The following message was delivered to Clayton County Board Members on Monday, August 4, 2014 during public comment by Clayton County NAACP President Baldwin Good Evening Madam Chair and Board Members, Recently you all conducted a survey that showed that 2,777 stakeholders voted for a superintendent search of some kind versus 1,007 who said no to a search. In spite of these results, the Board of Education in a 5-4 vote ignored the outcome of your own survey and totally discounted the community input. For the past 2 years the Clayton County NAACP has sought to meet with you Board members and the then interim superintendent to express concerns and enter into a partnership to improve the academic success of all of our students. Our calls, emails, letters and requests have gone unanswered. We have sought to develop a mutual working relationship to no avail. As we have explored our options and voiced our discontent for the many actions and inactions of the School Board we have been met with one question, Why is the NAACP going after Mrs. Luvenia Jackson, a Black woman superintendent? We are not going after the superintendent. Our scope is much broader. The Community as shown in the BOE organizational chart is at the top, next there are you board members and finally the superintendent. It is you the elected officials that we hold accountable first. And it seems that you have put the community in a position to recall several of you in order to raise the bar for our students. The NAACP Education Committee is comprised of an intelligent group of individuals who do their due diligence on all matters of education. We have watched our graduation rates hit bottom, our best and brightest short changed, excessive push-out of too many students, teachers leaving in droves year after year and stakeholders locked out of the education process. Are we to accept these present realities? Do we turn our heads as our students are not learning? Do we back off as we have been told by people who do not have an interest in our children or our schools, many who do not even live in Clayton or send their children to school in Clayton? Do we remain silent as the 47% who did not graduate flounder around in our communities, ENDING UP IN POVERTY, PRISON OR DEAD? Do we ignore the fact that our high achieving students are struggling to get into choice universities and institutions of higher learning? Should we allow an elected Board of Education to do as they wish without question? Will this School Board work with the NAACP to insure that we address the issues that are important to us all? Will you stop shutting out the community and organizations that are willing and capable of raising the bar for all stakeholders? This most recent clandestine ploy which ignored the results of the superintendent survey begs the question, “What else are you hiding from the public and stakeholders. Rest assure we will hold our elected officials accountable. Nothing personal – the NAACP has no permanent friends or permanent enemies, just permanent interests. Holding you accountable is what we are called on to do. Again, let’s work together for ALL of our children. Thank you for listening. C. Synamon Baldwin President, Clayton County NAACP
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 01:02:20 +0000
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