction in watching the county go backwards while I see abuse, intellectual laziness and special treatments for some, along with dishonesty as things that should be wiped out so that the whole county can benefit.
Yes. You were shamelessly grandstanding. Thank you for letting the public comment.
Now I am sure you think as much of my comments as any board you have addressed think of yours.
11:55, Do you think Mr. Barrett should just post the topic on HIS blog and not let others comment. You sure don't seem to mind your own grandstanding. Is it still considered grandstanding if you are too embarrassed to let others know it's you when you are doing it?
Yes WAB. I am totally convinced that you were grandstanding.
If you came to the meetings with an open mind and respect, you might get something accomplished. The grandstanding makes you look like a fool to most.
To the person who can not post anything except comments about WB . Please seek help you are obsessed. I am not trying to being sarcastic , I am concerned for you. How unhealthy for you to spend your time hating a person so much that your judgement is clouded. Go talk to someone please.
Is it not true that the public does not have to be allowed to speak at a called meeting?
That is not true 6:09. A special called meeting can only be used to discuss the specific topic that the meeting was called for but there is no restriction on who can speak on that topic.The public does not "have" to be allowed to speak anywhere but in the interest of public relations and openness most meetings are conducted with the public in mind. It's only when some begin to feel above the people and should never be questioned that they begin to hide information and deny the public open discussion.
Then the post of 6:09 was correct. The public does not have to be allowed to speak. Mr. Barrett you said it is not true then you turn around and say that the public does not have to be allowed.
The question with a double negative from 6:09 was asked in reference to a "called" meeting. If you read Robert's Rules of Order you will see that there are no restrictions on who can speak at a "called" meeting but that the speaker must address the topic that the meeting was "called" for.
A regular meeting is not restricted as to who may speak nor is it limited as to who may not speak.
No one has to be allowed to speak at a meeting nor does anyone have to be denied the opportunity to speak.
In the interest of good public relations and openness in government most, who are not afraid o be questioned have no problem allowing the public to address the meeting. Some on the other hand have isolated themselves in self importance they not only will not allow public discourse they refuse to even answer their phones.
Still others in an attempt to appear open have a sliding scale on which to determine who shall speak and who shall not, hard questions and inconvenient statements are guarded against by those scalawags in charge.
An important part of understanding an answer is in understanding the question.
Wab
Exactly who are the ones you are calling scalawags?
One school board meeting of the new board and already they are scalawags? Anyone who goes against Wab is a fool, idiot or scalawag.
6:37 It must be you.
Some people like to talk to hear their voice. Some people like to post to read. Some people hate WAB. LOL
Don't you think those who have tried to stop Barrett know who they are. I think Barrett was kind in calling the scalawags in my book anyone who tries to prevent free speech is a dirty SOB.
Section 3 of the 14th amendment to the US Constitution forbids that anyone having engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the USA, or given aid or comfort to its enemies were ineligible to hold either a military or civil office except by exemption granted by a two-thirds favorable vote by each house of Congress. Because many of the best educated and most elite members of the states that seceded from the Union met that exclusion, a power vacuum was created in the Confederate states. This power vacuum was filled by lesser men, many of whom where from the Union states. Those where the carpetbaggers and scalawags. None of the current elected or appointed government officials in Giles County meet the definition of scalawag.
We need to quit the bickering and focus our attention on a serious crisis in our community. This crisis was brought out in the Sept. 9, 2014 issue of the Pulaski Citizen where Giles County and Richland High Schools were reported to have received a TCAP grading system score of Level 1.
Read the article. Bridgeforth Middle School and Minor Hill Elementary were rated at a Level 5. Pulaski Elementary's score, which is based on a different system, increased to a Level 3. The remaining schools have either shown no improvement or have scores that have continued to fall over the past 3 years. The article states that the Mr. J.B. Smith intends to focus on literacy. I support this and I congratulate Mr. Smith on leading Bridgeforth Elementary to state recognition as a Reward School. The decision to appoint Mr. Smith as Giles County's Director of Schools was the correct one and over due.
There is one element missing in this picture that is not being addressed that would not "cost" the school system anything. It varies in degree in place-to-place in this day and age and that is social literacy; the development of a sense of common decency and respect. This should be coming from the home, but how can this happen when often the prevailing attitude is to "drop them off at kindergarten and pick them up at graduation".
Common decency and respect is expected by a modern society and it needs to be demonstrated in public. Students are in school to learn what they cannot learn at home. Social graces (manners, etiquette, behavior and fashion) should be a part of the learning experience just as any other of education. If you walk, talk, dress and act like a hood or a bumpkin, then that's what you are, that's how you are perceived and that's how you will be treated.
