Petition for the August 1st Calendar

#749: Rob Loud - Listen to what this board members says about the majority 

 I can't believe he said the things he did...we live in a democracy!

#729: - Interesting data.... 

 This is worth reading about a board member who supports the balanced calendar.  Their excuse about saving money doesn't hold water...

People are failing to realize the real issue. These 4 board members are on a major power trip, they refuse to provide accurate data, they have NO compassion for their constituents, they are colluding to hire the next Supt., and they don't even understand most of the policies they are dealing with on the school board.
I attended Bartlett's town hall where she said in a public forum that the 8,700 less teacher absences provided NO cost savings for the county because "her accountant friend" told her the county would have to eventually pay for the accrued days. When teachers in the audience tried to correct her - she didn't allow them to speak and was very condescending. In the board meeting Wed. - HR explained to our uninformed board members that those accrued days don't cost Cobb Co. 1 penny. If a retiring teacher has accrued days - they can possibly be added in at retirement but that is paid by the TRS - which all teachers pay into every month. Bartlett's response "Really? It isn't like that in the business world.". She doesn't even bother to get the facts before she spreads misinformation. She also had to have HR clarify for her that paras,lunchroom workers, custodians, and busdrivers aren't certified employees. It really is so very pathetic.

#729: - Interesting data.... 

 Wow!!  What information.  Be sure to click on his previous post(at top). 

I honestly feel the new board members should not have been allowed to vote on the balanced calendar since it had been approved for the next 3 years. I was appalled when they surveyed the public and ignored the majority vote to keep the balanced calendar. How insulting! I feel they are more concerned with theme parks than with education. I question their ability to lead.

#706: Guest - Re: Re:

I am a clerk in the front office.  I noticed fewer teachers taking time off for appointments.  I really believe that CC would save a lot of substitute money.  I agree with you whole heartedly...I work with some amazing teachers. Our teachers loved the balanced calendar!

#4: Ray - Spelling 

 hahahaha!

I do not like the August 1 calendar. But I didn't have a fit when the board passed it before and I had to rearrange my vacation plans. The survey should not have even been done - it's a farce - so obviously easy to abuse. The surveymonkey survey is really only good for questions about Charlie Sheen. But I agree that the real question here is, did the board act appropriately or at least in accordance of the by-laws governing them? In a word, yes. When the balanced calender was implemented, there was a huge uproar then too. The "summer" folk (I'm not part of that group; for my own personal reasons - not vacation - I prefer a later start date)went to work and found people who agreed with them and they ran for office and won. The claim that there was no one else on the ballot does not matter in that it does not affect the outcome of the election nor does it mean those elected should not honor their campaign promises. These three new board members ran and were elected with the calendar broughaha as a major platform issue. Once elected, they followed board by-laws(they are on-line- you can read them) and had the item added to the agenda. Alison had already voted for the later start date so that should have come as no surprise to anyone that she would vote that way. When it came to a vote, the 4 in favor of a later start date won. Just like the previous vote when the 4 in favor of a balanced calendar won. There is no policy that allows one board to tie the hands of future boards. That would totally betray our system of government - which by the way is NOT a democracy but rather a republic -or representative democracy. Hence the constant cry whenever someone votes a way you don't like " wait til the next election and you'll be gone!" Do you really want newly elected representatives to be bound by previous votes? (If so, I also have a petition to reverse the newly elected US republican congress from overturning any legislation passed by the previous congress. Yea - it's the same thing.) Now, if you really want to be effective, read the by-laws. See if you can initiate a policy that would require a calendar approved for the following year not be able to be changed after Jan. of that year. Ex. take the three year calendar plan (which by the way was new - have they ever done three years at once before? NO!) for 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 passed by the last board. Try to implement a rule that states that an established school calendar for the following year cannot be changed after January of the school year in question. Thus, the board could not change the 2011/12 calendar after January of 2011(January is just arbitrary -do Dec if you don't want to be affected by new board members). Now the 2012/13 calendar year would still be up for discussion - but that could be dealt with later. Just know that it could come back to bite you too. You might find yourself in a position where you could not effect change when you wanted.
That is how you work within the system. All this posturing, whining, and bullying (on both sides) is just embarrassing. And Cobb has had more than it's share in the past 15 years or so.

#756: Deanna Dowling - Re: Re: Re:  

 I know that teachers were told not to take too much time off.  Not because of the calendar but because of budget issues.  Evidently, absenteeism was used in the now imfamous RIF formula of last year.  Also, some of the savings in sub costs is due to the reduced fee - about $20 a day less. 

#749: Rob Loud - Listen to what this board members says about the majority 

 we don't actually have a democracy - read the constitution

g

good points

#758: Guest - hate balanced calendar 

 Thank you.

#753: Cobb teacher and parent - Board is clueless 

 yawn

I understand that some of the council have mentioned Six Flags and White water will lose money, why are they more interested in them than the people they represent? Is there any money changing hands if they vote the way Six Flags and Whitewater want them to?

#764: Mary Ott - Six Flags and Whitewater  

 Yes, that's exactly it, quick:

- call the GBI

- call the FBI

- call the governor

- call sanderson

- call Obama

- and of course, the first call should go to Jesse Jackson

- second call to Al Sharpton

You posted the original calendar starting Aug 1- it needs to remain. If you want to change it to something different, wait until the next year. People make plans based on that calendar.

Does anybody have an update on the calendar situation? Is it dead in the water or is there a chance it will be reversed?

#737: Emily H - NEW CALENDAR 

 

#57: - CCSB 

 

Most Commentators to this Blog seem to forget that there was a CCSD Election in November.

#755: Deanna Dowling - Balanced Calendar 

 

I believe that the three new CCSD Board DID listen to the Voters!

They campaigned on Calendar change. Voters liked the change idea. The Calendar was changed.
The new CCSD Board Members did what they were elected to do!

They did not change their minds like David Banks!

#737: Emily H - NEW CALENDAR 

 

Emily H, Just wait until you enter the World of Work or the Military!

#751: Guest - Re: Listen to what this board members says about the majority