A parent (didn't get her name; sorry) who said her children were
in Lowndes County schools and she had gone to Valdosta City schools
wanted to know if CUEE had collected any data to compare parental
involvement between the two school systems.
Parental involvement is not as high as it should be...
and the first step will be to start in everyone's home....
[applause]
Roy Taylor said his grandson graduated from Lowndes County High.
He must be a lot older than he seems, since LCHS closed about
1968 when it was combined with Hahira High School to create
Lowndes High School.
He did have a good point, though (paraphrasing):
80% of prisoners are less than 30 years old.
$60,000 a year to keep a person in prison.
$30,000 a year to keep them in college.
His question:
Are you gonna get the parents involved?
Lowndes County Schools Supt. Smith responded that they are working
diligently through Community Partners in Education to do that.
He also talked about Valdosta and Lowndes schools already improving
their graduation rates.
And school, home, and community as three legs of a stool.
Jerome Tucker has experience in all the major local business organizations
and with both the local school systems.
He used to be the chair of the Community Partners in Education (CPIE)
that a CUEE board member had never heard of.
He is the voice of experience, and here's what he said:
You told me not to cheerlead, but I've got the mic in my hand.
I don't have the right to vote, but I'm encouraging
everybody to vote no.
I have friends in the city.
Call them; tell them to vote no.
[Applause.]
This is too important an issue in our community not to lead a cheer.
Then he established his personal credentials, stated the truth as he knows
it, and issue a challenge.
First he bragged on the local school systems:
Somebody's supposed to be about business thinks we don't have what it takes
to compete;
somebody make a statement, and I'm an old country boy.
My granny told me things that are said are the truth or a lie.
The things I say ... this afternoon are what I've experienced.
That's what I call a primary source.
He discussed other places that brag on our school systems, then:
I challenge anybody to have been as involved as consistently and as long as I have
in business and community development in and around Valdosta and Lowndes County.
I've served as chairman of the Industrial Authority.
I've served as chairman of the Tourism Authority.
I've served as chairman of the Valdosta Technical Board of Education.
I've been on the superintendent's council of schools.
A member of CPIE since its inception.
I challenge anyone....
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