Public Education in Bibb County, Georgia

Good Day, Dear Readers of the World This Week, published by the Flower Child here in West Bibb County, Georgia.

The following is a copy of an E-Mail that I sent to our Elected School Board Members, the local print and electronic media, duly elected government leaders for the City of Macon, Georgia, the County Commissioners and also the elected leaders of our Bibb County delegation to the State of Georgia, both Senators as well as Representatives. It is only by having all levels of government working together that we can expect any improvements in our education system here in Bibb County.

"Please note that a lot of leaders are also in receipt of this message. They, as well as you on the Board and in the Media need to focus on improving our System.

We all improve or we all suffer. The choices our School Board implements and/or establishes will have a long term impact on our System.

As Betty Phillips indicated the other day in a Viewpoints editoral in "The Telegraph" the time to improve our System is now or words in that manner.

Unfortunately our Ms. Patterson does not have a link on the School Board Web Site where we the bill payers can communicate directly with her. I do recall such a link in years gone by. But the current method of discussing the class size waiver with only four board members in attendance at each of two meetings is simply un-American. We the People are being short changed and our duly elected leaders on the School Board, Yes, you, are now part of the problem. You could meet as a full board, but then you would have to be open to the Media and also the Citizens. Yes, We The People!!!

What a shame.

Now, for the main focus of this message. I often wonder "Where is Ron Clark when you need him?"

Some of you may recall a few years ago when a made for TV movie about this great educator was featured on Television.

Since then he has been instrumental in the establishment of a "Ron Clark Academy" in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia.

To sum up the movie, a rural South School Teacher moved to New York City and labored in a very poor area at what we would call an inferior school. Within a short period of time he turned one class around.

The rest is of course history.

Now you know the balance of the story.

So my Question today is: Where is Ron Clark when you Need Him?

Of course I am upset at what I hear and read about concerning our School System. Am I angry, as some have accused me of being? Of course not. We simply need to function at a higher level. We have been enabling and functioning within the concept of being politically correct for far too long. We have recently seen a decrease in the number of schools meeting AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) in Bibb County. Our High School Graduation rate is nothing to brag about and we have always excused the results with the insane comment that we have so many Children who live below the poverty guidelines established by our Federal Government. And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, we certainly do not have the time to expend on resolving this issue over the long term. Yesterday was too late to take corrective action. The time for patience is over. We the People have already waited too long.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Ron Clark Story certainly debunks these concepts and excuses. Again, As Betty Phillips has pointed out, Now is the time to reform education here in Wonderful Bibb County, Georgia. To wait any longer is simply driving one more keg of nails into the coffin of an otherwise dynamic future for our Education System let along all of the students who are attempting to acquire an education in our "Public" or as some state "Government" School System.

Now, for one more request, will someone on our School Board provide Ms. Patterson a copy of this message and also other messages that you and your peers may have received in recent days.

At a National Level we have a President who tells us that we have a transparent government, while at the same time here in Bibb County our School Board, which by the way is also duly elected, strive to keep their meetings private and totally unaccountable to the Citizens who are funding the sham education system that is currently in operation here in Bibb County. We all know that we indeed deserve better that the product we are currently in receipt of.

What a shame that you, our duly elected School Board Members and the hirelings that you employ to lead our System even have the idea that you do not have to be accountable.

Some of you may recall that when I recently ran for Public Office on the Board of Bibb County Commissioners that I promoted the concept of "Our School Board needs the power to set the tax rate" Way back then, the School System had to go to the County commissioners with their annual budget. Long Story short. You now have that authority. That excuse has now been kicked to the curb. My concept at that time was why have two levels of incompetence to vote out of office. Now that you have taxing authority we the people only have one level of incompetence to vote out of office.

Just in case you need a quick review about Ron Clark and/or the successful Academy now in operation in Atlanta, Georgia; please visit:

http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/

I am also confident that there is an abundance of information from other successful Education Organizations that could be utilized to improve our system. That stated, once you (for all of us) adopt a plan, I would encourage you to follow through on that plan rather than adopting a "new and improved" plan in a few short years.

Please be aware that I learned to read using the "Ben and Alice" readers in a small one room country School many years ago. . My younger siblings learned to read using the "Dick and Jane" readers. All of us, all six of us, have been reasonably successful in our respective areas of work/employment.

Now, before any of you, my current peers consider me a thorn in your side or as an individual against "Public" and/or "Government" Schools let me remind you that many years ago I worked with Mr. Hudson of your current team when I was the President of the PTSA at Central High School at reducing drug problems there. I also have fond memories of Ms. L. Espy as she often reminded us that the motto of Central High School was "We Lead."

Some of you may not even know that my own dear Children have achieve considerable success and all four of them are products of Public Education in many areas of our great United States of America. In summary, I do have valid concepts that have worked well in other states. That stated, the question I will ask again is:

"Where is Ron Clark when You Need Him?"

I state these things so that you may not regard me as a Alan come lately having just fallen off of the Turnip Truck from Dry Branch, Georgia enroute to the Saturday Morning Farmer's Market at the foot of Poplar Street in Macon. Yes, I do know where Emery Highway is located and I do know my geography of Macon, Georgia...

Warm regards and with great concern,"

I remain,

Alan (a.k.a. "The Flower Child)