Contracts Reviews Investigation into Pat Pope's Office Allegations Are Finally Sent to the District Attorney's Office For Review

The results finally of the allegations of irregularities with DeKalb County School’s construction contracts, in Pat Pope’s office, have finally been forwarded, to the district attorney’s office. The school system forwarded this review to the district attorney’s office and requested that “a few things” to be looked into, to make sure a criminal investigation was not necessary. The school system would not cite specifics because the investigation was still open and ongoing.

This story was mentioned in the Community Briefs in the Metro Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2009.

Do You feel that the Dekalb County School Board has too many School Board Members?

On February 10, 2009 at the DeKalb County Legislature Hearing where only part of the Legislature members attended School Board member Zepora Roberts spoke to the delegation and stated she disapprove of State Bill-84 that may limit the number of DeKalb County School Board Members to seven verses nine members. She stated, “That this decision should be left up to the county and should not be decided by the state.” She stated also, “that she representing 43, 000 citizens in her district and that they deserved representation.” Zepora Roberts does represent the new District 7 for the DeKalb Board of Education. Ms. Roberts’s term will end in 2010.

As stated in SECTION 3 of the Georgia SB 84-Local Board of Education; election; revised provision:

1) Each local board of education shall have no more than seven members provided by local Act.

(2) This subsection shall not apply a local board of education whose board size exceeds seven members as provided by local constitutional amendment or federal court order or pursuant to a local law in effect prior to July 1, 2009; provided, however, that if the local law of any such local board of education is amended to revise the number of members on such board, paragraph (1) of this subsection shall apply.

Does the DeKalb County School Board have too many school board members? Would it be more functional with five districts like the DeKalb County Commission and two at-large districts? Would it be better with just seven districts and no at-large districts?

I feel the at-large districts are very important districts as these two school board members represent a larger section of the county and see a bigger picture than just the needs of certain areas of DeKalb. Because I feel the at-large district are important, I would like to see two of the smaller districts done away with and I would like to see the at-large districts stay as they currently are. What do you think?

You heard it from the Atlanta Education Fund first

Last year the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave away roughly two billion dollars in grants, of which approximately $483 million went to education. With the recent gift from Warren Buffet, the foundation could possibly give $720 million toward education next year (based on last year's percentage). What investments should they make to substantially impact public education in the US? We have heard that top officials at the Gates Foundation have engaged in a strategic planning process over the last year, and will be sharing that plan with key education thought leaders like Eli Broad (Founder of the Broad Foundation), Wendy Puriefoy (Leader of the Public Education Network - the coordinating body for Local Education Funds), and a few sitting superintendents. These education leaders have also been invited to dinner at Bill and Melinda Gates' home tonight (Monday) to weigh in on the plan. A little birdie told us that our own Dr. Beverly Hall will be there. An announcement regarding the Gates Foundation's new strategic plan is expected to be released tomorrow, Tuesday, November 11th. Stay tuned...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- AEF Board of Directors

Executive Committee: John Rice, Board Chair, Curley Dossman, Reuben McDaniel III, Ingrid Saunders Jones

Directors: Kendall Alley, Sylvia Anderson, Kathy Augustine, LaChandra Butler Burks, Rev. Samuel Candler, Bobbi Cleveland, Evern Cooper-Epps, Charles Cornelius, Dr. Gerald Durley, Mayor Shirley Franklin, Linda Hassan Anderson, Michael Garrett, Dr. Beverly Hall, Lisa Hamilton, Gary Lee, Thelma Malone, Dr. Walter Massey, Penny McPhee, Katy Pattillo, Zawadaski Robinson, Donata Russell Major, Dr. Larry Schall, Quenon J. Smith, Dr. Beverly Tatum

Thank You

Thank you to all of you that voted for me. Make sure to spread the word to all of your friends and neighbors to get out on December 2nd and vote in the run off election.