How about starting with out with requiring shoes being fully tied or buckled and button down or polo shirttails be worn and tucked into pants that require a belt or suspenders so there is no hint of what type of underwear they have on?
5:10 for most of your post I could not possibly agree more but you tend to show and inflexibility toward your preferred fashion. Most "polo shirt tails" are not intended to be worn inside the pants. The problem with showing underwear is the result of people wearing their shirt tails in their pants or not wearing a shirt at all.
Yes the school system is in a real academic mess and that mostly has resulted from an over emphasis on sports at the expense of academics. I believe if Mr. Smith is allowed to he will change that situation but it will take a lot of support from the community.
Now as for the term scalawag you are right in part but again you limit yourself. Scalawag was used as a derisive term that described white Southerners who collaborated with northern Republicans during Reconstruction, often for personal profit. The term today is more often used to identify a rascal or and impish devil.
I used the term not specifically toward school board members but toward anyone who would use their position to violate another person's civil and constitutional rights.
A correction. School scores have not been dropping over the past three years, they just fell way off after last year. What was different last year. The high-ups at the central office. Thats changed now and scores will go back up after this year. Just talk to teachers. 99% will tell you that morale is way up after last year when it was at rock bottom. I often don't agree with WAB, but I have to say he is right, appointing Smith as director was the right move.
WAB, now I understand why so many are disgusted with you based on your responses to posts on this blog. It's obvious that anyone who read 5:10 would understand the gist of what the person was trying to say.
But, not you. You simply cannot see the forest from the trees. In cases like this, you make a fool of yourself. Your oblique prejudices are so ingrained into your psyche that you are totally clueless. You could not understand an explanation, you are simply incapable of doing so.
If your superfluous responses to these posts in this blog are indicative of your mannerisms at commissioner and school board meetings, I can quite understand the dislike YOU generate of yourself by others.
Chance are if you have a question about anything on the agenda Mr. Smith will gladly talk to you about it. He has an open door policy and has listen to many so far. He has set goals for himself to improve our system to be in the top 10 high ranking before his time is up if our new board members have enough sense to keep him on. This county will go place with Mr. Smith as Director. Now if the Commissioner would copulate everything they have on Vanzant maybe they would impeach her. And then get someone to run our county and we really would have a county to brag about.
9:12,
If you talk, walk, think, dress, and act like a bigot then that is what people think of you because that is what you are.
While you are wishing the world would change so everyone will walk, talk, dress, think, and act in a way you approve, there are others who actually believe in the Constitution, freedom, and the right to express themselves, and those people find your views appalling and falling in line with the Nazi movement. It amazes me how many have such Nazi and anti-freedom views in this County. Freedom be damned, we will educate your youth to walk, talk, act, and dress as enablers.
I remember a time in this area when all the men wore there pants up above their chests and the cuff of the pant never covered the ankle. Everyone was waiting on high water. Some people still are. Just because that look might be promoted as clean cut and wholesome, to others it represents bigotry because of the statements coming from a majority of those people who chose to dress that way. Creating a style separate from the narrow minded, bigoted, racist Nazis sometimes helps one deal the differing views in a nonviolent way, while sending the message f**k you back to the bigots.
How should everyone wear their hair in your little world? Will hair be allowed?
It amazes me how some can view themselves so perfect while judging others so negatively. It is just like my Grandfather, a WWII veteran used to say, If they see me coming and don't like what they see they can turn the other way.
We need to worry about ourselves and leave others alone.
With the exception of keeping an eye on government and who is spending and receiving our tax dollars of course. After all the citizens are the checks and balances of government under the Constitution although often it seems to be suspended locally and federally.
2:27 must be WAB's twin or a close family member.
I see cg is at it again or is that JP?
9:12 you made less sense that any comment I read today. What specifically were you upset with WAB about since he agreed with almost every thing the 5:10 had written.
I fully agree with Mr. Barrett that while I find the appearance of some disturbing from the way they dress to the numerous tattoos and mutilations of their body it is still their right to do so. The problem is that people have been told more about their rights than their responsibilities, ideally there would be a balance but we live in reality not the ideal.
I have to agree with 5:19 as I read and reread the post from 9:12 I fail to understand the source of the anger toward me. Other than expanding the meaning of the term "scalawag" and supporting individual freedom I was in agreement with the other parts of 5:10's post.
Unless it's just a matter of personal animosity toward me I fail to understand your post 9:12 and see it merely as a mad person flaying the air.
Hell Allen, the source of the anger is the poster cg. That's all you need to know. The contents of your posts do not matter; the fact that you posted them does.
The sheep will never understand how misguided they really are.
12:26 So true the sheep never will learn how misguided they are listening to Mrs. Vanzant and CG.
Have to say some of the sheep learned not to follow Terry Harwell, didn't they.
