Ripple Effect of Clayton County, Georgia School Accreditation Loss

The schools of Clayton County, Georgia are scheduled to lose their accreditation September 1, 2008, unless specific changes take place between now and then. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools gave Clayton County schools until September 1 to meet nine mandates. The Georgia governor has appointed an attorney and two liaisons to oversee the process to meet the nine mandates. Two of the most prominent and essential changes recommended are:

· Complete removal and replacement of existing Clayton County School Board Members

· A new school superintendent

Corruption has been noted in a number of articles and as the topic of conversation between parents and teachers, as one of the key reasons for the current board's failure. Board members giving preferential treatment to associates and businesses of friends, votes that help family members, unnecessary spending of school funds and spending of school funds for personal agendas have all been in the whispers and shouts of angry parents and teachers. The board was sited as being dysfunctional, because of infighting and stonewalling by some members. Once investigations began, one board member was found not to live in the district he represented-how did that happen-and was dismissed. Some board members have stepped up to the plate and issued their resignations. Others are doggedly hanging on-to the distress of many involved.

Parents of High School age children in Clayton County are understandably upset and clamoring for a solution. But what happens if the accreditation is lost? The idea of school vouchers has been put before Georgia lawmakers. These school vouchers would allow students from Clayton County to go to school in other counties. If the noise from Clayton County is loud over the loss of accreditation, the noise from surrounding counties over absorbing the displaced students is becoming deafening. The burden of adding students from failing schools to surrounding county schools has wide implications.

Fayette County is one of the counties that borders Clayton County. Fayette County schools have a high-ranking reputation for excellence within the State of Georgia. So much so, people have been "sneaking" their children into the schools from outside the county for some time now. This has happened so often, that local law enforcement has begun to check up on some incoming students to ensure they are actually living in Fayette County. This author knows of at least one mother who has paid the price for falsifying documentation to place her child in a Fayette County school.

Some people may be thinking, "What difference does it make. The government pays for the schools." Not so! While the government provides some money for schools, much of the money comes from local taxpayers (inside the county where the school operates). According to Fayette County School Superintendent, DeCotis, the state money "only covers a little over half the cost" per student. Needless to say, the taxpayers of Fayette County are up in arms about having their existing system burdened by additional students coming from outside the county and the potential for increased property taxes. Fayette County Parents are worried about a decreasing quality of education and the potential for increased school violence (Clayton County in general has a reputation for violence, drugs and gang activity, although there have been recent efforts to change that situation.) Teachers are wondering how they will cope. There is currently a shortage of teachers and substitutes are hard to find and keep.

Amended Georgia Senate Bill 458, or the school voucher bill as many call it, recently passed the Georgia State Senate and is headed for the Georgia House. There is a provision that states a receiving school system will accept students subject to space availability, but there is some discussion about who will have the last word in defining "available space."

It would seem that the failure of the Clayton County School System is merely a reflection of the failure of Clayton County Government. Corruption, nepotism, palm greasing and personal agendas-these sound like words from the headlines of Washington, D.C. Is this leading by example? Is this a tone being set for the future? How many more school systems are at risk. What do you know about yours?