County Executive
Race Total 5,895
Candidate Vote Pct
Janet P Vanzant I 2,625 44.53
Graham Stowe R 2,498 42.37
Danny Lindsey I 772 13.10
Yeah, cg don't consider himself to be one of the sheep. He thinks he's more of the Shepard type, like Jesus and such. Why, he's a legend in his own mind, he is.
Looks like janet was beaten soundly if you go by the number of voters who didn't want her back. That's a shame.
I had also hoped the county might benefit from JB's direction, but it looks like we're going back to t jackson's type of admin. Why do we even have elections if those who win will not follow their constituent's wishes? Sounds more like a monarchy.
Looks to me like we had an election. Janet was the clear winner. I am sorry that frustrates you, but denying it occurred would not be the proper recourse, I would suggest.
Did anyone really believe the lies that JB Smith and Shelly Goolsby wrote in their article?! The only improvements they claimed were there own salaries. Nothing about the children of Giles County, who are going to suffer under Smith, albeit maybe not as badly as the special needs child he hit, for which the county is still paying -- which is one reason the school system has no money - again. The article they wrote and handed to the paper contained nothing more than blatant lies, and Smith even had the nerve to take credit for some things Webb implemented. Lastly, whoever says that the teacher's morale is out for something for themselves. Most teachers' morale in Giles County is worse than its ever been, but Smith threatened them and said that if any one of them said anything bad about him, they would be fired. Poor, poor Shelly and all the rest of the little sheep being led astray at BMS. There is so, so much more that could be said, and hopefully the new board will see the truth and stop Smith's tyranny before it gets any worse.
Thank you 6:13. I just hope the new board can see far enough through him to hire somebody that is right for the job, not just hire him for fear of a discrimination lawsuit.
The last two post give me a break. I bet you can't find anyone unhappy about JB except Richland and coaches. God help him for putting academics first.
The truth is the truth regardless of who tells it.
Get a clue 9:01, why do you think the citizens voted all the board members out who were up for re-election? I call that a mandate.
Smith is already way over budget because he has no idea how to manage a budget. I call that fiscal mis-management.
And the special ed child that witnesses say Smith hit? I call that criminal.
Smith is a narcissistic sociopath. I call that sad -- for Giles County's children and the school system employees whose eyes are wide-open and hearts are sunk.
Good call 11:55.
cg, you just can't face facts, can you? It is clear that jv won the election. It is also clear that -- now pay attention -- the majority of voters were against her re-election. Just because she prevailed does not mean she was the people's choice. There must be room in that narrow-minded, narcissistic and arrogant head of yours to notice that. I understand that you never admit to being wrong until an overwhelming amount of evidence is laid out in front of you but there it is. Your girlfriend was not who the voters wanted in office; she only benefited from the vote being split. That's worse than if she had lost.
121:15 Way to go. Cg just can't see that the majority didn't want JV.
Sure she won. CG posted several weeks back he didn't post one day and after so many showed him his post he didn't like it. Didn't want to admit he lied.
6:13
Your characterization of Mr. Smith and Mrs. Goolsby is false. Mr. Smith is a great leader, and morale is higher now than it's been in years. As for Mrs. Goolsby, she is a great person and a fine teacher. I'm surprised you didn't throw mud at Tommy Campbell and Vickie Coleman while you were attempting to trash Mrs. Goolsby. Such jealousy.
9:46 Are you a school teacher? If not how do you know morale is higher than it's been in years. This post isn't against Mr. Smith or Mrs. Goolsby. Just wanted to know if 9:46 really knew what he/she was talking about.
I like Mr. Smith's idea of no cell phones in the class room.
I'd like to see no cell phones ANYWHERE in the school by students.
From what I see at my school morale is much higher. Look at what Mr. Smith did for BMS, that school is in the top 5% in the state and there is no denying that. Changes need to be made and the changes have started. It helps a lot if the person in charge of the school system shows up for work.
Yeah, go JB. Didn't he have something to do with restricting the public's right to speak up at the meetings? If this is any indication of how he plans to run things, he might as well pack his bags.
By lacking the opportunity to be present inside the Giles County educational system I respectfully submit the following inquiry related to gibberish bestowed unto me second hand.
Did Mr. Smith forward funds directed to the acquisition of newly manufactured items of furniture for his personal office environment?
Information forwarded included the mention of a $2,000.00 expenditure combined with staff addition consisting of placing his personal assistant within the general office.
If true, did these decisions add value to the educational process or were they merely a indicator as to his personal desired comfort level? It should be noted that although this would be a modest expenditure as compared to the complete budgetary package, reflections of his priorities would become a known. I find it suspect that a intern director would make such permanent directives.
Klugscheißer
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